The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

How grassroots organizers beat out commercial bidders, and overcame zoning hurdles to redevelop Catholic church into affordable housing.

March 9 - WBUR - Boston public radio

The don't bite. They don't need much space. They follow kids around like a dog. We're talking about miniature goats. Planning commissions across the country are being asked to moved the hooved animals into the "pet" category.

March 9 - USA Today

About half of commercial mortgage defaults in Las Vegas last year were for vacant land. With loans impossible to get and construction at a halt, vacant land is a hard sell.

March 9 - Las Vegas Review-Journal

Berkeley's popular plan to turn a section of Center Street into a pedestrian walkway with a stream and wetlands has been slowed by the fight over downtown development.

March 9 - East Bay Express

That's the conclusion of a new report by The Long Island Index. Equal development can be achieved by building into the island's last greenfields or upwards from infill opportunities like underused parking lots.

March 9 - Grist

Are billboards visual pollution, or valuable information source? Sao Paolo, Brazil banned billboards in the city in 2007 and is an interesting case study.

March 9 - Arkinet

Train writer Christian Wolmar argues that the best application for high speed rail funds would be to upgrade the Washington D.C. to Boston, 150 mph Acela line to true, high speed rail status and used as a showcase for American rail technology.

March 9 - The New York Times - Opinion

The economic stimulus of China has focused billions of dollars on building skyscrapers. Some wonder whether a building bust may soon follow.

March 9 - Business Week

This piece from <em>Business Week</em> lists the most anticipated architecture projects to watch in 2010.

March 9 - Business Week

A look at public space as a "community living room" and the role of police within the context of Los Angeles.

March 8 - Examiner

A picture's worth a thousand plans - at least when it's a "photo-realistic visualization." Designer Steve Price's detailed 3D flash animations show towns what empty streetscapes and drab buildings could look like with a little bit of planning.

March 8 - Grist.org

Electronic next train signage has come to the New York Subway. Three experimental systems are currently being tested throughout the system, but locals say the kinks are still clearly being worked out.

March 8 - The New York Times

BLOG POST

<p class="ecxMsoNormal"> <span style="font-size: small; font-family: Times New Roman">I am spending this spring at the University of Toronto working on an advanced law degree (called an L.L.M.), and am writing a thesis comparing sprawl in Canada and the United States.<span>  </span>Here are a few preliminary findings:</span> </p>

March 8 - Michael Lewyn

Slate looks at the history and importance of signage and wayfinding design.

March 8 - Slate.com

$7 gas is necessary according to a new report if transportation emissions are to be reduced to EPA targets by 2020. What's more, providing tax credits for electric and hybrid vehicles would backfire. The report recommends steep gas tax increases.

March 8 - The New York Times - Science

<em>The Transport Politic</em> details the City of New York's plans for a citywide busway on 34th Street.

March 8 - the transport politic

This piece from <em>Fast Company</em> looks at an effort by IBM to use computer systems to intuitively understand traffic systems and improve the way city infrastructure handles congestion.

March 8 - Fast Company

Officials in the Dominican Republic have approved the creation of cities made of home built out of shipping containers -- part of efforts to aid earthquake-rattled Haiti.

March 8 - Inhabitat

Saul Kaplan says cities should be transformed into innovation centers to stay competitive and become the venue of a "new economic conversation".

March 8 - Business Week

FEATURE

Dr. Marc Schlossberg of the University of Oregon developed a series of tools for mobile GIS devices, and set community members loose to use the technology to collect data about their streets and improve their neighborhood livability.

March 8 - Dr. Marc Schlossberg