The Daily Source of Urban Planning News
How Much Is Green Worth?
<p>A recent conference in Austin, Texas, of real estate appraisers explored how they should incorporate green-building techniques and features into their assessment of properties.</p>
Pabst Paints Malt Liquor Murals on Philly Buildings
<p>A local nonprofit named SCRUB caught Pabst Brewing creating "guerrilla marketing" ads disguised as decorative murals in Philadelphia, a violation of sign restrictions.</p>
'Independence Day' for Housing
<p>Congress is promising to pass before Independence Day a sweeping set of housing legislation that would offer refinancing packages, a trust fund for affordable rental housing and offer tax credits for purchasing unoccupied houses.</p>
Detroit Auto Critic Reviews New Ride -- the Bus
<p>Joe White, who reports on the auto industry in Detroit, steps out his car and reflects on the city's mixed history of transit. To get the full picture, he tries to ride the bus himself.</p>
Other Cities May Follow D.C. in Lifting Handgun Ban
<p>Washington D.C.'s recent lift of its citywide handgun ban could signal a change for other cities with similar bans, like L.A. and Atlanta.</p>
L.A. Mayor Seeks Sales Tax Increase For Transit
<p>Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa's half-cent increase in the county's sales tax would create $30-$40 billion for transportation projects over the next 30 years, and could go before voters in November.</p>
People Mover
<p>This article from <em>Next American City</em> looks at escalators -- the expensive, energy-intensive, and often under-used transportation mode.</p>
Are Churches Causing Sprawl?
<p>By moving out to areas where planning approvals are faster, rapidly-expanding churches are creating suburban sprawl, according to a recent study from researchers at Ryerson University.</p>
Bucky's Sustainable Planet
<p>Inventor, visionary, and architect Buckminster Fuller used design to tackle problems including homelessness and environmental degradation.</p>
Bahamians Face Gentrification in Miami
<p>Gentrification along Grand Avenue, the heart of Coconut's Grove Black and Bahamian community, has many residents fearing displacement and pushing for affordable housing inclusion.</p>
Is Brutalism Ready for a Comeback?
<p>Steve Rose argues that the time may be ripe for a new respect for brutalism, the mid-century architectural movement that planners love to hate.</p>
Transit Ridership Creates New Problem -- Clogged Parking Lots
<p>Maryland's transit parking lots are overflowing into nearby neighborhoods, as buses, park-and-rides, and even their long-derided light rail, fill up.</p>
Open Source Architecture
<p>Architects are coming together to create innovative designs aimed at solving the world's tough humanitarian problems.</p>
BLOG POST
A Journalistic View of Cities
<p> <span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: Verdana">I was reading the New York Times Magazine special architecture issue a few weeks ago when something jumped out at me.<span> </span>On the intro page to the issue of the “Mega-Megalopolis” one of the by-line says “How does an architect plan for a city with no history?<span> </span>Or a city that just keeps growing?”<span> </span>Interesting questions particularly given the fact that to charge architects with the task of planning our cities is affording too much power to a profession that simply doesn’t have it.<span> </span></span> </p>
U.S. Cities Going off the Bottle
<p>The U.S. Conference of Mayors has resolved to phase out purchasing bottled water, not only for environmental reasons, but as a way of encouraging more financial support for municipal water systems.</p>
BLOG POST
Suburbia During the Crash
<p> Maybe it's the rain in New York today, but I'm gloomy. So while<a href="http://www.iftf.org/node/2068"> China collapses</a>, it looks like the mobility-land use solution embodied in many of America's newer suburbs seems to be unravelling due to high oil prices. </p><p> The IHT reports: </p>
Ending the Ideology of Homeownership
<p>Paul Krugman writes that we need to stop conflating owing a home with citizenship.</p>
Suburbia Running Out of Gas
<p>The economics of long commutes are forcing many to the conclusion that suburban living is no longer viable, and suburban housing prices are falling accordingly.</p>
Reviving the Lowly Clothesline
<p>A grassroots group is working to remove barriers to erecting clotheslines, which are commonly banned by apartments buildings as a blight. The group is pitching their work as an energy conservation effort.</p>
Will Free Rides Make Firm Believers In Transit?
<p>Transit agencies around the U.S. offered free rides on a single day, and large crowds follow. But observers aren't sure they'll stick around when they have to pay again.</p>
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