The Daily Source of Urban Planning News
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Snow, Cars and Growth
<p> A couple of years ago, I was listening to a friend explain why she left Rochester for Jacksonville. "I was tired of digging my car out of the snow." It occurred to me that the nexus between driving and winter weather may at least partially explain the decline of America’s northern Rust Belt. </p> <p> Here’s why: car care and storage makes snow a bigger bother than might otherwise be the case: if you don’t have a heated garage, you have to dig your car out of the snow every day, and if you park on the street you may have to constantly move your car to accommodate municipal snow removal. </p>
Five Levels of Public Space
HafenCity is a district in Hamburg that is being built with flooding in mind. One way the development prepares for rising waters is having several layers of public space that can be used, creating a model for cities facing global warming.
You Can't Have Good TOD Without the T
Philip Langdon argues that if the U.S. is going to shift toward compact, less resource-consuming patterns of development, Americans will have to rely increasingly on mass transit - so it better work.
100 Acres of Art
100 Acres is the name (and size?) of a new park in Indianapolis that is a "hybrid of landscape, art, and architecture," according to Edward Blake, of Landscape Studio, the designers.
"Temporary" Parks Get Approved Easier
Heather Smith talks with urban designer Andres Power about his work creating parklets within the San Francisco Planning Department.
Meet the Geeks Re-Shaping D.C.
Planning nerd bloggers like David Alpert of Greater Greater Washington are finding that they can have significant influence in the world of D.C. planning and development.
Stealth Solar is Slowly Transforming Downtown Portland
In Portland, two examples of how stealthy implementation of solar-powered technology is changing the rhythm of daily life.
The Infoscape As An Integral Part of Architecture
Video L.E.D. screens with images of musicians are going up throughout Lincoln Center as part of the overall look and feel of the concert hall.
The Rise of the Global City
In 1991, author and sociologist Saskia Sassen predicted that cities would make a comeback in her book The Global City. Now that her prediction has come true, Christina Larson talks to Sassen about what makes a "global city."
Could Your Next Tomato Come From A Former Best Buy?
Gene Fredericks wants to turn empty big box stores into hydroponic and aquaponic growing centers using the latest technologies.
Why is Transit So Expensive to Build?
Glen Bottoms at The American Conservative attempts to answer the question.
The Bus Thief Who Just Can't Stop
Darius McCollum, 45, of New York, loves transit. He loves it so much, he has a habit of taking New York City subways and buses for a spin, and has been arrested about two dozen times for doing just that.
Curbing Corruption
Rick Cole, City Manager of Ventura, California, says the recent scandal over inflated city staff salaries in Bell could have been easily avoided with a few simple precautions.
Small Towns and Rural Areas Can Be Livable
Do urban areas have the monopoly on livability? Transportation 4 America says no, and presents 12 case studies to prove it.
Redefining a Planning Department
The L.A. Department of City Planning is experiencing radical changes in leadership, planning process, and organizational structure. The leaders--past, present, and, future--of planning in L.A. gathered in August to discuss a vision for the future.
Architecture for People
Reporting from the Venice Architecture Biennale, Justin McGuirk says that this year reflects a focus on the user experience of buildings.
Why Are There So Many Empty Lots?
Kids from Walt Whitman Middle School in Brooklyn wanted to know why there were so many empty lots around their school. The Center for Urban Pedagogy worked with the kids to understand why, and created a video document from what they found.
New York Passes Smart Growth Bill
Governor David Paterson signed The Smart Growth Public Policy Infrastructure Policy Act on Monday, which directs the state to invest in infrastructure in dense communities rather than sprawling ones.
Suburban Living With Urban Amenities
Bill Fulton visits his family in Rockville, Maryland, and discovers that a young family looking for suburban space can find it within walking distance of the library, the Metro stop, and mixed-use development.
Bikesharing Coming Soon to D.C.
Capitol Bikeshare will launch in September with over a thousand bikes. ReadsetDC goes behind the scenes to see the bikes and infrastructure as it is assembled.
Municipality of Princeton
Roanoke Valley-Alleghany Regional Commission
City of Mt Shasta
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
US High Speed Rail Association
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
Municipality of Princeton (NJ)
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.
