The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

Urban Industrial Use Makes A Comeback

The Central Eastside area of Portland is seeing a resurgence of updated industrial uses.

January 1 - The Oregonian

Developing A Propensity For Density

Roger K. Lewis of the Washington Post wonders if people fear change or density.

January 1 - The Washington Post

'Freeway' A Misnomer in So. California

Traffic experts say Southern California's freeway system needs a total overhaul.

January 1 - Los Angeles Daily News

Green Highrises

A new building in Cambridge, MA will serve as a model for green highrises.

January 1 - MetropolisMag.com

Navigating Israel's Byzantine Planning Laws and Regulations

Israel has over 10,000 pages of building regulations, construction standards and building guidelines-- often with contradictions between the laws and the regulations.

December 31 - Haaretz


Butterflies vs. Hotels

In Albany, NY, a large national hotel developer plans to build a 124-room hotel next to the habitat of the endangered Karner blue butterfly.

December 31 - Times Union

Iranian Earthquake Relief: Call For Architects, Engineers

Architecture for Humanity plans to respond to the recent earthquake in Bam, Iran with long-term housing solutions.

December 31 - MetropolisMag.com


CA Earthquake Damages Utopian Past

The City Hall building in a small city in Central California, that was damaged by a recent earthquake, has its origins in one developer's utopian vision.

December 31 - The Los Angeles Times

Raising Land Prices To Raise Eyebrows

Rhode Island officials are raising land prices in order to attract developers and commercial development.

December 31 - The Providence Journal

New York State: 'No Real Plan to Save Its Cities'

A snapshot of urban decline in New York State through Schenectady's recent fate.

December 31 - The New York Times

Michigan Environmentalists Mostly Pleased With Progress

Environmentalists praise the State of Michigan for their environmental work, but at the same time, advocate for more in 2004.

December 31 - Mlive.com

California Ripe For Monster Quake

Scientists say California's 750-mile San Andreas fault is ready for an 'epic earthquake'.

December 31 - The Los Angeles Times

Mega-Distribution Centers: Not On My Farmland

The development of mega-distribution warehouses, like one the size of 40 football fields, is being met with resentment and resistance by many residents.

December 31 - The Philadelphia Inquirer

No Silver Lining for Boston's Silver Line

Boston's Silver Line project, which has been overshadowed by the Big Dig, is experiencing its own set of development headaches.

December 31 - The Boston Globe

Opening Sightlines, But At What Cost?

The removal of Boston's last half-mile of elevated subway tracks will mark the end of an era, and the beginning of short-term development pains.

December 30 - The Boston Globe

Land Preservation Threatened

A challenge from a property-rights group leads to the cancelling of closed auctions for land marked for conservation.

December 30 - The Arizona Republic

Beirut: The World's Most Fascinating Urban Experiment

After years of war, Beirut proves that conflict can result in a rich urban restoration effort.

December 30 - The Los Angeles Times

Brown U. Backs Commuter Train To Neighboring City

A novel plan to unite the East Providence's waterfront and the city's east side via train gets the support of Brown University.

December 30 - The Providence Journal

Existing Provincial Policies Work Against Smart Growth

A new report details the costs of urban sprawl in southern Ontario.

December 30 - Pembina Institute

Wal-Mart Incentives: Is This Economic Development?

Subsidies, condemnation, and lop-sided tax policies are among the many ways governments give chain stores an advantage over independent retailers.

December 30 - Colorado Daily

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Senior Planner

City of Thousand Oaks

Community Development Director

City of Wisconsin Rapids

Professor of Urban Planning

Harvard University Graduate School of Design

Top Books

An annual review of books related to planning.

Top Schools

The definitive ranking of graduate planning programs.

100 Most Influential Urbanists

The who's who of urbanism, according to Planetizen readers.

Urban Planning Creators You Should Know

A short list of voices on social, video, and podcasting platforms.

FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?

After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.

Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold

The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.