Architecture critic Mark Lamster describes Dallas as a city at a defining moment in its history. He poses the following questions: “What are our goals, and how do we achieve them? What exactly do we want Dallas to be?”
“Mayor Mike Rawlings leads a city at a time of immense private prosperity offset by sweeping poverty, a city of newly erected architectural marvels set amid a crumbling public infrastructure too extensive for it to cost-effectively maintain. No city has a greater untapped natural resource than the Trinity River corridor, yet we threaten to pave much of it over in the name of convenience. Downtown languishes and rebounds, seemingly at once. Our patterns of consumption — of land, of water, of energy — are pushing beyond our capacities to sustain them. As a public, we are physically and figuratively divided,” writes Dallas Morning News Architecture Critic Mark Lamster.
The exploration of Dallas’ situation includes the launching of a future-minded effort by the Dallas Morning News, which calls for user ideas and photos at the Future Dallas website, as well as participation in the discussion at #FutureDallas on Instagram, Twitter, and Vine.
FULL STORY: Dallas is a canvas for change

Florida Considers Legalizing ADUs
Current state law allows — but doesn’t require — cities to permit accessory dwelling units in single-family residential neighborhoods.

San Diego to Rescind Multi-Unit ADU Rule
The city wants to close a loophole that allowed developers to build apartment buildings on single-family lots as ADUs.

HUD Announces Plan to Build Housing on Public Lands
The agency will identify federally owned parcels appropriate for housing development and streamline the regulatory process to lease or transfer land to housing authorities and nonprofit developers.

Surf’s Upcycling: Hawai‘i’s Latest Green Building Material is Recycled Surf Boards
“Surf Blocks” are fire-resistant, termite-proof, and close the loop on mountains of waste from the state’s beloved sport.

Building Age-Friendly Homes
Designing for the unique needs of elderly people can help them maintain social connections and mental acuity.

Nightlife and the 15-Minute City
Plans for compact, walkable cities often don’t address nighttime concerns like transportation and lighting, which can make neighborhoods more vibrant and safe around the clock.
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Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
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