The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

This essay from <em>The Urbanophile</em> looks at the economics behind greenfield development.

February 5 - The Urbanophile

Underused since the end of the 2008 Summer Olympics, the Beijing Water Cube swimming stadium will be converted into a water park.

February 5 - Agence France Presse

Voters in Colorado Springs, Colorado voted against an increase in property taxes in November. Now they're getting a lesson in what taxes pay for, as city services cut back on water, electricity and maintenance.

February 5 - Denver Post

In April, 2008, the state assembly rejected Mayor Bloomberg's congestion pricing plan. In this recent panel, the experts agree that the revenue the project would have produced for improving city transportation infrastructure is vital to its future.

February 5 - Streetsblog

A survey of Baby Boomers finds an increasing willingness to move after retirement, and the new tipping point for "old age".

February 5 - Builder

The Brazilian government has approved a new hydroelectric dam in the Amazon. Many locals and environmentalists are fuming.

February 5 - Guardian

After receiving thousands of comments and suggestions, planners in Washington D.C. have narrowed options down to five plans for remaking the National Mall.

February 5 - The Architect's Newspaper

A recent water rights ruling in Nevada could potentially endanger the validity of nearly 15,000 water rights in the state dating back to 1947. As a result, new applications for water rights are flooding state offices.

February 5 - Las Vegas Review-Journal

Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority (CTRMA) is about to test run a system where drivers can pay their toll using only their iPhone, Blackberry, or MS Windows Mobile-enabled phone.

February 4 - TOLLROADSnews

Other cities have opened up tall buildings to the public; Pittsburgh envisions doing the same with US Steel, which has a 1-acre flat roof.

February 4 - PopCity Magazine

Witold Rybczynski takes a look at architecture that has fared poorly with time.

February 4 - Slate.com

In a new report looking at how cities in the American West can fight global warming, the authors conclude that the best strategy is to focus on economic and energy efficiency through smart growth.

February 4 - Lincoln Institute of Land Policy blog

The City of Portland is considering its 2030 Bike Plan today. Some question whether the $613 million price tag is worthwhile.

February 4 - The Oregonian

<em>GOOD</em> takes a look at five of the nation's biggest public transit systems and compares their ridership, average speeds, and average miles per trip.

February 4 - Good

As a preventive measure to avoid future NIMBYism, an Air Force base in Arizona has effectively blocked the spread of residential development close to its borders.

February 4 - The Arizona Republic

The <em>Guardian</em> asks prominent thinkers what sort of city London will be in 20 years.

February 4 - Guardian

<em>The Infrastructurist</em>'s Melissa Lafsky is on <em>Fox Business</em> to discuss the prospect of high speed rail in America -- both in terms of transportation and jobs.

February 4 - Fox Business

Allison Arieff takes a look at some of the ways GIS and other data-visualization technologies can help to address urban problems.

February 4 - NYTimes: Opinionator Blog

Instead of building its signature single family homes in dense New York neighborhoods, Habitat is expanding its model to include LEED-certified apartment buildings.

February 4 - New York Times

FEATURE

Housing affordability is too often seen as the way to stabilize and revitalize weak markets. Neighborhood planning consultants Charles Buki and Elizabeth Humphrey Schilling argue that interventions in weak markets must encourage investment by improving market confidence.

February 4 - Charles Buki