A vibrant and livable city starts with residents.
"People who live downtown, not those who go home to the suburbs at night or visit for a day or a weekend, are the key to revitalizing Michigan's central cities, a researcher says. 'What we've learned is that if your downtown is not a neighborhood, it's not going to work,' said Lou Glazer, president of Michigan Future Inc. 'The number one priority is that a city has to be an attractive place to live. That has to be ahead of an attractive place to visit and an attractive place to do business. If people don't want to live in your city, it's not going to be successful. If you think that an aquarium is the answer, you should instead be working on strengthening your police department. Too much time is spent working on one large development. We suffer from 'big projectitis.'"
Thanks to Richard Layman
Read the full story: Downtown's Boost Cities
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
California plans to bury El Niño’s downpour
If the state plays its cards right, it may be able to store a billion acre-feet of El Niño’s water in aquifers.
Desperate measures: Advocates weigh draining Lake Powell to fill Colorado River
Draining the reservoir could reduce evaporation losses by a couple hundred thousand acre-feet.
Arizona, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania hope to finally advance climate goals post-midterms
The three states have spent years under Republican or divided control.
Democrats’ victory may threaten act to expedite energy projects
Democrats may decide to vote against the Bipartisan American Affordability and Jobs Act, and negotiate a more favorable bill once the 120th Congress begins.
Voters choose public transit, approve $31 billion in funding
Approved projects include $101,000 for reduced-cost transit in a Michigan town and $14 billion for regional transit in the San Francisco Bay Area.
FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?
After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.
Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold
The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.
City of Rosemead
Rutgers University, Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy
One Hundred Miles
University of Michigan School for Environment and Sustainability (SEAS)
Hunter College, City University of New York (CUNY)
The Architects Foundation
City of Cambridge
Montrose County
The Pocatello Development Authority