The Daily Source of Urban Planning News
BLOG POST
Where are the Visionary Developers?
<p> <em>"The secret of Disney is doing things you don't need, and doing them well, and realizing that you needed them all along...Walt Disney was ahead of everyone, always."</em> </p> <p> <em>-Isaac Asimov, interviewed by Leonard Maltin<br /> </em> </p>
Los Angeles' Legacy of Murals is Disappearing
The legacy of Los Angeles murals has all but left the city, buried under sign ordinances, billboard policy and tagging. Tanner Blackman in the Dept. of City Planning Code Studies Section is working to free up the knot of regulation.
Cities and Suburbs Converge into New Economic Generators
As the downturn in the market physically reshapes the metropolitan regions of the United States, the shifting populations and economies of its cities and suburban areas are becoming increasingly intertwined.
California Law Doesn't Stop Sprawl
A draft report from San Diego reveals that California's SB 375 law, which passed in 2008, was ineffective in reducing sprawl in the long term, Ethan Elkind writes for the UCLA UC Berkeley Legal Planet blog.
FEATURE
The Just City
Can a city be driven by the noble goals of democracy, diversity, and equity? Harvard professor Susan Fainstein thinks so, and outlines how in her new book, <em>The Just City.</em> Victor Negrete has a review.
Landscape Architecture Driving Change in Cities
The projects across the country having the biggest impact on the feel and function of cities are more often than not the work of landscape architects, according to the American Society of Landscape Architects.
Youthful, Creative Detroit Crawls Out of Shadow of Decline
Young creative people are moving to Detroit, launching new businesses and civic ventures that are creating a new identity for a city plagued by associations with decline.
The Bicycles of Amsterdam
Cargo bikes, tandems and even ice cream bikes - this photo-essay highlights the great variety of bicycles being used in Amsterdam. Charles Siegel hopes the pictures will get Americans over their timidness when it comes to practical bicycling.
The Unseen Space: Signal Space
With a growing demand for wireless internet, mobile communication networks may encroach on public space, writes Michael Chen, adjunct assistant professor at the Pratt Institute School of Architecture.
Zoning Around Transit Stations in NYC Getting Downzoned, Study Shows
New York City's Dept. of City Planning says that it is committed to fostering transit-oriented development. But in neighborhood after neighborhood, the city is downzoning around the corner from the subway, argues Noah Kazis.
The End of the Great American Highway
The American highway is in shambles, and there is not enough money to fix it, reports Zach Rosenberg of Car and Driver Magazine.
Female Cyclists the Minority in New York City
Male cyclists outnumber females cyclists in New York City three to one. New York City lags behind Copenhagen, Amsterdam and Portland, Oregon, in female ridership.
US DOT To Distribute $527m in Next Round of TIGER Grants
The US Department of Transportation will begin accepting applications for the transportation grants on August 22nd.
The Soon-to-be Glamorous and Cutting Edge LAX
The addition of the Bradley terminal and modernization projects across LAX are pushing the airport back into relevance, Dan Weikel reports for the Los Angeles Times.
Suburbs or Cities: Which Has More Crime?
A Brookings Institute report shows that the difference between crime in the suburbs and cities has drastically decreased, and argues that the current drop in crime rates weakens the correlation between ethnic groups and crime.
Historic Preservation: The Reality Show
A new series from the BBC tracks six homeowners trying to convert historic (or just plain old) buildings into modern homes.
A New Look for the London Tube
Designer Mark Noad has created a new, more geographically accurate map of London's extensive subway system, "The Tube." Noad tips his hat to the classic, but says more lines have emphasized the inaccuracies.
A Transit Pilgrimage to Los Angeles
When Colorado transportation officials sought an example of effective bus rapid transit to visit while developing a system of their own, they headed to an unexpected source.
Repurposed Railyard Becomes Award-Winning Park
The City Parks blog looks at Santa Fe Railyard Park and Plaza, one of the winners of this year's Rudy Bruner Awards for Urban Excellence.
Shrinkage Moving Too Slowly in Rust Belt Town
Rust Belt poster child Youngstown, Ohio made waves almost a decade ago with its revolutionary plan for "controlled shrinkage." But progress has been slow in a political system still wired for growth.
Pagination
Municipality of Princeton
Roanoke Valley-Alleghany Regional Commission
City of Mt Shasta
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
US High Speed Rail Association
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
Municipality of Princeton (NJ)
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.