Demolition

Boarded-up facade of vacant brick building in CIncinnati, Ohio

Ohio to Demolish Thousands of Vacant Buildings

The state is funding a $150 million effort to raze blighted buildings to accelerate revitalization.

December 13, 2022 - The Center Square

Divine Lorraine Hotel

Opinion: Stop Treating Philly's Historic Buildings Like a Burden

Despite the historic importance of a vast majority of the city of Philadelphia's buildings, demolitions are happening at a faster rate than ever.

June 3, 2021 - Philadelphia Inquirer

Row Houses at 48th between Walton and Cedar, West Philadelphia

Philly City Council to Consider Bill Protecting Neighbors from Construction Damage

The proposal would hold builders accountable for damage incurred to adjacent homes as historic rowhouse properties see increased redevelopment.

May 17, 2021 - Philadelphia News

New York City Development

Court Will Decide Whether to Reduce NYC Skyscraper's Height

The new skyscraper being built at 200 Amsterdam Avenue in Manhattan might be forced by an appeals court to remove 20 floors of the mostly complete building.

November 24, 2020 - Curbed

Office Building

Who Pays When Corporate Campuses Leave the Suburbs?

When corporations move out of the suburbs, they leaving behind largely unprofitable corporate campuses. Loss of property value and tax revenue follow in the communities they left.

May 28, 2020 - ProPublica

Sound Transit Bus

Key Considerations for Urban Demolition Planning

Demolition can be a lot of fun for the people holding the sledge hammers and swinging the wrecking balls, but demolition is serious business with a large number of significant social and environmental consequences.

April 16, 2020 - Kayla Matthews

Baltimore Vacancy

Demolitions Can't Keep Pace With Vacancies in Baltimore

As the city of Baltimore grapples with a declining population, it faces obstinate challenges in controlling the problems associated with vacant buildings, including the "vicious cycle" of vacancies causing more vacancies.

October 29, 2019 - The Washington Post

Diner

Denver Looks to Landmark Designation Changes

In the aftermath of a battle around preservation of a Denver diner, local officials are considering changes to the city’s historic landmark law.

September 18, 2019 - The Denver Post

San Francisco

Property Owner Who Tore Down Neutra-Designed House Ordered to Build Exact Replica

This was not a case of "it's better to ask forgiveness than permission."

December 21, 2018 - San Francisco Chronicle

Metro Gold LIne

L.A.'s Mayor Garcetti Sides With Single-Family Housing Near Transit

Politicians are taking positions on a controversial California housing bill to densify by transit. Even after amendments were accepted on March 1 in response to concerns about displacement and demolitions, the mayor of Los Angeles remains opposed.

March 9, 2018 - The Architect's Newspaper

California State Capital

Amendments Proposed for California's Landmark Pro-Housing Development Legislation

Amendments are circulating for one of the most-closely watched, and passionately debated, pieces of housing legislation in the country.

March 5, 2018 - Medium

Infill Development

Salvaging Historic Building Materials for Job Creation and Environmental Benefit

A proposed ordinance would save derelict buildings from the wrecking ball, and send them to the salvage yard instead.

September 22, 2017 - Urban Milwaukee

The 606

Increased Demolition Fee Proposed for Developers Near Chicago's 606

A bill with anti-gentrification goals would charge developers who intend to knock down homes along the city’s new bike trail.

March 14, 2017 - Chicago Tribune

Detroit Street Art

Rust Belt Cities Shouldn't Demolish Their Way to the Future

In a piece for CityLab, Richey Pipparinen argues that trigger-happy city officials need to slow down their push to demolish homes.

March 9, 2017 - CityLab

Newtown Creek

New York City's Kosciuszko Bridge Getting Demolished

Traffic-plagued Kosciuszko will soon be replaced, and some commuters are celebrating its demise.

March 1, 2017 - Gothamist

Baltimore Demolition

When the Dust Settles: Removing Blight, But Spreading Toxins

Data regarding ongoing demolitions of blighted properties in cities across the U.S. has turned up some unexpected consequences: the spread of lead toxins into the surrounding community.

February 25, 2017 - The Nation

Englewood

New Film Documents the Chicago Neighborhood Demolished to Make Way for Railroads

David Schalliol, director of the documentary, 'The Area,' talks about the impact of a railroad expansion that demolished the homes of 400 families on the South Side of Chicago.

December 14, 2016 - Chicagoist

Blight Demolition

The Dangers of Demolition for Its Own Sake

Jason Hackworth argues that demolition has come to be seen as a good, in and of itself, in rust belt cities like Detroit; giving rise to policies that are wrong-headed and dangerous.

October 15, 2016 - London School of Economics and Political Science - American Politics and Policy Blog

Cleveland

Op-Ed: It's Time to Rethink Cleveland's Strategy of Managed Decline

Cleveland is a thought leader in bulldozing houses, according to a recent op-ed on Cleveland.com, but it's time to imagine a new paradigm.

September 14, 2016 - Cleveland.com

Braddock Pennsylvania

Managing Abandoned Homes in North Braddock

The usual litany of Rust Belt woes hit North Braddock, Pennsylvania particularly hard. The Pittsburgh suburb has shed two-thirds of its population and is burdened with 350 abandoned properties.

January 23, 2016 - Belt Magazine

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