The Daily Source of Urban Planning News
New Towns Prove Sprawl Is Alive And Well
Two new rapidly growing Utah towns grow beyond expectations, and beyond service areas.
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Visualization Tools Help Counter Neighborhood Concerns Over Housing Development
<html><br /> <br /> <head><br /> <meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html;charset=iso-8859-1"><br /> </meta></head><br /> <br /> <body bgcolor="#ffffff"> Here is a neat example of how visualization tools are helping improve the planning process for communities. It's an example we came across while researching tools for a chapter we are writing for the APA. <br><br /> <br /> <p>The City of Vail, Colorado offers an example of 3D visualization tools being used to improve the design review process. The city requires developers to submit a 3D model – preferably a virtual model – for design review. The virtual model is then placed in a 3D model, created by Winston Associates (www.winstonassociates.com), of the mountains, roads and ground plain to make it possible to explore the impacts of new buildings in the context of their surroundings. This technique was beneficial in getting an initially wary community behind a recent affordable housing project. Winston Associates worked with the developers to generate a 3-D model in 3ds max (formerly known as 3D Studio Max) and then placed the housing model into the site model. Using the model they demonstrated how the housing development would look from different vantage points such as the highway. In addition, the model proved to concerned neighbors that the development could not been seen from their homes. The project is currently under construction. <br><br /> </p>
Judges Say Manufacturing Tax Credit Is Unconstitutional
A manufacturing tax credit that Ohio used in 1998 to help convince Daimler Chrysler to build its new Jeep assembly plant in Toledo is unconstitutional
The Return Of The 'Housing Kit' -- With A Twist
Star architects are changing the perception of prefabricated housing into a hot new market. You can get a designer-made house, including land for under $300,000.
Nashville In Tune With New Urbanism
Developers are changing the face of Nashville.
Battleground State Demographics Diverge
The two states that may decide the 2004 presidential race are hardly demographic twins, writes William H. Frey.
Top Censored Stories: Looting The Commons
The story of the reversal of three decades of environmental progress is featured on a list of stories that were overlooked, under-reported or self-censored by the media.
The Future Of Chicago: Block 37
The Chicago Tribune's architecture critic, Blair Kamin, reviews the urban design for Chicago's Block 37, designed by Chicago architect Ralph Johnson.
Top Censored Stories: The Manipulation Of Science
The story of the purging, censoring, and manipulation of scientific research is featured on a list of 2003-2004 stories that were overlooked, under-reported or self-censored by the media.
USA Today's Spin On Mobility Study
USA Today reports on the Texas Transportation Institute annual mobility study. The spin: 3.5 billion hours wasted in traffic.
The World's Largest Wi-Fi Hot Spot Is Not In A City
The world's largest network is 10 times larger that Philadelphia's proposed city-wide network and covers 1,500 square miles of wheat fields.
Collecting Architects In The Hamptons
Developer Coco Brown assembles a galaxy of star architects to create a modernist enclave of homes on Long Island.
2004 Mobility Study: Most Congested Cities
The 2004 Urban Mobility Report, published by the Texas Transportation Institute, shows traffic congestion growing across the nation in cities of all sizes and ranks cities by congestion.
Should L.A.'s Murals Be Preserved?
Should Los Angeles try to preserve its rich heritage of 1,500 murals, which are rapidly fading and patched from graffiti?
National Study Finds Traffic Getting Worse
A study of 85 urban areas finds traffic congestion is getting worse across the nation.
Can Seattle Use Zoning To Stop Drug Deals?
Can SODA, or 'Stay Out of Drug Areas' zones reduce drug deals and improve neighborhoods?
Reverse Migration
Entrepreneurs And urban professionals are discovering life in the heartland. Are small cities the new economic cutting edge?
Omaha's Comeback
In recent years, the City of Omaha has made considerable progress in curbing and reversing negative trends, such as population loss and the deterioration of neighborhoods.
The Urban-Hardship Index
Study identifies cities where it is hardest to survive with a low income.
The Death and Life of a 16th Century Bridge
A landmark 1566 bridge, destroyed in the early 1990's during the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina, is rebuilt for the 21st century.
City of Moorpark
City of Tustin
Tyler Technologies
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
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.
