Wal-Mart abandons mega-stores in favor of locally-owned, downtown shops and embraces sustainable development.
In a dramatic switch in corporate culture, Wal-Mart announces plans to be a good neighbor as it competes in local communities: "Wal-Mart, the big box retailer that altered the face of America with its supersized discount stores, now wants to restore a sense of place to thousands of communities... The Arkansas-based retail giant also announced it would favor local manufacturers over national distributors, and that it is looking into establishing local farmers markets featuring locally-grown produce outside its thousands of North American stores... "We're tired of being on the wrong side of the community-building equation," he added, noting that he believes the firm's bottom line can take a back seat to broader community [regional] goals." [ Editor's note: This is one of several humorous articles in the Project for Public Spaces Aprril 1 "Fsking Places" issue. The full set of articles are available here: http://www.pps.org/info/newsletter/April_First_2004/ ]
Thanks to Chris Steins
FULL STORY: Bye Bye Big Box
Depopulation Patterns Get Weird
A recent ranking of “declining” cities heavily features some of the most expensive cities in the country — including New York City and a half-dozen in the San Francisco Bay Area.
California Exodus: Population Drops Below 39 Million
Never mind the 40 million that demographers predicted the Golden State would reach by 2018. The state's population dipped below 39 million to 38.965 million last July, according to Census data released in March, the lowest since 2015.
Pennsylvania Mall Conversion Bill Passes House
If passed, the bill would promote the adaptive reuse of defunct commercial buildings.
Google Maps Introduces New Transit, EV Features
It will now be easier to find electric car charging stations and transit options.
Ohio Lawmakers Propose Incentivizing Housing Production
A proposed bill would take a carrot approach to stimulating housing production through a grant program that would reward cities that implement pro-housing policies.
Chicago Awarded $2M Reconnecting Communities Grant
Community advocates say the city’s plan may not do enough to reverse the negative impacts of a major expressway.
City of Costa Mesa
Licking County
Barrett Planning Group LLC
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
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HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
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ULI Northwest Arkansas
Town of Zionsville
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