The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

As Time Magazine observes, Detroit is the icon of the failing American city, but 'vast swaths of it don't look like a city at all.' Some say 'missing teeth' of Detroit make it a prime candidate to infill appropriately, and 'right-size'.

April 7 - Time

A transit-oriented development boom in Southeast Seattle is coming to a halt, as the economic recession sets in.

April 7 - The Seattle Times

Officials in Lagos, Nigeria, are praising the recently installed Bus Rapid Transit system as making distinct improvements in mobility for the crowded and growing African city.

April 7 - This Day

We don't need to build new energy efficient homes as much as we need to refurbish the existing housing stock to make it more energy efficient, writes Richard Moe of the National Trust for Historic Preservation.

April 7 - New York Times

A panel of experts weighs in on what cities should do with their dying shopping malls.

April 7 - The New York Times

The U.S. PIRG Education Fund has released a study of privatized toll roads across the United States, and concludes that they pose 'a long-term threat to the public interest.'

April 6 - U.S. PIRG Education Fund

A new parking garage opening in Ft. Worth is actually a full-scale public art project by artist/architect Christopher Janney. Janney's design includes a soundscape of Ft. Worth music and native animal sounds.

April 6 - Fort Worth Business Press

A memorial to famed planner Daniel Burnham will be built on the lakefront in Chicago, and three finalists were recently chosen to design it. The designs haven't been made public yet, to the frustration of some locals.

April 6 - Chicago Tribune

BLOG POST

<p> A near-unanimous response to this week’s question on <a href="http://transportation.nationaljournal.com/" target="_blank" title="National Journal Transportation Experts Blog">National Journal&#39;s Transportation Experts Blog</a> was that we are far from being intermodal.

April 6 - Kenneth Orski

Between new taxes, a smoking ban and the economic downturn, many towns and cities in the UK may soon lose their local pubs.

April 6 - The Globe and Mail

BLOG POST

<p> Pains of an imminent NYC transit fare hike and a recent article in the New York Times on <a href="http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/03/31/the-bicycle-thieves-among-us/">bike theft/vandalism defeatism</a> inspired me to validate the overwhelming perceived economic benefits of commuting by bike versus transit, despite the occasional theft.  If frugal is the next big thing and green is the new black, then hop on a crappy old bike if you want to be hip.

April 6 - Ian Sacs

Following the path of only a few other attractive cities and regions, Denver is seeing an influx of whites while the suburbs are becoming increasingly racially & ethnically integrated.

April 6 - The Denver Post

France is hoping to establish a "darkness reserve" by regulating street lighting in towns and villages near a mountaintop observatory.

April 6 - Discovery

In cities across the country, banks are ditching out on foreclosed homes, giving more worries -- and bills -- to homeowners.

April 6 - The New York Times

BLOG POST

<p> Transportation concurrency is the subject of a bill that has passed one house of the Florida legislature. &quot;Concurrency&quot; is the Florida term for &quot;adequate public facilities controls,&quot; indicating that facilities need not necessarily be in place at the time of project approval but that they must be scheduled to become available &quot;concurrently&quot; with demand from proposed development. </p>

April 6 - Eric Damian Kelly

The Chicago Tribune formed its own panel of international judges -- made up of tourists -- to tour and evaluate the city's proposed venues for the 2016 Summer Olympics.

April 6 - Chicago Tribune

A prominent developer predicts that all hi-rise housing will cease in the San Francisco due to the credit crisis. The result, says an urban think tank director, will be more sprawl development in the Bay Area as it presents the least financial risk.

April 6 - San Francisco Chronicle

A recent panel at the VerdeXchange Conference in Los Angeles featuring discussion by Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-Oregon) and former Speaker of the California Assembly Robert Hertzberg on the state's role in influencing federal climate change legislation.

April 6 - The Planning Report

BLOG POST

<p> <span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial">On a recent business trip to Australia, I had the opportunity to visit with an interesting group of social planners called <a href="http://www.horneryinstitute.com/hornery/home/Default.aspx">The Hornery Institute</a>. Specifically, their charter is “to assist communities in becoming better places to live, learn, work and play.” The Hornery Institute was established in November 2000, in recognition of Lend Lease’s Chairman, Stuart Hornery and his commitment to community and people.<span>  </span>To mark his retirement, the shareholders and employees of this great company <a href="http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/money/story/0,26860,24379922-5015795,00.htm">formed a not-for-profit organization</a> that allowed Hornery and his dedicated, hand-picked staff to continue working on independent projects to make communities more fulfilling. </span> </p>

April 5 - Rick Abelson

With the gambling industry facing lower demand, commercial real estate is being hit hard in Las Vegas, where nearly $8 billion worth of real estate is in trouble.

April 5 - The Las Vegas Sun