In this article and accompanying video, architecture critic Michael Kimmelman and Planning Commissioner Amanda Burden tour the Melrose section of the South Bronx. Along the way, affordability and density are apparent hallmarks of the undertaking.
"We didn't show in the video enough of the single family, brownstone-style housing that has also restored a little stoop life to various blocks, along with home-ownership. The latest census shows that people have been moving back to the South Bronx in big numbers. It's a still a poor neighborhood. Housing isn't the same as jobs, after all, but as Ms. Burden remarks in the video, one is dependent on the other. And in the end, because all parts of the the city are interdependent, the entire city benefits when this area improves."
FULL STORY: A Walk in the South Bronx With the Planning Commissioner and Our Architecture Critic
Opinion: Second Avenue Subway Should Come With Zoning Changes
Increasing density in the neighborhoods surrounding the new subway stops would bring more affordable, transit-adjacent housing to East Harlem and boost ridership.
Opinion: One Solution to Manhattan's Land Shortage: Just Build It
A New York Times op-ed calls on the city to add landfill development on Manhattan's southern shoreline, claiming it would increase affordability and protect the city from rising sea levels.
Rents Rise in New York City Even as Eviction Crisis Mounts
Although many tenants are still waiting for rental assistance funds to avoid eviction, rents are rising steadily in the city's wealthiest boroughs.
Depopulation Patterns Get Weird
A recent ranking of “declining” cities heavily features some of the most expensive cities in the country — including New York City and a half-dozen in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Pennsylvania Mall Conversion Bill Passes House
If passed, the bill would promote the adaptive reuse of defunct commercial buildings.
California Exodus: Population Drops Below 39 Million
Never mind the 40 million that demographers predicted the Golden State would reach by 2018. The state's population dipped below 39 million to 38.965 million last July, according to Census data released in March, the lowest since 2015.
Google Maps Introduces New Transit, EV Features
It will now be easier to find electric car charging stations and transit options.
Ohio Lawmakers Propose Incentivizing Housing Production
A proposed bill would take a carrot approach to stimulating housing production through a grant program that would reward cities that implement pro-housing policies.
Chicago Awarded $2M Reconnecting Communities Grant
Community advocates say the city’s plan may not do enough to reverse the negative impacts of a major expressway.
City of Costa Mesa
Licking County
Barrett Planning Group LLC
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Mpact Transit + Community
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
City of Universal City TX
ULI Northwest Arkansas
Town of Zionsville
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.
