Architect Claire Lester reimagines Chicago's O'Hare as a dynamic, multipurpose environment.
High-speed rail and transit connections, a 45-acre public park, and a regional commuter university are all part of Super Strip, Lester's proposal for reshaping O'Hare. She says while the design is visionary, it is also practical, accounting for safety, noise and pollution standards and attempting to mitigate the impacts of the airport's expansion on the neighboring community.
Lester writes:
"This proposal for O'Hare Airport in Chicago takes the current $15 billion O'Hare Modernization Program (OMP) as a starting point to imagine the airport not just as a transportation terminal but as a multi-programmed urban landscape that caters to travelers as well as a regional and local population that comes to the airport to shop, play, and work."
FULL STORY: Rethinking ORD: O'Hare Super Strip
Commentary: A Vision for Responsible Neighborhood Revitalization
The first project under Chicago’s Woodlawn Housing Preservation Ordinance is taking shape, aiming to bring new housing and retail to the neighborhood while avoiding displacement.
Chicago Garage Becomes 72-Unit Apartment Building
The East Lakeview project is within easy walking distance of local businesses and transit.
New Development Continues in Wrigleyville
New mixed-use projects bring residential units, retail, and entertainment venues to the neighborhood surrounding Chicago's Wrigley Field as stadium-adjacent development grows in popularity.
Rethinking Redlining
For decades we have blamed 100-year-old maps for the patterns of spatial racial inequity that persist in American cities today. An esteemed researcher says: we’ve got it all wrong.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Walmart Announces Nationwide EV Charging Network
The company plans to install electric car chargers at most of its stores by 2030.
Wisconsin Awarded $12 Million for Brownfield Redevelopment Amid Broader EPA Budget Cuts
The EPA provided the funding to Wisconsin for brownfield cleanups in cities like Milwaukee and Racine, even as broader agency budget cuts under the Trump administration raise concerns about future environmental protection capacity.
Indianapolis Advances Plans to Expand and Connect Citywide Greenway Network
Indianapolis is developing a new Greenways Strategic Implementation Plan to expand, connect, and modernize its trail system, aiming for over 250 miles of greenways that support sustainability, mobility, and community well-being.
EPA Awards $267 Million to Clean Up and Reuse Contaminated Sites
The EPA is investing the funds to clean up and redevelop contaminated sites nationwide, supporting economic growth, community revitalization, and environmental restoration.
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.
City of Moorpark
City of Tustin
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions