The Daily Source of Urban Planning News
The Holy Grail of Neighborhoods? Trader Joe's
Everyone wants the gourmet grocer in their community. The secret to getting one? Density, says David Alpert.
New Governor Moves Into Mixed-Use
California's Governor-elect Jerry Brown will be living part-time in the first modern mixed use project in Sacramento. Jerry's new neighborhood has a WalkScore of 95 and is walkable to the Capitol building.
Ohio Loses Significance
New Census numbers show that Ohio is now less than 4% of the total U.S. population, which hasn't been the case since the Census of 1810.
FEATURE
Book Review: Makeshift Metropolis
In this highly readable volume, Witold Rybczynski makes a fresh argument for rethinking the field of planning. Lynn Vande Stouwe has this review of one of our selections for the Top 10 Urban Planning Books for 2011.
Design Trend for 2011: The Village Vibe
Builder Magazine picks their 10 Residential Design Trends for 2011, which include smaller houses, green building, a farm-to-table influence in the kitchen, and a walkable, village feel.
The Conflicting Needs of Tourists and Residents
A new Independence Mall stands in the historic heart of Philadelphia, a decade after the old mall's demolition. According to <em>The Inquirer's</em> Inga Saffron, the new space has been a major boon for tourists but has alienated many city residents.
Historic Preservation in Syria
Over the last 50 years, preservation in Syria focused on restoring architecturally significant buildings, "sometimes destroyed the communities around them," writes Nicolai Ouroussoff. A plaza in Aleppo represents a change in strategy.
A Testing Ground for Affordable Housing Policy
Westchester County, a predominantly white and wealthy area of the New York City region, is trying out an array of techniques and zoning policies to ensure that its stock of affordable housing is dramatically increased in the coming years.
Still A Nonprofit, But No Longer Tax-Exempt
In an attempt to avoid new debt and decrease existing budget deficits, many cash-strapped cities and states are levying a host of new fees that don't provide exemption to nonprofits such as churches, schools, and charities.
The Social Benefits of Walkability
People who live in walkable neighborhoods watch less TV, participate in more local organizations, and trust their neighbors more according to a new report from the University of New Hampshire.
Beijing's Plan To Limit Traffic Antagonizes Auto Dealers
To reduce congestion, Beijing will follow in Shanghai's footsteps set 10 years ago by limiting new car registrations; only Beijing residents will be able to obtain one,and only vehicles with such plates will be allowed entrance to city center in 2011
The Challenge of Preserving Interiors
The New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission lists only 110 interiors worthy of preservation. This article in Metropolis says the challenge is the "temporal nature of interior spaces."
What Do Good Public Spaces Look Like?
Deborah Marton, Executive Director of the Design Trust for Public Space, asks, "Obviously public space should be beautiful and well designed for circulation, but what else should it do?"
LaHood's Pitch To Florida: Go Forward With HSR
Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood wrote a major address to the nation in support of high speed rail that appeared in Florida's Orlando Sentinel. Streetsblog notes the significance of that paper in light of events in Wisconsin and Ohio.
Retail Outlook Improving, Fewer Stores Closing
And more stores are opening, according to Retail Traffic Magazine. An estimated 35,000 new stores are predicted to open in 2011, while closings will likely be less than last year.
Gas Price Shooting To $3.75/gallon
A tweet from the FuelFix folks indicates that gas prices may reach $3.75 in the spring having passed the crucial oil price of $90 a barrel earlier this month. Already gas prices are the highest on record for any December.
Christmas Downtown is Saved
Downtown Elizabethtown, North Carolina is in the middle of a huge redevelopment project, and customers were avoiding the mess causing a blue Christmas for shopowners. City Hall stepped in and put a hold on revitalization, and Santa is back in town.
South and West Get More Influential
Yonah Freemark says that new Census data is revealing that the South and West are growing while the Midwest and East are shrinking, which could signal a shift in policy from traditionally urban areas to more exurban-centric regions.
Crowdsourcing the City
"Give a Minute" is a program that seeks ideas for fixing cities directly from the people who use them, using ads in newspapers and displays in public spaces to ask a big question, such as "What would get you to walk, bike or take transit more often?"
Niagara Falls, New York: The Epitome of Bad Urban Planning
An extensive piece in Bloomsburg BusinessWeek uncovers the bad ideas and worse decisions that led to the downfall of Niagara Falls, New York. Step one? Replacing the historic downtown with "a bunch of modernist follies."
New York City School Construction Authority
Village of Glen Ellyn
Central Transportation Planning Staff/Boston Region MPO
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
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.
