The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

As European bike culture spreads across America, get ready for the next import from Amsterdam - the Beer Bike.

June 1 - The New York Times

As Philadelphia seeks to shift the basis of its property tax system, Catherine Lucey and Jan Ransom report on legislation to be introduced by two City Councilmen that could provide property tax relief to long-time residents of gentrifying areas.

June 1 - philly.com

In the face of New York City's increasing assault on automobiles, Justin Davidson stands up for the pleasures and utility of driving as a key ingredient in the city's multimodal mix of mobility.

June 1 - New York Magazine

While raw density numbers are sure to pick a fight, discussing character-based building typologies one neighborhood at a time may help find common ground.

June 1 - PlaceShakers

Anecdotes about states usurping the power of cities to tax, spend, and regulate abound. But does the sum of these anecdotes add up to a systematic shift away from local governance? A new study attempts to answer this question, reports Eric Jaffe.

June 1 - The Atlantic Cities

Joel Kato speaks with Richard Louv, author and founding chairman of The Children and Nature Network, about his new book and how 'nature-deficit disorder' is making us fat, sick, and depressed.

June 1 - Good

FEATURE

May 31 - Alesia Hsiao

Sabrina Tavernise explores "one of the most important developments in the recent economic history of this country" - the growing divide between metro areas with large numbers of college graduates, and those struggling to keep those they have.

May 31 - The New York Times

A new report released this week seeks to address whether the "urban health advantage" can be extended to more of the world’s population as cities continue to grow in the coming decades, reports Katherine Harmon.

May 31 - Scientific American

Svante Myrick, Ithaca's youngest-ever mayor, is leading the way in transforming how the city thinks about transportation and land use, and he's starting with his own front yard, reports Sarah Laskow.

May 31 - Grist

A new development intending to jump-start downtown Newark's renewal, and designed by Richard Meier, is banking on the stimulating powers of an unlikely economic engine - teachers.

May 31 - Fast Company

New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg opened the latest front in his war on obesity with an announcement yesterday that the city plans to ban the sale of large sodas and other sugary drinks at restaurants, movie theaters and street carts.

May 31 - The New York Times

Amanda Kolson Hurley reviews the ambitious exhibit <em>House and Home</em>, on view at the National Building Museum in Washington D.C.

May 31 - The Architect's Newspaper

Madeline Janis, former commissioner on the board of L.A.'s Community Redevelopment Agency, argues that American job creation should be a top priority when awarding transit contracts.

May 31 - Los Angeles Times

The last five years have seen an explosion of bicycle safety improvements across America. A new project launching this week in six cities seeks to connect officials and planners to the best practices transforming our transportation networks.

May 31 - Bikes Belong

Daniel Denvir's article will have you thinking twice about whether your elected officials should be dedicating public resources to support the newest mega-project in your city as he explores "Great Moments in the History of Boondoggles."

May 31 - The Atlantic Cities

The battleground is the Big Sandy coal power plant in eastern Kentucky. The owner, American Electric Power, under pressure from coal proponents, agreed to do a $1 billion retrofit rather than switching to natural gas. Victory was short-lived.

May 31 - The New York Times - Energy & Environment

A new series of documentary films seeks to explore the value and impact of public interest projects designed using the SEED process, which is based on a belief that design can be a catalyst for positive change within the public at large.

May 30 - SEEDocs.org

Nate Berg reports on a Kenyan High Court decision that allows the government to proceed with "slum upgrading and road construction projects" in one of the largest informal settlements in the world, by tossing out ownership claims made by residents

May 30 - The Atlantic Cities

In a new book out this week, Michelle Obama explores the lessons she's learned while cultivating the First Garden, which has blossomed into a nationwide anti-obesity campaign, writes Marian Burros.

May 30 - The New York Times