The Daily Source of Urban Planning News
Why Are There So Many Vacant Condos in Vancouver?
New analysis of census data has found that a quarter of the condos in some areas of downtown Vancouver are empty or occupied by non-residents, leading analysts to raise concerns about the role of investors in the city's housing market.
The World's Best New Buildings, as Chosen by You
Architecture website Architizer has announced the 87 winners of its new A+ Award. Selected via jury and 150,000 votes, the awards honor buildings in 52 categories. If for no other reason, just check it out for the stunning images.
What is the Worst Parking Crater in America?
The March Madness bug has bitten the staff of Streetsblog. Based on nominations submitted by readers, the website has organized a Parking Madness tournament to determine the "ugliest parking scar draining the life from [an American] downtown."
Strong Government Regulations Key to Kicking Oil Habit, Reducing Vehicle Emissions
What will it take to greatly reduce oil consumption and greenhouse gas emissions from passenger vehicles? Efficiency, alternative fuels, and strong governmental policies reports the National Research Council. And it will be highly unlikely.
First Leg of Denver's Multi-Billion Dollar Transit Expansion Set to Open Next Month
After passing a trial run with few problems this week, Denver's 12.1-mile West Rail Line is set to open to the public next month.
Chinese Skyscrapers in Danger of Collapse
A growing "sand scandal" in Shenzhen may just be the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the quality of concrete used in constructing China's skyscrapers. The construction of what was to have become the country's tallest building has been halted.
Builders Can't Keep Up with Demand for Homes
The rapid recovery of the housing market has caught America's home builders off guard with record low levels of inventory. The return of "bubblelike price jumps" and bidding wars are causing problems for buyers and sellers alike.
What Are America's Healthiest Counties?
A new study from the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation ranks America's healthiest counties. Environment, rather than access to care, is seen as the key element in determining health outcomes.
Is the UK Ignoring Its Growing Public Health Crisis?
Air pollution is second only to smoking as a cause of premature death in Britain. So why haven't the country's leaders taken action to address the problem?
Tea Partiers Try to Halt Indy Transit Vote
As the Indiana Senate begins to consider whether to allow residents to vote on a tax referendum to expand mass transit in Central Indiana, Tea Party-aligned groups are trying to derail the legislation.
A Call to Conserve Havana's Art Deco Delights
The absence of redevelopment over the past 50 years has allowed Cuba to become "one of the world’s most significant but overlooked troves of Art Deco architecture." With many buildings in a state of disrepair, some are trying to raise awareness.
Park-and-Ride: Good for Cars, Bad for Transit
A new study out of the Netherlands finds that contrary to their intended function of encouraging a mode shift to transit, and away from autos, such facilities might actually increase car use, to the detriment of alternatives.
Kotkin and Florida Duke it Out Over 'Limits' of the Creative Class
After a decade of debate, Richard Florida's theories on the 'creative class' have been championed by many, and challenged by others (perhaps none more forcefully than author Joel Kotkin). In recent articles, the two are battling it out once again.
On-Site Parking Requirements Stifle D.C. Redevelopment
Business owners, city leaders, and community members would love to see the struggling Anacostia neighborhood transformed into a bustling retail zone. But onerous parking requirements in DC's outdated zoning code are stifling the city's own ambitions.
Los Angeles Kicks Coal to the Curb
This week, Los Angeles Mayor Antonio announced that the city will wean itself completely from using coal as an energy source by 2025, when it will become "the largest municipal utility in the country to be coal free."
“Reinvent Phoenix” Seeks to Cultivate Change Along the City's Light Rail Corridor
A multi-agency planning effort is hoping to boost Phoenix's sustainability by creating a new model for urban development around the city's emerging transit corridor.
A Ride Through Berlin's 'Underground Art Gallery'
The variety of designs found in the Berlin subway's 173 stations imbibes each one with its own unique identity. Cataloging this 'underground art gallery' has been the mission of photographer Kate Seabrook.
Gehry's Controversial Eisenhower Memorial Comes Under Congressional Attack
On Tuesday, several members of Congress overseeing the approval of Frank Gehry's design and the budgetary requirements for the Eisenhower Memorial expressed their disapproval at a subcommittee hearing.
Design and Construction Errors Render New D.C. Area Transit Center Unusable
A long-awaited report on the problems preventing the opening of a longer-awaited $112 million bus-and-train hub in the D.C. suburb of Silver Spring has revealed design and construction failures that will prevent it from opening indefinitely.
Atlanta Looks to Expand New Streetcar Line
With Atlanta's first new streetcar line in a century set to be completed next year, transit advocates are putting recent defeats behind them and studying how to expand the system.
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
Municipality of Princeton (NJ)
Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada
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