What began as a peaceful gathering in central Instanbul erupted in violence Friday morning, as police used tear gas and water cannons to disperse thousands protesting the redevelopment of a treasured park as a shopping center.
"Just nine acres in size, Gezi Park would be but a blip on the map in cities such as New York, with its 843-acre Central Park," writes Jennifer Hattam. "But in Istanbul, where only 1.5 percent of land area is devoted to public green space — less than in crowded Tokyo or Shanghai, but far behind New York (14 percent) or London (38.4 percent) — it is a rare oasis."
"The battle over Gezi Park has become a symbol of opposition to the massive urban upheaval currently underway in Istanbul," she explains. "In addition to the Taksim Project, ground broke this week on a controversial third bridge across the Bosphorus Strait. Opponents say the bridge and the new roads to go along with it will destroy forested areas and further hasten the city's rapid sprawl without solving its congestion problems."
"There's been zero public process, zero public support, zero public information," says Betül Tanbay, a professor at Boğaziçi University and a member of the Taksim Platform activist group. "We tried to have a dialogue with the municipality; we didn't say that nothing should be changed [at Taksim]. We said, let's discuss it together. As citizens, we deserve to be part of the plans — we don't want them to be made behind doors and declared during construction."
FULL STORY: Violence, Tear Gas Greet Protests to Save One of the Last Public Parks in Istanbul

Rethinking Redlining
For decades we have blamed 100-year-old maps for the patterns of spatial racial inequity that persist in American cities today. An esteemed researcher says: we’ve got it all wrong.

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

Walmart Announces Nationwide EV Charging Network
The company plans to install electric car chargers at most of its stores by 2030.

New State Study Suggests Homelessness Far Undercounted in New Mexico
An analysis of hospital visit records provided a more accurate count than the annual point-in-time count used by most agencies.

Michigan Bills Would Stiffen Penalties for Deadly Crashes
Proposed state legislation would close a ‘legal gap’ that lets drivers who kill get away with few repercussions.

Report: Bus Ridership Back to 86 Percent of Pre-Covid Levels
Transit ridership around the country was up by 85 percent in all modes in 2024.
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.
City of Moorpark
City of Tustin
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions