City leaders in Raleigh, North Carolina, are planning to transform a underutilized downtown plaza into a new public square.
Who knew it was even called City Plaza? The empty space in front of the old Civic Center in Raleigh was used occasionally for rock concerts or for a Carolina Hurricanes celebration. But it was only when the Civic Center came down and Fayetteville Street was reopened that the idea dawned about this desolate spot becoming a true center-city gathering place.
That's when Jim Goodmon, CEO of Capitol Broadcasting Corp., brought the Spanish artist Jaume Plensa to town, and they tried out the idea of a raised public square and light show. After six months of intense debate, Goodmon and Plensa withdrew that plan-city leaders decided they didn't want Fayetteville Street obstructed again-but their vision had taken hold: In some form, Raleigh would have its City Plaza. But what form?
A year later, following an unprecedented (for Raleigh) planning process emphasizing broad public participation, that question is about to be answered. City Plaza will feature shopping, not art, under the design expected to garner final approval by the city council in early September.
The design showcases four transparent glass pavilions, each 30 feet square and 18 feet tall, set in front of the two office buildings that flank the City Plaza space to the east and west. The effect is to put two small retail stores in front of each building, along with four raised pools and four 40-foot light towers.
FULL STORY: What's in store for Raleigh's City Plaza?

Alabama: Trump Terminates Settlements for Black Communities Harmed By Raw Sewage
Trump deemed the landmark civil rights agreement “illegal DEI and environmental justice policy.”

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

The 120 Year Old Tiny Home Villages That Sheltered San Francisco’s Earthquake Refugees
More than a century ago, San Francisco mobilized to house thousands of residents displaced by the 1906 earthquake. Could their strategy offer a model for the present?

San Francisco Opens Park on Former Great Highway
The Sunset Dunes park’s grand opening attracted both fans and detractors.

Oregon Legislature to Consider Transit Funding Laws
One proposal would increase the state’s payroll tax by .08% to fund transit agencies and expand service.

Housing Vouchers as a Key Piece of Houston’s Housing Strategy
The Houston Housing Authority supports 19,000 households through the housing voucher program.
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.
Clanton & Associates, Inc.
Jessamine County Fiscal Court
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions
Salt Lake City
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service