Nate Berg looks at new data released by the U.S. Census Bureau that puts hard numbers behind what people across the country have observed: America's downtowns are booming again.
As Berg notes, the new figures [PDF] released by the Census Bureau show that across America downtown populations grew significantly between 2000 and 2010. "Together, the total metro population living within four miles of city
hall is more than 54 million – almost 21 percent of America's metro
population. That's 17.5 percent of the national population living within
a quick car ride, 30-minute bike ride or hour-long walk of the center
of a big city," writes Berg.
The downtown growth has not been consistent across all metro areas, however, with larger metro areas showing a higher growth rate. "[T]those with populations of 5 million or more, saw a collective growth
rate of more than 13 percent in the areas within two miles of city hall," reports Berg. While, "Metros
with fewer than 2.5 million people saw only modest increases (0.2
percent for the 500,000 to 999,999 group) or even decreases (-1.2
percent for the 1 million to 2.499 million group)."
It's worth noting that the notable downtown growth did not preclude the expansion of the country's suburban and exurban areas as population centers. "And that's especially true in the largest
metropolitan areas," writes Berg. "While the close-in areas in these metros' downtown
saw double-digit growth between 2000 and 2010, so did areas 30 miles and
beyond."
FULL STORY: It's Official: Downtowns Are Booming

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly
Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

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

San Francisco Suspends Traffic Calming Amidst Record Deaths
Citing “a challenging fiscal landscape,” the city will cease the program on the heels of 42 traffic deaths, including 24 pedestrians.

Adaptive Reuse Will Create Housing in a Suburban Texas Strip Mall
A developer is reimagining a strip mall property as a mixed-use complex with housing and retail.

Study: Anti-Homelessness Laws Don’t Work
Research shows that punitive measures that criminalized unhoused people don’t help reduce homelessness.

In U.S., Urban Gondolas Face Uphill Battle
Cities in Latin America and Europe have embraced aerial transitways — AKA gondolas — as sustainable, convenient urban transport, especially in tricky geographies. American cities have yet to catch up.
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.
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
JM Goldson LLC
Custer County Colorado
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Jefferson Parish Government
Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Claremont