At an open house organized to update the public on plans to build a 16-mile light rail line linking spurs of D.C.'s subway system in suburban Maryland, planners' visions of smart growth where seen as a developer-driven nightmare by local residents.
"The bird's eye view offered a vision of progress—modern transit spurring economic development - but homeowners who studied the path of the $2.2 billion project at an open house organized by the Maryland Transit Administration (MTA) on Tuesday night saw something different," reports Martin Di Caro.
"Despite the assurances of state transportation planners and transit advocates, homeowners like [Anne] Spielberg and [Tom] Armstrong could not help but see the hands of real developers in every twist and turn of the Purple Line's path," notes Di Caro.
"The Purple Line seems to be designed to increase development. It's about helping developers. And we've actually seen statements to that effect from people who are building the Purple Line, instead of doing what makes sense for our neighborhood," Spielberg said.
"To the project's supporters, focusing mixed-use development (housing, retail, and office) around the 21 station stops is a positive aspect of the project, in addition to the ability to move people more efficiently."
FULL STORY: Maryland Holds Open Houses On Purple Line Progress
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.
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.
Chicago to Turn High-Rise Offices into Housing
Four commercial buildings in the Chicago Loop have been approved for redevelopment into housing in a bid to revitalize the city’s downtown post-pandemic.
New Park Opens in the Santa Clarita Valley
The City of Santa Clarita just celebrated the grand opening of its 38th park, the 10.5-acre Skyline Ranch Park.
U.S. Supreme Court: California's Impact Fees May Violate Takings Clause
A California property owner took El Dorado County to state court after paying a traffic impact fee he felt was exorbitant. He lost in trial court, appellate court, and the California Supreme Court denied review. Then the U.S. Supreme Court acted.
How Urban Form Impacts Housing Affordability
The way we design cities affects housing costs differently than you might think.
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