An op-ed by David Heymann produces an elaborate, protracted metaphor of Austin as a former youthful "golden child" now showing the least attractive possible traits of middle age.
(Updated 04/06/15) "Since the biological paradigm that explains cities as entities remains in vogue, here is my biological analogy for the city of Austin. Get ready for hyperbolic overstatement," writes David Heymann at the beginning of the op-ed in warning about the withering critique that follows.
The next paragraph reads as follows:
"Once blessed with a golden youth, and since then — having had that youthful image reinforced often enough by its many admirers — spared the crisis of having to figure out how that charm might continue once the blush wore off, Austin has grown into a somewhat lazy and troubling adult, with unpromising habits (Yeah, I'm thinking I really want to be an Event City...)."
Much of Heymann's critique centers on issues of planning and development. For instance the following paragraph, full of references that will be familiar to anyone well versed in the history of the city's land use regulations:
"Though little aging in the sense of decline has taken place, a pudgy truth is evident. There is a noticeable widening (Wait, I'm the 11th largest WHAT in America?); an uneven densening of the middle (Some of that is new core muscle, dude!); sudden unwanted hair in problematic locations (Not my fault! Those oddly sprouting towers are a side effect of my capitol view corridor inoculation!); a marked hardening of the arteries slowing the circulatory metabolism (Not fair; that's genetic! And I'm getting a stent in my MoPac.); and the beginnings of a patchy, beige blemishing (Okay, I got that from going to a lot of cheap hotels.)."
Eventually Heymann ceases with the metaphor and voices concern that Austin is becoming a place of more cynicism than hope and bereft the inherent optimism of its neighbors, Dallas and Houston.
Article link has been updated to provide access without a paywall.
FULL STORY: Austin, my middle-aged city

America’s Best New Bike Lanes
PeopleForBikes highlights some of the most exciting new bike infrastructure projects completed in 2022.

Massachusetts Zoning Reform Law Reaches First Deadline
Cities and towns had until January 31 to submit their draft plans for rezoning areas near transit stations to comply with a new state law.

Green Alleys: A New Paradigm for Stormwater Management
Rather than shuttling stormwater away from the city and into the ocean as quickly as possible, Los Angeles is now—slowly—moving toward a ‘city-as-sponge’ approach that would capture and reclaim more water to recharge crucial reservoirs.

Conspiracy Theorists Discover the 15-Minute City
USA Today debunks the false claim that the United Nations’ call for enabling 15-minute cities is a coded plan to institute ‘climate change lockdowns.’

HUD Grants Total $315 Million for Continuum of Care for the Unhoused
An unprecedented federal grant program, announced earlier this month, will support continuum of care for the unhoused in unsheltered and rural settings.

Seattle Historic District Could Remove Street Dining
Despite the popularity of Ballard Avenue’s outdoor dining pergolas, some district board members argue the patios don’t match the district’s historic character.
Ascent Environmental
California Polytechnic State University
City of Albuquerque Planning Department
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Harvard GSD Executive Education
City of Hercules
City of Fitchburg, WI
City of Culver City
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.