The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

The Plan That Changed Urban Planning

A tour shows off the results of a plan that "completely changed the direction of urban planning for much of the last century."

November 10 - New Urban Network

Pittsburgh: The City That Bounced Back

Pittsburgh is the new poster child for recovery, the city that managed to turn around its economic struggles. Ben Schulman digs in to figure out if how the myth meets reality.

November 10 - SustainableCitiesCollective

Parks, Walkability and the Role They Play in Obesity

St. Louis' Forest Park is a model of good planning, but inner-city parks are in much worse shape and having an effect on the health of those communities, says a new study.

November 10 - The St. Louis Beacon

Best and Worst States for Business Taxes

The Tax Foundation has released the newest edition of its State Business Tax Climate Index, which ranks from 1 (best) to 50 (worst) the tax systems of the 50 states. According to the press release, South Dakota comes out on top.

November 10 - The Tax Foundation

A New Emphasis on Compact Communities in Chicago

Branden Klayko says that Chicago's new GOTO 2040 plan is a bold vision that includes extensive infill development and an emphasis on creating compact communities around transit.

November 10 - The Architect's Newspaper


Peak Oil Coming Soon, Says Energy Exec

Charles Maxwell, a former energy executive who is now an analyst at Weeden & Co., says "peak oil" will drive oil prices to US$300 a barrel over the next decade.

November 10 - Financial Post

Controversial Housing Bill Advances in NJ

A law requiring New Jersey towns to ensure 10 percent of new units are affordable now awaits a vote by the State Assembly.

November 10 - The Star-Ledger


Cash-Strapped Township Puts Bridge Up For Sale to Public

The Pennsylvanian township of Upper Salford is auctioning off a 35-year-old wooden bridge to the highest bidder through an online forum, the latest creative solution for cash-strapped local governments seeking to clean up expensive local problems.

November 9 - The Philadelphia Inquirer

What Urban Agriculture Means for Urban Design

Charles Waldheim examines the current trend's roots in design and architectural history and how it might alter city form.

November 9 - Places

Skyscraper Blight?

James M. Russell calls a proposed office tower to be built across from the new Penn Station "2.83 million square feet of blight." What makes a skyscraper blight?

November 9 - Bloomberg News

Transit Bridge Rises in Portland

A new $135m bridge over the Willamette River will include designated lanes for pedestrians, bikes, and public transit vehicles, but not private cars.

November 9 - Next American City

10 Places Poised for Economic Recovery

Joel Kotkin hypothesizes as to which cities will emerge from the recession stronger than ever.

November 9 - New Geography

Lassoing a Plan for El Paso

Fort Bliss in El Paso, TX will be getting 30,000 more troops under the Base Realignment and Closure program, which means a major effort to plan for the added people.

November 9 - New Urban Network

A Model of Main St. Revitalization

Roberta Brandes Gratz pays a visit to Mt. Morris, New York, a town that many are looking at as a prime example of economic revitalization.

November 9 - Citiwire.net

Recession Chic in Braddock, PA

Braddock has become the poster child for a sort of bootstrap revitalization - an attitude that Levi's wants to rub off on their jeans. In exchange for using Braddock as a brand enhancer, the company built Braddock a community center.

November 9 - Next American City

The Art of Sprawl

Aerial photographs by photographer Christoph Gielen turn sprawl into beautiful, abstracted images.

November 9 - CNN

Amtrak Eying Abandoned Hudson Rail Tunnels

Amtrak may work with NJ Transit to build a second set of tunnels (previously known as ARC that was scuttled by NJ Gov. Christie) under the Hudson River, possibly to connect with New York's Penn Station, according to an Amtrak VP and NJ Transit.

November 9 - Asbury Park Press

New Earthquake Research Reveals Best, and Worst, Building Locations

A new study finds that surface topography, not solely an area's underlying geology, contributes significantly to earthquake intensity. Researchers hope that the new information can be easily factored into local planning and design processes.

November 8 - The New York Times

Doing More With Less in Los Angeles

In a recent press release, L.A. Director of Planning Michael LoGrande announced that he is reorganizing their reduced staff to "focus on and master critical functions."

November 8 - Los Angeles Department of City Planning

When Small Alleys Cause Big Headaches

Getting the City of Boston to pick up the tab for maintenance and repair of certain alleyways has proved frustrating for residents of the city's South End, due to high costs and restrictions associated with transferring ownership rights to the city.

November 8 - The Boston Globe

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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.

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.