The oft-forgotten story of how a hip town came to be that way.
Though the developers are in the spotlight these days, cute and trendy Saratoga Springs, NY, was brought back from the brink by citizen activists--and important history for those addressing the new challenges of growth.
"In 1973, Saratoga Springs was more than a little worse for wear: Sidewalks were crumbling, the few remaining elm trees on Broadway were dying, flophouses and shuttered buildings were not uncommon. Strip malls sprouted up in spots where glorious buildings from the citys golden age had been razed. Visitorswhat few there werewould have been hard-pressed to detect any promise of the distinctive landscaping, cleanliness and well-kept buildings that Saratoga boasts today."
Thanks to Miriam Axel-Lute
Read the full story: The Battle of (Downtown) Saratoga
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.
Mamdani’s pied-à-terre tax survives legal challenge
A panel of judges found that the plaintiffs failed to demonstrate injury as a result of New York City's implementation of the tax.
Eastern Nebraska is running out of electricity
Data centers and electrification are straining eastern Nebraska’s grid, throttling economic development.
Seattle passes record-breaking transit services expansion
Proposition 1 will double the city’s transit tax to add 95,000 more bus trips and preserve 180,000 bus trips annually.
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