The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

Not everyone is sold on the idea of vertical cities, populated with futuristic skyscrapers beyond the proportions of earlier eras. But for as long cities bear the brunt of the world’s population growth, explorations of verticality will continue.

March 5 - Sourceable

A recent long-read describes the current state of the competition for primacy in the world of online mapping tools. The champ—Google Maps. The challenger—OpenStreetMap.

March 5 - The Next Web

Given the unprecedented nature of the gentrification occurring in American cities, many cities have had to respond swiftly to the pressures of changing neighborhoods. A new article surveys cities using property tax relief to support urban homeowners.

March 5 - New York Times

FEATURE

With cities seeking to involve diverse voices in city-making to get beyond “the usual suspects,” Vancouver urbanists Brent Toderian and Jillian Glover examine how cities in their region are finding new ways to increase civic participation.

March 5 - Brent Toderian

Governments should look to land value tax to fund large city-building projects.

March 4 - Future Cities

The city of Portland is mulling changes to its urban renewal districts—including eliminating the newest of the lot, the Education District near Portland State University.

March 4 - The Oregonian

Nonprofit housing developers are able to succeed at what often seems impossible. Nonprofits all want the projects done faster and better, but is all the well-meaning input from the activists and intellectuals just more mud in in a dragging field?

March 4 - Rooflines

Chuck Wolfe's recent reconnaissance of Edinburgh provides a foil for his rallying cry: Going forward, let’s not discount the influence of history’s recurring themes in how we redevelop the urban realm.

March 4 - myurbanist

A new map tool breaks down the availability of rental housing around the United States by county. While some markets are tighter than others, it’s impossible to find a place in the United States that has enough rental units per low-income households.

March 4 - Urban Institute: MetroTrends Blog

Crude-by-rail from the Bakken shale formation has transformed the sleepy Port of Albany, NY into a major supplier of cheaper crude for East Coast refineries. Jad Mouawad writes two articles on the importance of the port and the dangers from the oil.

March 4 - The New York Times - Energy & Environment

With the target dates for the Millennium Development Goals set for 2015, the United Nations has begun to create a new set "Sustainable Development Goals." Some are calling for the new goals to include an urban focus.

March 4 - The Nature of Cities

Who benefits the most from synergistic growth, where the parts of the built environment are brought together to create a strong community and sense of place?

March 4 - Better! Cities & Towns

The editorial board of the Minneapolis Star Tribune calls out the Minneapolis City Council following a recent decision to protect a one-story building at the cost of a hotel development plan.

March 4 - Minneapolis Star Tribune

A $226 million contract to build 32 higher speed diesel locomotives, capable of reaching 125 mph, was awarded to the team of the German conglomerate, Siemens AG and Indiana-based engine maker Cummins, Inc over Peoria, Ill. based Caterpillar, Inc.

March 4 - The Wall Street Journal - Business

Are your local planning tools supporting a thriving and resilient future? Andrew von Maur shares a little inspiration from Las Cruces, New Mexico.

March 3 - PlaceMakers

An estimated 500,000 residents of the Atlanta area live without access to grocery stores. A recent article asks the obvious question: “Why can we build multimillion-dollar highway systems and multibillion-dollar stadiums but not more grocery stores?"

March 3 - Atlanta Magazine

Jeremy Cato pens an editorial on the dark side of connected cars—the data necessary to track and integrate so many card will allow unprecedented invasions of privacy.

March 3 - The Globe and Mail (Toronto)

A recent article examines the ways New York City and Paris support large-scale pedestrian use and support the shared use of public space.

March 3 - Project For Public Spaces

BLOG POST

When considering city life, we often look to Jane Jacobs or William H. Whyte. But an exhibit commemorating the 70th anniversary of the children's classic “The Little Prince” at New York's Morgan Library surprises as a field guide for urban living.

March 3 - Hayley Richardson

A New York Times investigation into the Feb. 2 North Carolina coal ash spill by Duke Energy is turning up startling information into the role, or lack of, played by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources in safeguarding the environment.

March 3 - The New York Times - U.S.