Despite being sued over its construction, a developer built a parking deck against code and severely limited the potential of the remaining downtown block it sits on.
Atlanta native Bobby Glustrom owns 3.2 acres of a 4.6-acre block where a controversial parking deck was built in 2001. "His land, which is mainly surface parking lots surrounding the three sides of the deck, is an area that's ripe for a major new development. But then there's that deck."
Glustrom did everything possible to stop the deck from being built. But, during the three-year legal challenge to stop its construction, landowner Holder Properties went ahead and built -- then sold -- the deck anyway.
"The sad saga of the deck shows the importance of good urban design. As the Atlanta region continues to grow, more and more parking decks will be built. It is imperative that developers, builders, property owners and architects fully understand how the design of a deck will impact the environment."
"The best decks are those that are invisible...A badly designed deck does just the opposite. It often is a stand-alone building that everyone knows is a parking garage. And it likely will have a blank wall that kills any liveliness on the sidewalk. In short, a bad deck sucks the life out of an urban area."
"The bottom line for metro Atlanta is that urban design matters -- especially when it comes to parking decks."
FULL STORY: Urban design matters --- especially for parking decks

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly
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Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

San Francisco Suspends Traffic Calming Amidst Record Deaths
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Adaptive Reuse Will Create Housing in a Suburban Texas Strip Mall
A developer is reimagining a strip mall property as a mixed-use complex with housing and retail.

Study: Anti-Homelessness Laws Don’t Work
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In U.S., Urban Gondolas Face Uphill Battle
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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.
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Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
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