Nicolai Ouroussoff, The New York Times' architecture critic, argues that philistine planning decisions such as the one that restricted the height of Jean Nouvel's proposed tower last month, "risk transforming a living city into an urban mausoleum."
The building would have been as tall as the Empire State Building, minus its antenna, "a fact that probably made planners tremble." Amanda Burden, the city planning commissioner, said the tower's top, did not live up to the aesthetic standards of a building that would compete with the Manhattan's most famous towers.
Ouroussoff counters that "the desire of each new generation of architects and builders to leave its mark on the city, to contribute its own forms, is essential to making New York what it is." The soaring height and slender way in which Nouvel's tower achieves it captured the spirit of midtown Manhattan and 'brought that spirit forcefully into the present."
FULL STORY: Off With Its Top! City Cuts Tower to Size

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

Chicago’s Ghost Rails
Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.

Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail
The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.

Ohio Forces Data Centers to Prepay for Power
Utilities are calling on states to hold data center operators responsible for new energy demands to prevent leaving consumers on the hook for their bills.

MARTA CEO Steps Down Amid Citizenship Concerns
MARTA’s board announced Thursday that its chief, who is from Canada, is resigning due to questions about his immigration status.

Silicon Valley ‘Bike Superhighway’ Awarded $14M State Grant
A Caltrans grant brings the 10-mile Central Bikeway project connecting Santa Clara and East San Jose closer to fruition.
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