The 5-4-7 Arts Center in Greensburg, Kansas gets a LEED platinum designation- evidence that the town, which was 95% destroyed by a tornado in May, 2006, is making good on its sustainable rebuilding plan.
"Speaking Tuesday to a gathering at the newly finished 5-4-7 Arts Center, University of Kansas Professor and head of Studio 804, Dan Rockhill, and, former student, Jenny Kivett, announced that LEED Platinum certification is assured for the Center. With preliminary certification coming in at Silver, Kivett said a few clarifying statements would be added before resubmitting the application which both Rockhill and Kivett agreed would put the final assessment at Platinum.
Once accepted, the Arts Center would become the first LEED Platinum building in Kansas, the first student designed and constructed LEED Platinum building in history, and the first of what Rockhill hopes will be many sustainable projects in Greensburg.
Rockhill and Studio 804 have been working on community service projects for over a decade beginning in Lawrence. Although run as a business, Studio 804 is a not-for-profit organization that satisfies what Rockhill calls his students' hunger for life experiences. Although most architects "never get dirty," 804 requires that students work in all aspects of design and construction."
FULL STORY: Arts Center about to achieve status of first LEED Platinum building in Kansas

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

Map: Where Senate Republicans Want to Sell Your Public Lands
For public land advocates, the Senate Republicans’ proposal to sell millions of acres of public land in the West is “the biggest fight of their careers.”

Restaurant Patios Were a Pandemic Win — Why Were They so Hard to Keep?
Social distancing requirements and changes in travel patterns prompted cities to pilot new uses for street and sidewalk space. Then it got complicated.

Platform Pilsner: Vancouver Transit Agency Releases... a Beer?
TransLink will receive a portion of every sale of the four-pack.

Toronto Weighs Cheaper Transit, Parking Hikes for Major Events
Special event rates would take effect during large festivals, sports games and concerts to ‘discourage driving, manage congestion and free up space for transit.”

Berlin to Consider Car-Free Zone Larger Than Manhattan
The area bound by the 22-mile Ringbahn would still allow 12 uses of a private automobile per year per person, and several other exemptions.
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.
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
JM Goldson LLC
Custer County Colorado
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Claremont
Municipality of Princeton (NJ)