Downtowns
Opinion: Downtown D.C. Recovery Requires More Inclusive Planning
To meet its climate goals and revitalize its downtown core, the District must expand its transit and urban amenities to meet the needs of a wider variety of people.
Transforming Downtowns Into Functional Neighborhoods
Rather than ‘monofunctional’ business districts or urban playgrounds, American downtown districts could become multipurpose neighborhoods.
Proposal Focuses on Downtown Milwaukee Revitalization
A city plan calls for reimagining an elevated freeway that cuts through downtown communities and redeveloping public properties.
Seattle Downtown Plan Focuses on Public Safety, Programming
The mayor issued a 12-point plan for improving safety, developing services for people struggling with addiction, and revitalizing downtown spaces.
Report: American Downtowns Safer Than You Think
A Brookings Institution study reveals that crime rates in major cities have risen, but downtown districts account for a negligible part of the growth.
How Commute Times Impact Office Vacancy
Workplaces that employees can reach more quickly are less likely to have high office vacancy rates, a new analysis finds.
Comparing Downtown Recovery Across U.S. Cities
The Downtown Vitality Index measures how central cities are adjusting to post-pandemic conditions.
Planning Trends to Watch in 2023
The days and weeks since the arrival of Covid-19 have been filled with so much noise about the future, it’s been difficult to distinguish between big stories and frivolous distractions. Planetizen is here to help.
The Once-in-a-Generation Opportunity to Remake Downtown
Urban cores around the country were transforming into live, work, and play destinations before the pandemic. The pandemic was a setback for this transformation, but it could also be a rare opportunity. It’s up to city leadership to seize it.
Analysis of Downtown Recoveries Reveals Post-Pandemic Winners and Losers
The recovery of U.S. downtowns is happening at widely different paces depending on which city you consider.
Surveying the Rising Trend of Office-to-Residential Conversions
With office vacancies climbing and a stubborn supply crunch driving up the cost of housing, some downtowns have emerged at the forefront of a new wave of adaptive reuse.
Downtown San Francisco Still Looking for a Post-Pandemic Comeback
“Downtown on the Brink” reads the headline of a recent San Francisco Chronicle feature.
Office Landlords Luring Tenants Back With Incentives
Landlords are offering generous incentives in an effort to prop up the struggling U.S. office market.
Downtown Foot Traffic Recovering Slowly, Report Says
Pedestrian activity in U.S. downtowns is still way down compared to pre-Covid levels, but the numbers are ticking back up month by month.
Downtown Neighborhoods Lead In New Apartment Construction
Neighborhoods in urban cores are seeing the highest rates of new apartment construction in the last five years, signaling a continued interest in downtown living despite fears of an 'urban exodus' brought on by the pandemic.
Small Downtown Businesses Adapt to Fewer Office Workers
Businesses that traditionally serve commuters have had to make adjustments to stay in business as remote work empties out central business districts.
Project Team for Milwaukee's New Downtown Area Plan Takes Shape
A new plan for Milwaukee's downtown will build on a "major renaissance" in the area since the approval of the last version of the plan in 2010.
Why Central Business Districts Need Diverse Users
Central districts benefit from diversity, but a century of disinvestment and exodus has put many in a precarious position.
The Future of Central Business Districts
Urbanist Richard Florida assesses post-pandemic possibilities for neighborhoods that once relied on 9-to-5 workers.
Downtown Milwaukee Area Plan Update Kicks Off
Billions of dollars in investment and thousands of new residential units later, Milwaukee is ready to update the plan for its downtown.
City of Orange
City of Charlotte - Charlotte Area Transit
City of Bellevue
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Montrose County
Wichita-Sedgwick County Metropolitan Area Planning Department
City of Lomita
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.
