The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

The cities of Bogotá and Medellín have made dramatic transformations over the last ten years, driven in large part by their influential mayors. But while one continues to soar, the other is in crisis, reports Justin McGuirk

April 17 - The Guardian

Edward T. McMahon explores the importance of community character, and why it is one of the key elements to a city’s economic success.

April 17 - Urban Land

Needing a two-thirds majority to pass, a recent survey suggests that a regional, 9-county gas tax proposal to fund transportation improvement projects in the Bay Area would only receive 43% support if it were to go to the ballot.

April 17 - San Francisco Chronicle

Why wait until December to survey the year's best buildings? Nary a third of the way through 2012, Mark Byrnes has shared his list of the most interesting buildings so far.

April 16 - The Atlantic Cities

Lauren Gravitz explores the importance of demonstrating the economic viability of cultural tourism to safeguarding historic sites in Peru and Bolivia.

April 16 - Fast Coexist

Nate Berg reports on the surprising news delivered on Sunday by Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, timed to coincide with the latest iteration of CicLAvia, the city's marquee event for bicyclists and pedestrians.

April 16 - The Atlantic Cities

Alison Gregor highlights efforts by affordable housing developers to implement edible community gardens, bringing fresh food and neighborhood ties to inner-city tenants.

April 16 - The New York Times

Meghan Stromberg reports on the opening keynote from this year's annual APA national conference, taking place in Los Angeles through April 17th. Dr. Andrew Weaver spoke about the disconnect between climate change science and public perception.

April 16 - Planning.org

A rising tide of hostility along Venice's famous boardwalk has prompted residents to call on the LAPD for help, Martha Groves reports.

April 16 - Los Angeles Times

BLOG POST

<p> After the Census Bureau released population estimates showing that core counties were (at least in some metro areas) growing faster than exurban counties, the media was full of headlines about this alleged trend.  An extreme example came from the Washington Post: &quot;An end to America&#39;s exurbia?&quot; (1) </p>

April 16 - Michael Lewyn

Maybe not. But smart growth experts appearing at the APA in Los Angeles say it may be morphing into whatever the "next big thing" is.

April 16 - California Planning & Development Report

NYU has announced its intention to reduce the proposed square footage for their controversial Greenwich Village expansion plan by approximately twenty percent.

April 16 - New York Times

The Authority approved the $68 billion plan. Now the hard work begins in convincing the state legislature to sign off in order to capture the $3.5 billion allocated by the feds and begin construction from the Central Valley to the San Fernando Valley

April 16 - San Jose Mercury News

In this essay, Luis Rodriguez traces the demographic and socio-economic trends that reflect the changing role of women in society, and their impact on the way communities are planned and designed.

April 16 - Fused Grid

Nate Berg chronicles the efforts of planner and urban designer Deborah Murphy to establish a pedestrian advocacy group in one of the few large cities in the U.S. that doesn't have one.

April 15 - The Atlantic Cities

As the Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method (BREEAM) hands out its most recent awards, Sarah Morrison chronicles the mainstreaming of green building in Britain.

April 15 - The Independent

Tanya Snyder explores the recent horse-trading being proposed by House Republicans, in which they've expressed a willingness to pass the Senate transportation bill in exchange for Senate approval of the Keystone XL pipeline.

April 15 - Streetsblog D.C.

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April 15 - Walker Wells

Hana Schank reports on Boston's Citizens Connect app, and the innovative ways in which the city's Department of New Urban Mechanics is empowering citizens and government employees alike.

April 15 - Fast Company Co.Exist

In the final installment of his series on "Walking in America" on Slate, Tom Vanderbilt looks at why so much of the built environment is hostile to pedestrians, and how planning can change that.

April 15 - Slate.com