Can successful places be driven by key metrics in the same way Billy Beane assembled the 2002 Oakland As? Guest Shaker Michael Hathorne proposes a little Moneyball for cities.
"Since the beginning of the year I have spent numerous hours studying the book and movie Moneyball. Both the book and the movie resonate with me. I grew up playing baseball. I played baseball in college. The sport of baseball appeals to my cerebral nature. It also resonates with me because I see parallels in the story of Moneyball to what is presently taking place in how I believe our built environment is starting to be weighed and measured."
"I believe there are parallels to how our built environment is measured. I believe there are 'Sabermetric' standards by which urbanism can and should be measured. I believe there is a fear of the shift that will come as these metrics are identified because it means an end to how many have done things and a potential end to their livelihood unless they accept the paradigm shift that we are in the midst of."
Michael Hathorne goes on to discuss what some of those metrics might be, starting with generalist categories keyed to Physical, Social, Environmental, and Economic choices within development patterns. He then discusses methods to properly weight the metrics so as to not overly prescribe and hinder the art of creativity.
Read the full story: Identifying the “Sabermetrics” of Urbanism
Feds look to Great Salt Lake as a source of rare minerals
A new grant is funding the expansion of non-evaportative lithium extraction from the brackish waters.
‘Snow-eater’ heat waves are increasing in frequency, study finds
During intense spring heatwaves, snow melts nearly twice as fast as usual and can overwhelm city reservoirs.
Salt Lake City opens protected bike path on viaduct trail
The 400 South Viaduct Trail features the state's longest continuous piece of public art.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Northwest rail fans eager for Sept. 30 debut of Amtrak’s Airo fleet
Get ready for that new train smell and more seats. But they won’t go faster or run more frequently on the Cascades route in Washington and Oregon.
Alabama scores up to $2.5 billion federal loan for largest infrastructure project in state’s history
The Mobile River Bridge and Bayway Project aims to ease congestion at Alabama’s worst bottleneck.
Novel study finds extreme state-by-state disparity in housing construction timelines
The first comprehensive working paper on U.S. construction timelines also found that the permitting process for multi-family projects has slowed nationwide.
California may destroy its beaches trying to save homes from El Niño
Boulders and seawalls can protect homes from waves, but ultimately destroy sandy beaches.
California high-speed rail accomplishes only one legislative goal in 2026
The majority of the agency's failed pitches were never developed into written proposals.
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 Thousand Oaks
City of Wisconsin Rapids
Harvard University Graduate School of Design
The Architects Foundation
University of Cincinnati Online
Northern Illinois Transit Authority (NITA)
The Pocatello Development Authority
The Urban Renewal Agency of the City of Pocatello