A review of June Williamson's new book reminds us that the need to retrofit suburbia is as urgent as ever, despite the ascendance of cities. Amanda Kolson Hurley explores the top five reasons 'why the suburbs are shaping up as the new frontier.'
"Remember when we were going to save the suburbs?" asks Hurley. "In 2008, Ellen Dunham-Jones, AIA, and June Williamson released Retrofitting Suburbia, a handbook for turning sprawl into walkable, sustainable, more urban places. The book got national media attention, Dunham-Jones gave a TED talk, and for a while, dead malls were the topic du jour."
In her new book, Designing Suburban Futures: New Models From Build a Better Burb, Williamson returns to the topic, which seemed to recede over the past five years, with a look at the winning entries from Build a Better Burb, an ideas competition for transforming suburban Long Island.
Hurley speaks with Williamson and other "suburban visionaries" to identify the top five reasons why "the need to retrofit suburbia is more urgent now than it was five years ago."
- NIMBYism isn’t what it used to be.
- Cities alone can’t meet the demand for walkable urbanism.
- Both policy changes and success stories can encourage investment.
- Big boxes are awesome.
- Suburbia’s fabric lends itself to innovation.
Read the full story: Don't Forget the Burbs
Debating the Feasibility of Retrofitting Suburbia
Is the challenge of retrofitting sprawl intractable or unavoidable?
Retrofitting Suburban Downtowns for Walkability
Ian Law of Place Alliance spoke to the 2014 ASLA Annual Meeting in Denver at the end of November about what it takes to accomplish a vision for a more dense, walkable suburban downtown.
Who'll Fix the Suburbs?
Two new books proffer the end of the suburbs and the salvation of dense urbanity. But the suburbs are "not about to shrivel," says Justin Davidson. So who should be responsible for fixing suburban dysfunction?
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Amtrak, CN end decades-long dispute with eight-year agreement
The new operating agreement establishes an updated framework for the companies to work together, including processes to resolve disputes.
Colorado’s Largest Data Center Could Rise Next to Homes — Without a Public Hearing
The proposed campus would consume 11 times the power of Denver International Airport; as it has across the country, opposition mounts.
Community feedback ushers in changes to NYC’s Park Avenue redesign
New aspects of the design include a two-way bike lane and separate paths for cyclists and pedestrians.
Road safety in Charlotte, NC, a 'public health crisis'
Twelve serious or fatal crashes happen in the region every week. Since 2021, over 900 people have been killed in accidents.
Federal judge strikes down DOE orders to keep Michigan power plant open past retirement date
The decision is one of the first successful legal challenges to President Trump’s “national energy emergency” ruling, which instructs federal agencies to use emergency powers to increase fossil fuel production.
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.
KFH Group Inc.
Greater Baltimore Committee
Eagle County Government
The Architects Foundation
University of Cincinnati Online
The Pocatello Development Authority
The Urban Renewal Agency of the City of Pocatello