A New York man who has watched a Bronx neighborhood fall into despair over decades is hoping to help un-blight the troubled area.
Harry De Rienzo is trying to rehabilitate some of the city's worst buildings to provide more housing for a troubled neighborhood.
"In the feverish real estate speculation of the past decade, buildings like these were passed back and forth among landlords and banks. But since the bubble burst, the properties have fallen into financial limbo; many owners cannot keep up on mortgage payments, much less repairs.
'This is a real big problem,' said Mr. De Rienzo, 57, a plain-spoken, streetwise New Yorker who is now chief executive of Banana Kelly. 'They thought they could always cash out their equity and flip the property. But when the recession hit, that kind of predatory investing stopped - and the tenants got stuck.'"
FULL STORY: In the South Bronx, Blight Returns to a Rehabilitated Block
Last Mile: Micromobility in the Outer Reaches of NYC’s Outer Boroughs
In 2021 New York City rolled out an e-scooter program in some of the city’s most underserved transportation zones, focused on equity and access. Urban planner Thandi Nyambose gives an insider’s view of the program from the ground.
A Bronx Community Fights to Have its Voice Heard
After organizing and giving input for decades, the community around the Kingsbridge Armory might actually see it redeveloped — and they want to continue to have a say in how it goes.
NYC E-Scooter Program Threatened Despite High Ridership
Rental scooters in Queens and the Bronx provided close to two million trips in 2024, with many trips starting or ending near transit. Some city officials want to remove them.
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.
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.
Caltrans
City of Fort Worth
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie