With a volcano, an Egyptian pyramid and the Eiffel Tower already under its belt, Las Vegas is trying its hand at building something else from scratch: a downtown.
"As other cities look to replace their blighted downtowns with new development, Las Vegas, known for its extravagant facsimiles of European and American landmarks, has come up with an unusual approach: Build another downtown, right next to the decaying one.
On Thursday, the city will formally inaugurate a new urban core on a 61-acre, undeveloped parcel of land - a project that some experts say is unprecedented in city planning. Called Union Park, its supporters hope it will revive the historic downtown just to the east, where the region's courthouses, government offices and oldest casinos are clustered.
More than $6 billion in mostly private money has been announced for five ambitious projects: an Alzheimer's research center, designed by Frank Gehry; a 60-story international center for jewelry trading; a hotel by the celebrity chef Charlie Palmer; a casino-resort; thousands of residential units and square feet of office space, and, as its centerpiece, a $360 million performing arts center.
Construction on the rippled Gehry building and utility lines is under way on this former brownfield, once a chemical dumping ground for the Union Pacific Railroad.
"It's quite unusual that there's a big swath of downtown ground just sitting there without having to go through a whole rigmarole to acquire," said Bill Hudnut, a senior fellow at the Urban Land Institute in Washington."
FULL STORY: Up With the New: A Second Center City for Las Vegas
Seattle Legalizes Co-Living
A new state law requires all Washington cities to allow co-living facilities in areas zoned for multifamily housing.
Central Florida’s SunRail Plans Major Expansion
The expanded train line will connect more destinations to the international airport and other important destinations.
Las Vegas Golf Course to Become Over 1,000 Units of Affordable Housing
The project is part of an initiative to build affordable housing on shuttered golf courses.
Milwaukee Interstate Removal Would Create Space for Thousands of New Housing Units
A proposal to replace the elevated Interstate 794 with a boulevard could create over a billion dollars in new development along the corridor.
Ohio Invests $58 Million to Revitalize Brownfields and Boost Local Economies
This investment in brownfield remediation will clean up hazardous sites, foster economic development, and create jobs through 61 new projects across 33 counties.
California Governor Vows to Protect EV Credits
If the federal government eliminates the tax credit for electric vehicles, the governor will need legislative support to restart a state-level incentive 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.
Los Alamos County
City of Culver City
Skagit Transit
American Planning Association, Sustainable Communities Division
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research
City of Cambridge, Maryland
Newport County Development Council: Connect Greater Newport
Rockdale County Board of Commissioners