A powerful trio of civic leaders are the real drivers of what happens -- or doesn't happen -- in downtown Phoenix.
"...[T]he departure of Assistant City Manager Sheryl Sculley for the city manager's job in San Antonio and the retirement of Downtown Development Director Pat Grady should have little effect on progress in the city.
While their replacements are, according to the city payroll, in charge of development, they are not the real drivers of what happens - or doesn't happen - downtown. That powerful role is shared by Phoenix Mayor Phil Gordon, Arizona State University President Michael Crow and Jeff Trent, president of Translational Genomics Research Institute, or TGen. As a trio, they have supplanted longtime downtown booster and sports executive Jerry Colangelo."
"..."ASU has been the linchpin to have everything else take off and to generate interest and activity in downtown," said John Chan, acting director for downtown development."
FULL STORY: 3 frame future for downtown Phoenix

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

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San Diego Adopts First Mobility Master Plan
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Housing, Supportive Service Providers Brace for Federal Cuts
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Op-Ed: Why an Effective Passenger Rail Network Needs Government Involvement
An outdated rail network that privileges freight won’t be fixed by privatizing Amtrak.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
New York City School Construction Authority
Village of Glen Ellyn
Central Transportation Planning Staff/Boston Region MPO
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions