Keeping Buildings Safe

Building owners and architects are coming up with innovative strategies to protect commercial buildings.

1 minute read

March 20, 2003, 6:00 AM PST

By Chris Steins @planetizen


"In these times of terror attacks and the threat of war, building owners and tenants are learning how to hunker down without living in bunkers... Some security measures, available mainly in new construction, are invisible to tenants and visitors. For example, reinforced walls and stairwells provide for a "progressive collapse" in the event of a major blast. That way, even if some of the structure is blown away, other parts will remain standing.Other measures are apparent, including security cameras, checkpoints with metal- and chemical-detectors, guard patrols, and card-key or biometric scanners that limit access."

Thanks to Laura Kranz

Saturday, March 15, 2003 in St. Louis Post-Dispatch

Lake Powell with much of the water evaporated.

Desperate measures: Advocates weigh draining Lake Powell to fill Colorado River

Draining the reservoir could reduce evaporation losses by a couple hundred thousand acre-feet.

October 30, 2026 - Yale Environment 360

A road in north eastern Nebraska with power lines on either side, and grassy fields.

Eastern Nebraska is running out of electricity

Data centers and electrification are straining eastern Nebraska’s grid, throttling economic development.

November 6, 2026 - Grist

People walking in downtown St. Louis, walking past shops.

Move over, LA: St. Louis gears up for Olympics, invests millions in downtown redevelopment

The Missouri city will host the 2028 Olympic soccer group stage and knockout matches.

November 1, 2026 - Smart Cities Dive

construction near Boston, with machinery digging at large pit.

Mass. votes against statewide minimum lot size for single-family homes

Over 2 million residents voted on Question 7; it was decided by just over 30,000 votes.

3 seconds ago - GBH

A bridge over the Chesapeake Bay in Maryland.

Maryland’s $15 billion bridge project gains key approval

The Maryland Transit Authority said the project will create over 60,000 jobs and add $23 billion to the local economy.

1 hour ago - WTOP News

A crowd of people cheering for an unseen performer.

‘No clear next steps’ for Chicago's permanent festival grounds

Eleventh Ward Ald. Nicole Lee has suggested Soldier Field as a possible location for the permanent event space.

2 hours ago - Chicago Sun Times

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.