The Daily Source of Urban Planning News
BLOG POST
Public Education, Privatization and Planning
<br /> <!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <p class="MsoNormal"> One of the greatest challenges for US cities is the perceived failure of public schools. Both as a means for attracting and retaining the middle class and for providing upward mobility public schools are crucial. Consequently, any effort to build livable cities must include successful public schools so as to provide a ladder for the poor and to attract and retain the middle class. Although education typically falls out of the purview of planning, planners can ill afford to ignore such a key component of what makes a place livable in the minds of many.
"The Golden Age of Motoring is Over"
According to this article in The Guardian U.K., fewer and fewer young adults age 17-20 are seeking a driver's license and car ownership, signalling "peak car".
Calatrava Walks Away from Denver Airport
Claiming frustration with inadequate funding and not enough time in the schedule, famed architect Santiago Calatrava has walked away from the Denver Airport's south terminal expansion project.
Is Planning All About Tax Revenue?
Jeffery R. Levine asks if, given the reliance on property taxes, the planning process is truly revenue-blind.
Americans Crave the Familiar in Architecture and Design
Kaid Benfield argues that if people are going to embrace mixed-use, denser living styles, architects and designers need to "embrace the familiar."
FEATURE
Carpooling: What the Census Doesn't Show
Recent census data analysis shows that the number of carpoolers has been declining over the last thirty years. But further study of carpooling's history, as well as social, demographic and economic trends, shows that there is more to carpooling numbers than a downward slope, writes Cynthia Armour.
London's "Lego" Olympics
In order to lighten the footprint of the 2012 Olympics, Britain's architects and event planners are aiming to "reduce, reuse and recycle" venues so that they can be repurposed or taken down when the games are over.
Chinese Government "Cancels" the City of Chaohu
With no advance warning, residents of the large city of Chaohu were told on August 22nd that their city no longer existed. The city's land and people are now divided into 3 and incorporated into other nearby cities.
Fixing Cincinnati
The Banks, an ambitious redevelopment plan for Cincinnati's waterfront, is near completion. Travis R. Eby takes a look.
A New Look for Affordable Housing in the Bronx
Via Verde is a subsidized housing development going up in a gentrifying part of the South Bronx, combining towers with townhouses and a contemporary design.
North Dakota's Oil Boom
The Bakken formation, which lies under North Dakota and Montana, could contain almost 11 billion barrels of oil. Towns like Williston, ND are exploding in population and have the lowest unemployment in the country.
Latest Government Shutdown Threat: Disaster Relief vs. Clean Car Manufacturing Subsidy
Once again, a government shutdown looms after Sept. 30 over funding for disaster relief. House Republicans insist that the additional spending must be off-set with spending cuts, and their target is a subsidy for electric cars and batteries.
Regional Transportation Planning Meeting Held: No One Comes
Officials and planners from across Georgia came out to answer any questions the public may have about a new regional transportation plan. Evidently the plan has "100 percent support," joked one official, because no one showed up.
Turning Old Gas Stations into Good Urbanism
Aurash Khawarzad looks at three projects that turned crude into gold, as old gas stations are quickly updated into a movie theater, a cafe and a restaurant.
The YIMBY Tool Kit
...or, how to say "Yes, in my backyard!" to new development proposals. A new guide developed by the Pivot Legal Society in Vancouver is intended to provide guidance for communities that actually want hard-to-place projects.
Environmentalism, Renewable Energy and NIMBYs
Jennifer Runyon asks if environmentalists are doing the right thing by pushing regulations that make the cost of building renewable energy projects prohibitive.
Are Performance Parking Strategies Working?
Performance parking, dynamic pricing; whatever you call it, SF Park's strategy uses the latest technology and pricing strategies to make the most efficient use of parking, with the goal of improving air quality and traffic flow. But is it working?
How the U.N. Uses GIS to Manage Humantarian Responses
Two planners with the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reveal how they use GIS to coordinate their efforts, using the recent tsunami and earthquake in Japan as an example.
Farmland Sale Sparks Protests in China
Since Wednesday, Chinese farmers have been protesting the sale of over 800 acres of farmland to developers. The scene, writes Andrew Jacobs, is not entirely uncommon lately as concerns over environmental justice build.
Free Plug-Ins for Electric Vehicles Likely Won't Last
Free charging stations for electric and hybrid-electric vehicles in Colorado likely won't last due to the high cost of construction of the facilities.
Smith Gee Studio
City of Charlotte
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.
