Residents and public officials are calling on merchants to clean up Duval Street in Key West, Florida. Long considered the city's economic engine, the opposition believes some of the questionable quirkiness give the street and the city its character.
"Dorie Hochstedler was part star tourist, part terrified grandmother when she offered perches on her body for an iguana, four exotic birds and an albino Burmese python called Lemon Drop.
'I'm doing it so my grandchildren will get a kick out of it,' the Indiana native said as a gawking crowd instantly assembled.
The unique memory is why Hochstedler and millions of other tourists come to funky, laid-back Key West. And the prime lure is famed Duval Street, known for its bars, high-end art galleries, drag queens and an unending parade of offbeat characters.
Many Key Westers think Duval, stretching 1.2 miles from the Gulf of Mexico to the Atlantic Ocean, is the city's crown jewel.
But many others believe the street, with its T-shirt shops that sell bongs, and cracked sidewalks littered with cigarette butts, is a source of embarrassment.
They want Duval to clean up its act."
FULL STORY: Key West's Duval St. may have to clean up act
How the ‘Social Field of View’ Impacts Street Life
The vibrancy of a neighborhood may be defined by what people can see in their immediate vicinity.
Opinion: 'Instant' Delivery Services Could Decimate Street Vitality
The race to deliver goods at lightning speed has the potential to create 'dark cities' as street-level storefronts give way to closed-off warehouses only frequented by delivery workers.
Is the End of Bangkok Street Food Vending Near?
Street food vendors are an integral part of the Bangkok urban landscape, but city planners want to see them gone.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
San Francisco's School District Spent $105M To Build Affordable Housing for Teachers — And That's Just the Beginning
SFUSD joins a growing list of school districts using their land holdings to address housing affordability challenges faced by their own employees.
The Tiny, Adorable $7,000 Car Turning Japan Onto EVs
The single seat Mibot charges from a regular plug as quickly as an iPad, and is about half the price of an average EV.
Seattle's Plan for Adopting Driverless Cars
Equity, safety, accessibility and affordability are front of mind as the city prepares for robotaxis and other autonomous vehicles.
As Trump Phases Out FEMA, Is It Time to Flee the Floodplains?
With less federal funding available for disaster relief efforts, the need to relocate at-risk communities is more urgent than ever.
With Protected Lanes, 460% More People Commute by Bike
For those needing more ammo, more data proving what we already knew is here.
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.
Smith Gee Studio
City of Charlotte
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
US High Speed Rail Association
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
Municipality of Princeton (NJ)