The suburban, master planned community of Columbia, Maryland is many of the things urbanists hope their cities will become.
Amanda Kolson Hurley reports on a "suburban experiment" that offers lessons for cities. "In an era when city living is virtually synonymous with cool, Columbia, Md., emanates suburban uncool," writes Kolson Hurley. The community flies in the face of almost everything Jane Jacobs cherished about cities, but "as Columbia marks the 50th anniversary since the first residents moved in, it has become clear that [Columbia developer James] Rouse got some important things right."
Kolson Hurley describes Rouse's approach to the project as a response to the "soulless sprawl" that defined most suburban construction of the 1970s. Rouse was "ahead of his time," according to the article, "in his pursuit of an ecologically sensitive, mixed-income and colorblind community in an era when redlining was common. And Columbia’s success on those fronts stands out next to most of the planned communities that came after it."
Among the other successes now apparent in Columbia, 50 years after its creation: prosperity and racial and economic integration that shouldmake New York City, San Francisco, and Washington, D.C. blush.
FULL STORY: Here’s a suburban experiment cities can learn from
Depopulation Patterns Get Weird
A recent ranking of “declining” cities heavily features some of the most expensive cities in the country — including New York City and a half-dozen in the San Francisco Bay Area.
California Exodus: Population Drops Below 39 Million
Never mind the 40 million that demographers predicted the Golden State would reach by 2018. The state's population dipped below 39 million to 38.965 million last July, according to Census data released in March, the lowest since 2015.
Chicago to Turn High-Rise Offices into Housing
Four commercial buildings in the Chicago Loop have been approved for redevelopment into housing in a bid to revitalize the city’s downtown post-pandemic.
Google Maps Introduces New Transit, EV Features
It will now be easier to find electric car charging stations and transit options.
Ohio Lawmakers Propose Incentivizing Housing Production
A proposed bill would take a carrot approach to stimulating housing production through a grant program that would reward cities that implement pro-housing policies.
Chicago Awarded $2M Reconnecting Communities Grant
Community advocates say the city’s plan may not do enough to reverse the negative impacts of a major expressway.
City of Costa Mesa
Licking County
Barrett Planning Group LLC
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Mpact Transit + Community
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
City of Universal City TX
ULI Northwest Arkansas
Town of Zionsville
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.