The Daily Source of Urban Planning News
LEED Platinum for Dogs?
A redesign for an animal shelter in St. Louis works to make a space warmer and fuzzier than the usual pound to encourage adoption. HOK Architects, the pro bono designers, are pursuing a LEED Platinum rating for the pet palace.
Undergound Eyes Watch Water Use at Golf Courses
Underground water sensors that monitor and display moisture and soil conditions on computers are saving millions of gallons of water at golf courses.
The Benevolent Robert Moses of New York's Streets
As New York City prepares to pedestrianize Times Square, <em>New York Magazine</em> profiles Transportation Commissioner Janette Sadik-Khan, who they call "equal parts Jane Jacobs and Robert Moses."
Most Polluted U.S. Cities
The American Lung Association has released its annual list, and says that despite a new interest in green initiatives, the air in many cities has gotten dirtier in the past year.
Foreclosures Lose Stigma, Attract Buyers
Americans are much more willing to consider buying a foreclosure than in the recent past, according to a new survey by online real estate site Trulia.
Barroom Brawling in Pittsburgh
The Pittsburgh City Council has put a cap on the number of alcohol-serving establishments on the city's South Side, but property owners are crying foul.
Trying to Save Portland's Historic Stadium
Growth in Portland's professional sports due to the expansion of Major League Soccer is threatening the life of the city's iconic Memorial Coliseum. Historians and preservationists are teaming up to save it.
San Francisco's Instant Public Space
The <em>San Francisco Chronicle</em>'s John King looks at the city's new public plaza -- a successful "small move" in the face of unrealized "big plans".
FEATURE
The Future of Empty Car Dealerships: Results of the Planetizen Brainstorm
The results are in! We asked for you ideas for reusing the empty car dealerships cropping up around the country. Urban gardens? Flying car launch pads? These ideas may seem far out, but the number one answer may surprise you.
Fixing Potholes with a Flick of a Joystick
A newly-designed truck known as the "Pothole Killer" can fix a pothole with the flick of a wrist (VIDEO).
Light Rail Extension in L.A. Moves Ahead, But Controversy Remains
Expansion of Los Angeles' light rail system is moving ahead, as a new leg heads west. Though funding is secure, controversy still surrounds the route and its design.
Suburban Growth Is From Country, Not Abandoned Cities
Wendell Cox argues that the growth of the suburbs is not attributable to flight from cities, but to residents of small towns and the countryside moving to denser living.
Honolulu Light Rail Plans 'Raising' Concerns
Concerns over views and infrastructure blight have some in Honolulu opposing the city's plans to build its planned light rail with portions of elevated track.
Vertical Farming Innovator Discusses the Future of Food
<em>Miller-McCune</em> talks with vertical farming innovator Dickson Despommier about why his idea is the future of food for cities and how it can go from blueprint to reality.
Regulations, But Growing Demand for Taco Trucks
Taco trucks are coming under fire in a lot of cities, as officials try to figure out how to handle the nomadic restaurants. As the Hispanic population grows, so does the popularity of the trucks.
Goodbye Broad Ways, Hello Streetscaping
New York City has released a new manual for street designs, representing over two years of work from the Department of Transportation.
Will it be a Small World After All?
In his new book 'Why Your World is About to Get a Whole Lot Smaller' economist Jeff Rubin describes how 'peak oil' will reverse globalization, revitalize cities and reinvigorate Canada's manufacturing base.
Combining Infrastructures
A team of French designers are the winners of Metropolis’s 2009 Next Generation competition with their design for a combined electrical-transmission tower and landfill.
Peak Water: Tapping Out the Ogallala Aquifer
This piece from <em>Scientific American</em> looks at the jurisdictional challenge of conserving water in the cross-state Ogallala Aquifer, one of the world's largest sources of freshwater and the backbone of the nation's farm economy.
Why Are Cities Growing?
With globalization meaning goods can be shipped cheaply anywhere, and the internet means you can work anywhere, why are cities growing like crazy? Prof. Edward L. Glaeser of Harvard says that proximity breeds innovation.
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.
