A 1.5-acre park in Cleveland should be ready in time for the 2016 Republican National Convention. The small park is just the first step, however, toward a much grander vision for a corner of Cleveland with deep connections to the city's past.

The first step toward a grand vision for the Canal Basin Park is underway in Cleveland. Steven Litt reports about the current planning for a park project on 1.5 acres of what will eventually become 20 acres of ambitiously designed park space.
The 1.5-acre park currently underway with planning will be "located near the intersection of Center Street and Merwin Avenue on the east bank of the Flats," reports Litt. For now, Cleveland Metroparks will use $300,000 in tax increment financing to "install grass, walking paths and trees on the 1.5-acre parcel, connecting Columbus Road and Center Street down to Heritage Park on Cuyahoga River." A parking lot will also be removed.
Litt notes that the park's location "may be obscure geography to some Clevelanders, but it wasn't in the past and won't be in the future." And the future, signified by the plans for Canal Basin Park, could be on its way much faster now. The city's Planning Commission scheduled to review the park's framework plan later in November.
The name Canal Basin indicates the site's importance in Cleveland history. As Litt notes, the "larger park will mark the northern terminus of the 110-mile Towpath Trail, and focus fresh attention on the original northern end of the Ohio & Erie Canal, completed in 1832."
FULL STORY: Metroparks plans "greening" for 1.5-acres of the future 20-acre Canal Basin Park (photos)

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.

California High-Speed Rail's Plan to Right Itself
The railroad's new CEO thinks he can get the project back on track. The stars will need to align this summer.

San Francisco Muni Raises Fares a Second Time
A 10–cent fare hike for adults is part of the agency’s plan to chip away at a growing budget deficit.

Electric Grid Capacity Could Hamstring EV Growth
Industry leaders say the U.S. electric grid is unprepared for the increased demand for power created by electric cars, data centers, and electric homes.

Texas Bill Supports Adaptive Reuse in Commercial Areas
Senate Bill 840, which was preliminarily approved by the state House, would allow residential construction in areas previously zoned for offices and commercial uses.
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 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