Putting Schools At The Center

A movement is afoot to make schools more than just places to store kids for eight hours a day. Planning Director Gail Goldberg and child advocate Yolie Flores Aguilar are helping lead the way in Los Angeles.

1 minute read

February 19, 2007, 9:00 AM PST

By Nate Berg


"If we do not plan for schools to be the joint-use centers of our neighborhoods now, we will be forced to address it later and to retrofit later. We do not have the luxury of single-use buildings that do not take advantage of all of their potential. It's not just about land; it's also about the roles these facilities play in enhancing the health of our communities."

"The challenge for all of us is to make certain that when new schools are being built they are being built with the understanding that even if we do not have the joint uses together right now, in the future they will become joint-use facilities simply out of necessity."

"I don't know anyone who doesn't have a vision of what it would look like if schools were pulsating places in the community. The most important conversation is how to coordinate across all stages of education, because it starts very early in life, but it continues through a child's educational experience."

Thanks to josh Stephens

Friday, February 16, 2007 in The Planning Report

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

Get top-rated, practical training

Front of White House with stormy sky above.

How the Trump Presidency Could Impact Urban Planning

An analysis of potential changes in federal housing, transportation, and climate policies.

January 19, 2025 - Planetizen

String lights across an alley in Cranford, New Jersey at night.

Midburbs: A New Definition of Suburbs

When the name “suburb” just doesn't quite fit.

January 17, 2025 - Gabe Bailer - PP - AICP - NJ Urbanthinker

Black bollards lining a curved sidewalk next to a cobblestone street.

Why Aren’t There More Bollards in US Cities?

Solid barriers, like the dormant ones in New Orleans, are commonly used to improve road safety in Europe. Why not here?

January 17, 2025 - MinnPost

Aerial view of Menlo Park in Silicon Valley, California.

Menlo Park to Develop Parking Lots Into Housing

The city will issue a request for proposals to build subsidized housing on up to three downtown parking lots.

January 23 - Palo Alto Daily Post

Aerial view of Macarthur Park lake with downtown Los Angeles skyline in background.

What Has Measure ULA Achieved?

Los Angeles has imposed an additional tax on luxury home sales to generate millions for housing efforts in the city. Shelterforce checks in on where the money has gone, and what’s to come.

January 23 - Shelterforce Magazine

Close-up of green "Ultra low emission zone" ULEZ sign in London, UK.

London Congestion Pricing Zone Has No Impact on Local Spending

The city’s cordon pricing scheme did not affect how much people spent at local businesses, new research finds.

January 23 - Centre for Cities

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.