The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

It's a scandal fit for an Olympic track and field event or the Tour de France. Performance enhancing features such as spires and other non-occupiable "vanity height" elements are skewing the ranking of the world's tallest buildings.

September 11 - Quartz

For years, science has been catching up to the intuitive wisdom that spending time in, or adjacent to, nature has physical and mental health benefits. The ASLA has collected a trove of this research in one easy to navigate website.

September 11 - ASLA

With the goals of accommodating growth, expanding the city's middle class and supply of affordable housing, and moving college students out of private housing, outgoing Mayor Thomas Menino has unveiled a $16.5 billion housing strategy for Boston.

September 11 - WBUR

As one of the world's most respected voices on climate change prepares the final draft of its latest report on the warming planet, a debate is playing out behind the scenes as to whether it is intentionally downplaying the potential impacts.

September 10 - The New York Times

Its unclear why the "dead cities of Syria" were abandoned by their residents 1500 years ago. But as photographs and a CBS News report attest, these remnants of a prosperous society provide a grim refuge for thousands of Syrians fleeing civil war.

September 10 - Kuriositas

Applicants began lining up before dawn for a chance to land one of 122 affordable apartments being built in Arlington, VA. More than 3,600 people have applied in total, surprising the developers and pointing to the area's increasing unaffordability.

September 10 - The Washington Post

As part of its ongoing series on "Reimagining Infrastructure", Orion Magazine features five projects that show how a new generation of infrastructure projects are creatively integrating form with function to create community amenities.

September 10 - Orion Magazine

With their unhealthy environments, unsustainability, and relatively poor return on investment, "the suburbs" are an easy target for criticism. But suburbs aren't inherently inadequate, says David Levinson, they suffer from poor postwar urban design.

September 10 - Streets MN

The redesign planned for Figueroa Street is supposed to bring bike, pedestrian, and transit amenities to downtown L.A. But with a deadline to begin construction looming, a new city councilmember is asking for the project to undergo further study.

September 10 - Los Angeles Downtown News

The U.S. fertility rate has declined 9% since the onset of the recession in 2007, with births declining every year. The decrease appears to have leveled off last year, a sign of an improved economy, though the change varied among age and race groups.

September 10 - The New York Times - Health

The Woodlands was conceived four decades ago as a new style of suburb, mixing the urban and pastoral. And by all accounts it has remained a "special place" as it has matured. But as it nears full build-out, some wonder if its bubble might soon burst.

September 10 - The Houston Chronicle

It's the state transportation version of an hotel tax - increase a fee predominantly paid by outsiders. However, increasing and extending the toll on the West Virginia Turnpike won't be sufficient to meet all of the state's transportation needs.

September 10 - The Charleston Gazette

The candidates competing to emerge from today's mayoral primary confront a host of challenges that threaten the quality of life in the Big Apple. Five experts identify the issues they believe are key to improving the city's livability.

September 10 - The New York Times

As the housing market roars back to life, the price of "dirt", or developable land, is surging in America's most desirable areas - including the outer suburbs. A shortage of lots is said to be hampering the housing recovery.

September 9 - The New York Times

Rowan Moore profiles Zaha Hadid, the polarizing architect who's benefited exceedingly from the global appeal of "iconic" architecture. Has the thrust of her pioneering early work been lost amid the astonishing growth of her practice?

September 9 - The Guardian

New York and Los Angeles lead the U.S. with the most job openings in fields that require a college education. But these cities also have the largest pool of competitors. By applying a "location quotient", a different picture of opportunity emerges.

September 9 - The Atlantic Cities

Speeding is paying-off in the amount of $15 million for Seattle area schools thanks to speed-enforced cameras, a proven but nonetheless controversial traffic safety tool. Revenue will be used to make walking safer under a proposal by Mayor McGinn.

September 9 - The Seattle Times

A high-rise residential building boom has transformed the skylines of Vancouver and Toronto over the past two decades. But despite the evident rise in the popularity of urban living, Canada's suburbs and exurbs continue to dominate growth trends.

September 9 - The Vancouver Sun

With increasing fares, delays and an "awful" service on Sundays, the British Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin isn't the only commuter unhappy with the service and admits that the expediency of HS2 was exaggerated.

September 9 - The Telegraph

Apparently the construction boom that's taken place over the last 12 years in New York hasn't quenched developers' appetites to build. Many are pushing to get their projects approved before the development-friendly administration leaves office.

September 9 - Crain's New York Business