Demolitions

An image of historic Penn Station when it was first built in 1910, viewed from the outside with people, carriages, and streetcars passing by.

What Is Historic Preservation?

Historic preservation is a controversial, highly contested cause, with a long history of failures and successes in the United States.

September 2, 2021 - James Brasuell

Centennial Olympic Park

New Book Examines Public Housing as a Locus of Political Power

A new book, "Diverging Space for Deviants," connects public housing with political power.

May 18, 2021 - WABE

Houston Third Ward

Surprising New Research on Gentrification in Houston

Affluent areas face more demolitions than gentrifying areas in Houston and Harris County, according to the findings of a new report from the Kinder Institute of Urban research.

April 9, 2021 - Kinder Institute of Urban Research

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

Blight Demolition

$160 Million in Bond Funding for Demolitions on the Ballot in Detroit

Proposal N, on the ballot for Detroit voters next week, will provide $160 million in bond funding for demolitions and $90 million to mothball homes for future rehab, but, according to this opinion, it won't solve the city's blight challenges.

October 29, 2020 - Detroit Free Press

Detroit Vacant

Detroit Continues Demolition Program After Lead Risks Revealed

The city of Detroit said it would halt a demolition program after a report revealed the amount of lead released by demolitions into the environment, risking the health of children and other local residents.

October 20, 2020 - Detroit Free Press

Demolition

The Leaning Tower of Dallas Is Too Good for This World

A failed demolition has created a new, albeit temporary, landmark for Dallas.

February 21, 2020 - The Dallas Morning News

Demolition

Another Record Year for Demolitions in 2019

The headline about Philadelphia demolitions looks pretty similar to one in 2018.

December 22, 2019 - WHYY

Snowy Residential Neighborhood

Making Historic Preservation a Local Concern

The city of Portland wants more local control when it comes to determining matters of historic preservation.

February 16, 2019 - The Oregonian

Blight Demolition

Record Year for Demolitions in Philadelphia

City records reveal the growing trend of demolitions across the city of Philadelphia.

December 31, 2018 - PlanPhilly

Blight Demolition

Study: Where Land Values Soar, Houses Come Down

Soaring land values are leaving an indelible mark on the building stock of Vancouver, British Columbia.

June 21, 2018 - Business Vancouver

Baltimore Demolition

The Pace of Chicago Demolitions Worries Preservationists

In neighborhoods with lots of new development, buildings cited in the Chicago Historic Resources Survey are coming down fast.

June 1, 2018 - Chicago Magazine

Telepgraph Avenue from UC Berkeley Campus 1981

Berkeley Mayor Condemns Legislation to Increase Housing Density by Transit

Mayor Jesse Arreguín's charges about permissible heights, demolition of rent-controlled housing and displacement that would result from Senate Bill 827 by Sen. Wiener are refuted in the Berkeleyside article, though the latter two have resonance.

February 5, 2018 - Berkeleyside

Atlanta Bus Parody

Friday Funny: The Most Famous MARTA Bus Ever Was in the Right Place at the Right Time

Not everything went according to plan in a perfectly planned demolition even in Atlanta over the weekend.

November 24, 2017 - The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Buffalo, New York

5 Beloved Architectural Creations Lost to History

If you could bring one building back from the wrecking balls of the past, what would it be?

September 7, 2017 - The Conversation

Portland Weird

How Not to Solve a Housing Crisis

More trouble in River City, as Portland and Oregon struggle with rising housing costs and come up with a puzzling solution.

June 8, 2017 - Michael Mehaffy

A private club located in Florida

Friday Funny: Onion Satire Pits Preservationists Against Trump's Childhood Home

A totally fake news story from the fake news site The Onion reports the fake news that the National Trust for Historic Preservation is leading an effort to demolish Donald Trump's boyhood home.

June 2, 2017 - The Onion

Texas residential

Mapping Austin's Residential Demolitions

Demolitions in residential neighborhoods have increased quickly in Austin, as property owners upgrade their homes to contemporary layouts. Community Impact newspaper investigates the trend.

March 2, 2017 - Community Impact Newspaper

Residential Infill Regulations Designed to Slow the Advance of McMansions

The city of Portland, Oregon is considering new regulations to limit the kinds of homes that can be built in existing neighborhoods.

October 21, 2016 - Portland for Everyone

Demolition

Tear It Down and They Will Come?

There's a rationale for the demolition of vacant properties in cities like Chicago, but does that mean the city should be celebrating these programs? The planning of shrinking cities, it turns out, is still very much a work in progress.

June 2, 2016 - WBEZ

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.

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100 Most Influential Urbanists

The who's who of urbanism, according to Planetizen readers.

Urban Planning Creators You Should Know

A short list of voices on social, video, and podcasting platforms.