San Jacinto Plaza is the historic heart of El Paso, Texas. City officials are planning a major redevelopment of the plaza, perhaps even expanding its traditional borders and using New York's Bryant Park rebirth as a model.
While in a prominent location and bearing a long history (at 130 years old, it's El Paso's oldest public space), San Jacinto Plaza is significantly underused. City Representatives Beto O'Rourke and Steve Ortega want that to change.
Marty Schladen reports:
"[O'Rourke and Ortega] want to expand the park -- possibly by closing a lane on surrounding streets -- to add trees and to remove fences and signs that keep people out of many areas of the square-block plaza.
"It's impossible to come into this park and walk on a single blade of grass," Ortega said on a recent visit as he pointed out multiple signs telling visitors what they can't do.
Instead, O'Rourke wants to redevelop San Jacinto Plaza along the lines of Bryant Park in Manhattan."
Read the full story: Downtown evolution: Critics plan challenge of Plaza face-lift
The Beauty of Public Spaces
A new book by Robert Gatje gives public squares and piazzas the coffee-table treatment, meticulously detailing what makes these historic spaces work.
Taking Another Look At A Public Square
A group of planners and designers recently headed out to audit Petrossian Square in Manhattan, carefully observing how people use the space.
New Mexico spent millions drafting climate goals. Data centers are unraveling them
Three data centers in New Mexico and El Paso will release more emissions yearly than 2 million cars in the same timeframe.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
California plans to bury El Niño’s downpour
If the state plays its cards right, it may be able to store a billion acre-feet of El Niño’s water in aquifers.
Desperate measures: Advocates weigh draining Lake Powell to fill Colorado River
Draining the reservoir could reduce evaporation losses by a couple hundred thousand acre-feet.
California city breaks ground on transit connector
The project includes three mobility hubs and a pedestrian bridge.
After public outcry, Massachusetts city releases housing development tracker
Cambridge’s tracker currently shows 250 housing projects in various stages of development.
40 years after approval, Chicago breaks ground on new park
The park honors Jean Baptiste Point du Sable, the city’s first permanent non-native settler.
FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?
After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.
Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold
The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.
City of Rosemead
Rutgers University, Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy
One Hundred Miles
Hunter College, City University of New York (CUNY)
The Architects Foundation
University of Cincinnati Online
City of Cambridge
Montrose County
The Pocatello Development Authority