From warehouse to art studio to luxury loft: the SoHo model of industrial-zone gentrification has become familiar around the world. A team of New York-based designers developed a proposal for spreading the benefits of economic growth in these areas.
Last year, the nonprofit Institute for Public Architecture asked participants in its fellowship program to consider the design implications of New York City mayor Bill de Blasio’s pledge to create 1,500 affordable live/work spaces for artists and entrepreneurs. Amritha Mahesh, Thad Pawlowski, and Despo Thoma decided to focus on the relationship between economic growth and displacement in New York's gentrifying industrial zones. What would it take for these areas to be able to absorb new kinds of people and activities without land values rising to levels that only the super-wealthy can afford, they wondered?
The resulting proposal includes a new development model run by mission-based organizations, along with a building typology catering to small businesses and artists.
FULL STORY: Mission-driven gentrification?
Artists' Housing, Beyond the SoHo Loft Model
New York has promised to create 1,500 affordable live/work spaces for artists. Architect Emma Fuller believes that careful consideration of building typologies could make it easier to reach this target.
‘Emergent City’ Documentary Highlights Rare Anti-Gentrification Victory
The film charts the saga of a Brooklyn site called Industry City.
Bitter Irony Behind Brooklyn’s Sweet Domino Sugar Sign
A new feature on the Brooklyn waterfront is a reminder that Domino Sugar has made several unsavory appearances in the history of Puerto Rican communities.
The City of Broken Sidewalks
Can Los Angeles fix 4,000 miles of broken sidewalks before the city hosts the 2028 Olympic Games?
Shifts in Shopping: Transforming Malls Into Parks
Maybe zombie malls still have a second life — one with a little greenery.
To Build More Housing, Cities Must Be Smarter in How They Use Land
How strategic land use policy decisions can alleviate the housing crisis and limit unsustainable sprawl.
Parking Reform Can Boost Homebuilding 40 to 70 Percent
More evidence that parking flexibility is key to housing abundance.
California Adds Complete Streets to Transportation Funding Guidelines
The state transportation commission previously declined to include bike and pedestrian infrastructure in its updated funding guidelines, despite a new state law requiring Complete Streets efforts in all Caltrans projects.
Omaha Streetcar Yielding $1.5 Billion in TIF Funds
The line, scheduled for completion in 2027, is bringing billions in new investment to the city’s urban core.
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 Prescott
Alamo Area Metropolitan Planning Organization
Village of Glen Ellyn
Temple University
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research
CORP - COnsulting Research Projects
City of Cambridge, Maryland
Newport County Development Council: Connect Greater Newport
Rockdale County Board of Commissioners