Can Traditional Development Be Progressive?

Chicago Tribune Architecture critic Blair Kamin thinks so as he compares the rebuilding of coastal Mississippi with Daniel Burnham's Beaux-Arts Civic Improvements.

1 minute read

October 28, 2005, 8:00 AM PDT

By Mike Lydon


"Once you come here, once you see Hurricane Katrina's devastation first-hand and listen to the voices of the people who lived through it, the plans for rebuilding the Mississippi coastline that a team of sleep-deprived architects unveiled last week stand out as singularly impressive.

In scope and style, as well as speed, this was a "make no little plans" effort worthy of Chicago's Daniel Burnham: The simultaneous creation of plans for 11 towns along 80 miles of coastline in six days. The architects, who drank a lot of coffee and Red Bull, did more than produce a blueprint. They empowered people here with alternatives to placeless suburban sprawl."

Thanks to Mike Lydon

Thursday, October 27, 2005 in The Chicago Tribune

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.

5 hours ago - Diana Ionescu

Aerial view of town of Wailuku in Maui, Hawaii with mountains in background against cloudy sunset sky.

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly

Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

July 1, 2025 - Honolulu Civil Beat

Person wearing mask walking through temporary outdoor dining setup lined with bistro lights at dusk in New York City.

Restaurant Patios Were a Pandemic Win — Why Were They so Hard to Keep?

Social distancing requirements and changes in travel patterns prompted cities to pilot new uses for street and sidewalk space. Then it got complicated.

June 19, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Aerial view of new neifhborhood under construction with enpty lots in foreground.

In California Battle of Housing vs. Environment, Housing Just Won

A new state law significantly limits the power of CEQA, an environmental review law that served as a powerful tool for blocking new development.

6 hours ago - CALmatters

Low-rise Pearl Sreet mall in Boulfer, Colorado.

Boulder Eliminates Parking Minimums Citywide

Officials estimate the cost of building a single underground parking space at up to $100,000.

7 hours ago - Boulder Reporting Lab

Two-story buildings with porches in walkable Florida neighborhood.

Orange County, Florida Adopts Largest US “Sprawl Repair” Code

The ‘Orange Code’ seeks to rectify decades of sprawl-inducing, car-oriented development.

July 2 - CNU Public Square