Las Vegas' Union Park is a LEED-certified development that sits on a revitalized brownfield, but with no shortage of Vegas' glitz. Can smart growth be as marketable as it is environmentally good?
"It seems an odd tension of aesthetic sensibilities. On the one hand the project is every bit the Las Vegas of the collective imagination - a glittering, glamorous spectacular 'brandscape.' It's a downtown revitalization project of unprecedented ambition that seeks to build, from the ground up, a completely new downtown. On the other hand, the city and the project's developers are everywhere making sure to advertise that the Park as 'green,' sustainable, New Urbanist. To my mind these latter modes think of themselves as wholly unconcerned with the former's flashiness, inherently."
"All in all, the project is a fascinating experiment that might help us answer some big questions. Is it a good thing that 'smart growth' can so easily bleed into the realm of being a luxury brand? Is Union Park a perfect model for the way we can create moral markets and promote investment in better cities? Or is the project going to be a perfect parable for the tangled legacy of Neoliberal ethical, aesthetics, and economic ideals?"
FULL STORY: More to Learn from Las Vegas
Planting Relief: Tackling Las Vegas Heat One Tree at a Time
Nevada Plants, a Las Vegas-based nonprofit, is combating the city’s extreme urban heat by giving away trees to residents in underserved neighborhoods, promoting shade, sustainability, and community health.
Las Vegas Uses ‘Mini-Roundabout’ for Traffic Calming
Roundabouts, commonly used in other countries, are starting to catch on in U.S. cities. They can improve traffic flow and bring efficiency benefits.
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.
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A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
In Urban Planning, AI Prompting Could be the New Design Thinking
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Cal Fire Chatbot Fails to Answer Basic Questions
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What Happens if Trump Kills Section 8?
The Trump admin aims to slash federal rental aid by nearly half and shift distribution to states. Experts warn this could spike homelessness and destabilize communities nationwide.
Sean Duffy Targets Rainbow Crosswalks in Road Safety Efforts
Despite evidence that colorful crosswalks actually improve intersection safety — and the lack of almost any crosswalks at all on the nation’s most dangerous arterial roads — U.S. Transportation Secretary Duffy is calling on states to remove them.
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