A New Growth Strategy: 'Restorative Development'

What is restorative development? A way of thinking about growth that combines eight component industries that are fundamental to planning. Is this the next Big Thing?

1 minute read

August 8, 2003, 7:00 AM PDT

By Chris Steins @planetizen


"What do the following concepts have in common? Brownfields remediation. Adaptive reuse. Infrastructure refurbishment. Historic preservation. Stream, watershed, and wetland restoration. Rural economic revitalization. Waterfront redevelopment. They are all tools—some old, some new—of a fast-emerging growth strategy known as restorative development.Over the past decade, restorative development has become the fastest-growing economic sector, currently accounting for almost $2 trillion annually. Eight component industries have emerged in this sector: four that primarily restore the natural environment (ecosystems, watersheds, fisheries, and farms), plus four that mainly restore the built environment (brownfields, infrastructure, heritage, and disasters/wars)."

Thanks to Congress for the New Urbanism listserv

Friday, August 8, 2003 in International City/County Management Association

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

July 16, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Green vintage Chicago streetcar from the 1940s parked at the Illinois Railroad Museum in 1988.

Chicago’s Ghost Rails

Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.

July 13, 2025 - WTTV

Blue and silver Amtrak train with vibrant green and yellow foliage in background.

Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail

The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.

July 14, 2025 - Smart Cities Dive

Worker in yellow safety vest and hard hat looks up at servers in data center.

Ohio Forces Data Centers to Prepay for Power

Utilities are calling on states to hold data center operators responsible for new energy demands to prevent leaving consumers on the hook for their bills.

July 18 - Inside Climate News

Former MARTA CEO Collie Greenwood standing in front of MARTA HQ with blurred MARTA sign visible in background.

MARTA CEO Steps Down Amid Citizenship Concerns

MARTA’s board announced Thursday that its chief, who is from Canada, is resigning due to questions about his immigration status.

July 18 - WABE

Rendering of proposed protected bikeway in Santa Clara, California.

Silicon Valley ‘Bike Superhighway’ Awarded $14M State Grant

A Caltrans grant brings the 10-mile Central Bikeway project connecting Santa Clara and East San Jose closer to fruition.

July 17 - San José Spotlight