On Places, Tom Vanderbilt surveys the landscape and politics of New York City after Hurricane Sandy, focusing on both early response and long-range planning.
For several years New York City has been exploring how to plan for climate change, but last fall Hurricane Sandy exposed the many vulnerabilities of the coastal metropolis. As Tom Vanderbilt writes: "The sea will not be forgotten."
On Places, Vanderbilt surveys the landscape and politics of both early response and long-range efforts, and he explores the persistent challenges — political, economic, cultural — that make it hard to transform a centuries-old settlement.
From the East River Esplanade (one of the few places on Manhattan where you can “get down and touch the water”) to the South Ferry Station where a bundle of construction timber caused $1 billion in damages, from the Red Hook IKEA that became a federal disaster recovery center to the ambitious plans for Cornell's Tech Campus on Roosevelt Island, Vanderbilt gets on the ground with experts facing the new reality of planning for storm surges and rising seas.
FULL STORY: The City and the Sea
Proposed Citywide Rezoning Would Layer Resilience in New York City
With 520 miles of coastline, New York City is ready to implement the lessons of Hurricane Sandy in the zoning code for the entire city.
Why New York City's Flooding Its Own Subway Entrances
MTA reassured disoriented New Yorkers that it's flooding subway entrances on purpose, to test barriers that it hopes will guard the system against another Sandy.
Taking on Climate Change Without Wrecking Cities for the Poorest and Most Vulnerable
Rebuilding and repairing New York City after Hurricane Sandy shows how climate change can exacerbate existing equity problems and that such disasters must spur efforts to rebuild fairly, not entrench existing problems.
The Top Urban Planning Books of 2021
Planetizen's annual list of the top urban planning books of the year is here—maintaining a tradition that dates back to 2002.
The Roadway Expansion Paradox
Motorists want expensive roadway expansions provided that somebody else foots the bill, but when required to pay directly through tolls, the need for more capacity often disappears. What should planners do?
Urban Exodus: Data Don't Support the Popular Pandemic Narrative
Americans fled cities in waves during the pandemic, right? Not to so fast.
Inequality Grows in Western Zoom Towns
As demand for housing grows, small Western towns are experiencing skyrocketing housing costs and rising displacement.
Equity and Transit Go Hand in Hand for the Pandemic Recovery
Equity illuminates the light at the end of the tunnel for U.S. transit agencies, according to a recent report by the Urban Institute.
Miami Reinstates E-Scooter Program
After abruptly ending its shared e-scooter program last month, Miami is letting the devices return to its streets–with some new rules.
Town of Palm Beach
Perkins&Will
City of Oxford
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
City of San Carlos
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
City of Royal Oak, Michigan
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.
Hand Drawing Master Plans
This course aims to provide an introduction into Urban Design Sketching focused on how to hand draw master plans using a mix of colored markers.
