A garden in Pittsburgh has become the model for a movement to combine environmental reclamation with economic development.
The long-abandoned coal mine where the Pittsburgh Botanic Garden now sits was not, at first, considered a high priority for rehabilitation. Though plagued by high concentrations of aluminum in its central pond, the site didn't meet the criteria to be classified as "brownfield."
But now the garden is one beneficiary of a new $30 million state grant program that is taking a different approach to environmental remediation: targeting sites that have the greatest potential for economic development, rather than the greatest ecological need. Where reclamation programs have traditionally sought to "simply restore damaged land to its original condition and eliminate public health hazards," a 2016 Congressional authorization allowed states like Pennsylvania to put clean-up funds toward community development projects on the site.
The botanic garden, which serves 25,000 visitors a year, is one of 14 pilot projects throughout Pennsylvania to receive this funding. An underground treatment system to de-acidify the pond has already been implemented, and the grant monies will be used to create new curated gardens and recreational areas for public access.
FULL STORY: Where coal was once mined, a garden now thrives
Oregon Passes Exemption to Urban Growth Boundary
Cities have a one-time chance to acquire new land for development in a bid to increase housing supply and affordability.
Where Urban Design Is Headed in 2024
A forecast of likely trends in urban design and architecture.
Savannah: A City of Planning Contrasts
From a human-scales, plaza-anchored grid to suburban sprawl, the oldest planned city in the United States has seen wildly different development patterns.
Washington Tribes Receive Resilience Funding
The 28 grants support projects including relocation efforts as coastal communities face the growing impacts of climate change.
Adaptive Reuse Bills Introduced in California Assembly
The legislation would expand eligibility for economic incentives and let cities loosen regulations to allow for more building conversions.
LA's Top Parks, Ranked
TimeOut just released its list of the top 26 parks in the L.A. area, which is home to some of the best green spaces around.
City of Rochester
Boston Harbor Now
City of Bellevue
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Mpact Transit + Community
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
City of Birmingham, Alabama
City of Laramie, Wyoming
Colorado Department of Local Affairs
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.