The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

Big City of Dreams

This slideshow from <em>The New York Times</em> looks at a variety of examples of large-scale planning efforts that never materialized.

February 2 - The New York Times

Revolution in Cities is No Accident

With recent uprisings in Cairo and Tunis, we are reminded that the city has been the center of revolutionary action for hundreds of years, according to this piece from Edward L. Glaeser.

February 2 - The New York Times

Transferring Development Rights, and Building Infrastructure

A new proposal in Washington could help fund urban infrastructure by transferring development rights from rural areas to cities.

February 2 - Crosscut

The Age of DIY Urbanism

Economic crises tend to manifest themselves in specific design trends, especially in the field of architecture. This latest recession has spurred the age of Do-It-Yourself architecture and urbanism.

February 1 - Places

Proposed Los Angeles Stadium Gets a Name

Entertainment Giant AEG appears to have partnered with Farmers Insurance for naming rights to the proposed stadium in Downtown L.A.

February 1 - Bloomberg


Portland Questions More Food Chains in Maine

Two Virginia-based burger chains are interested in opening locations in Downtown Portland, but are facing opposition from city residents and officials.

February 1 - The Portland Press Herald

"Fat Cat" Public Employees? Hardly

Conservative political and media rhetoric aimed at "fat cat" public employees scapegoats middle-class workers for the economic crisis and threatens to undermine public welfare at all levels, write Max Fraad Wolff and Richard D. Wolff.

February 1 - Truthout


Hard Times for Big City Artists

Artists tend to flock to big cities where their art can be bought and appreciated, but economic hard times are sending artists fleeing towards cheaper rents on homes and studio space.

February 1 - Utne Reader

The Cup-of-Coffee Test

What makes effective transit-oriented development? Transportation planner Alan Huynh makes a good argument for the proximity to a cup of coffee as a defining characteristic of quality TOD.

February 1 - The Alan Note

Bay Bridge Congestion Pricing May Spread

If a San Mateo County agency has its way, congestion pricing will be applied to two toll bridges to create additional revenue and reduce congestion as was done successfully on the S.F./Oakland Bay Bridge last July - but there are major differences.

February 1 - San Mateo County Times via Mercury News

Could Old Malls Become Manufacturing Centers?

That's what Richard Reep proposes in this article looking at reuse options for vacant retail properties from strip malls to megamalls.

February 1 - New Geography

Govs Making the Switch to Cloud Computing

William D. Eggers says the government is giving up the costly infrastructure investments in favor of cloud computing, and the Feds are leading the way.

February 1 - Governing Magazine

"Buy Local" Campaigns Making a Difference

A national survey of independent businesses found that those in communities with an active "buy local" campaign experienced significantly stronger revenue growth in 2010 compared to those located in areas without one.

February 1 - New Rules Project

Cities and Revolution

Sarah Goodyear notes that while the internet shutdown in Egypt is getting all the attention, the real activism is happening on the streets of Cairo. City streets are the true gathering places for revolution.

January 31 - Grist

America's Happiest City, According to Oprah

The Oprah Show says San Luis Obispo, California is America's Happiest City, citing urban planning decisions like making the town pedestrian-friendly with wide sidewalks and limiting fast food drive-throughs.

January 31 - Oprah.com

Sharrows Have Their Limits

Sharrows are a great way to give cyclists access to the full traffic lane without designating a bike lane, but as this case in San Francisco illustrates, not all applications are good ones. The presence of a bus-only lane created the problem.

January 31 - The Bay Citizen

Revitalizing an Historic Plaza in El Paso

San Jacinto Plaza is the historic heart of El Paso, Texas. City officials are planning a major redevelopment of the plaza, perhaps even expanding its traditional borders and using New York's Bryant Park rebirth as a model.

January 31 - The El Paso Times

Big Developments Back On Track in California

Developer FivePoint Communities has cleared hurdles, and the financing flowing again for two major California projects, one on San Francisco's Treasure Island and one at the El Toro Marine Corps Air Station near Irvine.

January 31 - Builder Magazine

FEATURE

Urban Planning's Civic Dividend

The Tea Party has it all wrong, writes Joel Mills. Urban planning is not a radical, elitist agenda, but the best example of local democracy available today.

January 31 - Joel Mills

The War Over 'Landscape Urbanism'

Reporter Leon Neyfakh digs deep into the architectural battle between New Urbanism and Landscape Urbanism, saying it is a war for the future of our built environment.

January 31 - Boston Globe

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Gallatin County Department of Planning & Community Development

Top Books

An annual review of books related to planning.

Top Schools

The definitive ranking of graduate planning programs.

100 Most Influential Urbanists

The who's who of urbanism, according to Planetizen readers.

Urban Planning Creators You Should Know

A short list of voices on social, video, and podcasting platforms.

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.