Buildings and homes built as a product of the Works Progress Administration of the 1930s are being torn down at a rate that some find unsettling.
"'It's ironic to be tearing them down just when America is going through tough times again,' said the biographer Robert Caro, who wrote about the WPA in 'The Power Broker,' his book about the builder Robert Moses. 'We should be preserving them and honoring them. They serve as monuments to the fact that it is possible to combine infrastructure with beauty.'"
"Professors, authors and architects have formed the National New Deal Preservation Association. State governments from Arkansas to California are compiling lists of WPA-era projects still standing.
'They are redolent of a moment when there was more emphasis on making an integrated community - not just building houses, but auditoriums, community centers and schools,' said the architect Hugh Hardy, who restored Radio City Music Hall in New York City. 'It's a better use of energy, in a time of fiscal restraint, to see what we can reuse, remake and renew,' he added. 'It's monstrous to say you have to tear them down.'"
FULL STORY: New Deal architecture faces bulldozer
New Research Reexamines HOLC's Role in Redlining
New Deal agencies did engage in discriminatory lending practices–but not quite in the way we think.
Biden Learning From the Unrealistic Expectations of Past Economic Stimulus Efforts
Taking lessons from his time working in the Obama administration, President Biden is tempering promises of quick job creation with long-term reinvestment.
Lessons From Decades of Racist Land Policy
President and CEO of the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy Dr. George McCarthy traces the legacy of racist policy and offers guidance toward an economic recovery that begins to undo systemic racism.
Seattle Legalizes Co-Living
A new state law requires all Washington cities to allow co-living facilities in areas zoned for multifamily housing.
NYC Officials Announce Broadway Pedestrianization Project
Two blocks of the marquee street will become mostly car-free public spaces.
The City of Broken Sidewalks
Can Los Angeles fix 4,000 miles of broken sidewalks before the city hosts the 2028 Olympic Games?
Why Some Affordable Housing Managers Are Running Education Programs
Many housing organizations are finding that educational programs are a logical — and valuable — addition to their offerings.
Anchorage Bus Depot to Reopen
After a four-year closure, a downtown Anchorage transit center will once again provide indoor waiting areas and services for bus travelers.
Mapping a Greener Future: Cal Poly Tackles Urban Canopy Challenges
Cal Poly, in partnership with Cal Fire, is leading the development of California’s new Strategic Plan for Urban Forestry, combining advanced data tools and interdisciplinary collaboration to expand tree canopy cover.
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.
Village of Glen Ellyn
City of Laramie
American Planning Association, Sustainable Communities Division
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research
City of Cambridge, Maryland
Newport County Development Council: Connect Greater Newport
Rockdale County Board of Commissioners