Downtown redevelopment plans that will bring a hotel and retail complex and create a transit-oriented pedestrian-only plaza have been unanimously approved in Berkeley, California.
"The $150 million hotel and conference center, tentatively dubbed the Berkeley Charles Hotel, would include more than 210 hotel rooms, 50 market-rate condominiums, an extensive conference center, jazz club, restaurant and underground parking.
Despite its size, the high-rise has generated almost no opposition, a miracle in a city that bickers over everything from vacant lots to old-growth eucalyptus. Berkeley's usual warring factions -- preservationists, City Hall staff, developers and zoning wonks -- have joined, at least temporarily, in support of the project."
"The downtown committee recently voted to close Center Street between Shattuck and Oxford for a pedestrian plaza."
"About 10,000 people a day walk the one-block stretch between BART and the UC Berkeley campus. The committee decided to create an open space with benches, artwork, outdoor cafes and possibly a daylighted stretch of Strawberry Creek, which goes underground after leaving the campus."
FULL STORY: Big plans for making downtown a cultural hub

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

Chicago’s Ghost Rails
Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.

Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail
The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.

Ohio Forces Data Centers to Prepay for Power
Utilities are calling on states to hold data center operators responsible for new energy demands to prevent leaving consumers on the hook for their bills.

MARTA CEO Steps Down Amid Citizenship Concerns
MARTA’s board announced Thursday that its chief, who is from Canada, is resigning due to questions about his immigration status.

Silicon Valley ‘Bike Superhighway’ Awarded $14M State Grant
A Caltrans grant brings the 10-mile Central Bikeway project connecting Santa Clara and East San Jose closer to fruition.
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