The Waco Chamber of Commerce is credited with inspiring a renaissance in downtown, developing their new headquarters on a former parking lot. They hope to receive LEED certification - the first U.S. chamber building to receive this designation.
"Some call the new, copper-domed, 14,000-square-foot building at Heritage Square an anchor for the development taking shape in downtown Waco - an environmentally 'green' anchor at that, predicted to be 22 percent more energy-efficient than most buildings."
It's a $4.3 million statement that Waco means business. Prospects looking to locate here can visit The Hawkins Room, a round conference center featuring a stained-glass chandelier and a stunning view of the $75 million Waco Town Square mixed-use development in the works.
Officially, the building will serve as headquarters for the Greater Waco Chamber of Commerce, housing its staff and committees."
FULL STORY: New chamber digs mix history, environment and a rich vision for the future

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly
Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

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
Citing “a challenging fiscal landscape,” the city will cease the program on the heels of 42 traffic deaths, including 24 pedestrians.

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
Research shows that punitive measures that criminalized unhoused people don’t help reduce homelessness.

In U.S., Urban Gondolas Face Uphill Battle
Cities in Latin America and Europe have embraced aerial transitways — AKA gondolas — as sustainable, convenient urban transport, especially in tricky geographies. American cities have yet to catch up.
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