The Daily Source of Urban Planning News
From a Weedy Cambridge Railyard, a Stalled Mini-City Sprouts Anew
Stalled for 5 years, the 45-acre NorthPoint mixed use development in East Cambridge re-launches with a new development team and an updated vision for its urban form.
DreamWorks Takes on Disney with $3.1 Billion Shanghai Project
Seeking to rival the Broadway theater district in New York and the West End in London, DreamWorks Animation SKG recently announced plans to develop a $3.1 billion cultural and entertainment district in Shanghai.
Cities Court Medical and Educational Facilities in Hopes of Stimulating Development
The rise of the innovation economy is driving fierce competition between cities across America to attract medical facilities and universities as job providers and engines of development.
Zurich's Parking Policy Evolution: Cap & Replace
Zurich underwent a major parking policy change for its downtown - from 'predict and provide' (i.e. parking minimums) to 'cap and replace'. When a new parking space is provided, a surface parking space is designated toward public plazas.
Spike in Homeless Incites Rapid Response from NYC, Angering Many
By opening nine new homeless shelters in just the last two months, the Bloomberg administration has responded quickly to an 18% increase in the number of people entering NYC's shelter system in the past year, much to the dismay of local officials.
Now Mainstream, What Does the Future Hold for Once-Fringe Alternative Transportation Advocates?
J. David Goodman spotlights New York-based Transportation Alternatives, the 40-year-old pedestrian, bicycle, and transit advocacy organization that has become a potent political force.
Plans for Passenger Rail Return to South Florida
This week it was announced that a private company will pick up the passenger rail ball dropped last year by Gov. Rick Scott by financing a $1 billion project to connect downtown Miami to Orlando by 2014.
China's Rapidly Expanding Inland Cities
The mostly unfamiliar cities of China's vast inland territories are growing at an exponential rate, attracting global businesses, infrastructure investment, and residents in search of opportunities.
Harvesting the Tides of the Bay of Fundy
Experimental efforts are being made to harness the extreme currents off Maine's coast, as underwater tidal energy turbines could soon generate power for nearby homes and businesses.
L.A. Bureau of Sanitation at the Forefront of Water Sustainability
Enrique Zaldivar, Director of the Bureau of Sanitation, explains the city's efforts to maintain public health and promote water conservation. As urban areas guard natural resources and urban environments, L.A. presents some successful first steps.
Laws Fail to Keep Up With Efforts to Encourage Biking and Walking
As cities across the world expand their infrastructure to support more bicycle- and pedestrian-friendly environments, outdated laws still support the use of streets by automobiles over people.
Is Latin America the Next Biking Paradise?
From Buenos Aires, to Mexico City, to Bogota, cities across Latin America are embracing the bicycle. Across Central and South America, bike lane miles and the numbers of bicycles on the streets are on the rise.
London's Transit Network Wins the Gold
Dogged in advance of the Olympics by fears of transit paralysis, Lauren Collins discusses how London's public transportation network has been the surprise hit of the Games.
Columbus's Thriving Arts District Goes on Display
Driven by its long-cultivated arts community, development of Columbus, Ohio's Short North neighborhood has defied the economic downturn as investment in the once-downtrodden area continues.
Brewing Economic Development
Cities across America are catching on to the economic development and placemaking potential of craft breweries, writes J. Katie McConnell.
Friday Funny: Comic Extolls the Delights of Suburban Planning
Accomplished comic author, and orthodontist-in-training, Grant Snider turns his acerbic attention to his neighborhood, and the wonders of "Suburban Planning."
OKC Mayor Mick Cornett Talks Diet and Design
On Metropolis P.O.V., Jared Green interviews Mayor Mick Cornett to uncover the keys to Oklahoma City's surprising success.
Does New Data Upend Old Assumptions About the Knowledge Economy?
Joel Kotkin looks at a new analysis of Census data by Wendell Cox that may upend the "conventional wisdom" that "talented, highly-skilled and highly educated people" are clustering in America's coastal cities.
San Antonio Spurs Pioneering Water Conservation Effort
With a multipronged strategy, San Antonio has managed to achieve the nearly impossible - keeping water use flat while accommodating substantial growth - rightfully earning it the title "Water's Most Resourceful City," reports Mose Buchele.
Philadelphia's New Plaza Serves as Welcome Mat to the City
Located adjacent to the nation's 3rd busiest train station, Philly's new multi-use plaza - dubbed The Porch - provides a welcoming entryway to the city and a model for a "lighter, quicker, cheaper" approach to urban improvements.
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
