The city of Baltimore is taking a new approach to an old idea: that schools should be the center of neighborhoods.
Davin Hong pens an op-ed supporting the 21st Century Schools Building Plan as a way to overcome the massive economic and social challenges facing Baltimore's inner city neighborhoods.
According to Hong, "[t]he funding for the plan to rebuild dozens of schools in the next several years is a landmark victory for Baltimore that instills hope that positive outcomes for all city students is possible." The plan essentially enables the construction and programming that centers schools at the center of neighborhoods. Hong explains: "Utilizing the school construction as leverage, investments, projects and programs can be coordinated to bring resources in and around the schools to strengthen neighborhoods and catalyze transformation. Within compact "Community Investment Zones," programs, services, and amenities can be concentrated to create vibrant mixed-use town centers that become the heart of each neighborhood."
Hong describes a case study he is working on with the Neighborhoods Design Center in the neighborhood of Cherry Hill, in partnership with the Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake's INSPIRE program and the city's Department of Planning.
FULL STORY: Transforming Baltimore's neighborhoods
10 of the Best Urban Agriculture Projects
Urban Land surveys ten of the best recent examples of development projects that incorporate agricultural facilities—from New York to new Orleans.
How the Los Angeles Neighborhood Land Trust Gets the Job Done
In a city of increasingly scarce land, the Los Angeles Neighborhood land Trust has a track record of ushering community gardens and other public health resources in low-income communities.
Green Health Tools for 'Back to School'
Nisha Botchwey and Kirsten Cook detail the articles available on the subject of green health and schools in the Summer 2014 issue of the Journal of Planning Education. (Articles mentioned in this post have Open Access through September.)
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
The state-sanctioned urbicide of Austin
People don’t kill cities. Freeways do.
US to reduce Colorado River water deliveries to Mexico
A new Colorado Treaty amendment reduces Mexico’s Colorado River water allocation by 250,000 acre feet.
5 New England states march closer to 800 megawatt wind energy project
Securing federal approval for the project may be complicated under the Trump administration, which has historically been hostile towards domestic wind power.
Baltimore to break ground on $50 million Transit Priority Project
The project will bring faster bus trips, safer streets and better bike connections to Baltimore.
Airbnb launches $250 million 'last-dollar financing' housing accelerator, makes first investment in Austin
The company will put $6.4 million towards affordable housing development in Texas’ capital.
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.
Eagle County Government
Harvard University Graduate School of Design
Nashville Planning Department
The Architects Foundation
University of Cincinnati Online
The Pocatello Development Authority
The Urban Renewal Agency of the City of Pocatello
Journal of the American Planning Association