Downtowns
Downtown San Jose Could Get Taller
In the Bay Area's biggest city, the debate over density pits two economic drivers against each other.
Op-Ed: Downtown Denver's Homogenous Renaissance
There's a lot to like about the resurgence of downtown cores. But as is the case elsewhere, Denver's core has only attracted a small subset of the wider city's population. Most people still call the suburbs home.
Growth Centers on Philadelphia's Downtown, But Poverty Persists Elsewhere
An opinion piece points out the inequities of growth in contemporary Philadelphia.
Saying No to Surface Parking in Downtown Detroit
Multiple proposals to demolish downtown buildings and put up surface parking lots are meeting resistance.
'Skyscraper Backlash' Comes to Downtown Portland
As the Portland City Council considers the Central City 2035 plan, downtown residents, many of whom live in high-rises, are actively opposing regulations that would allow new high-rises.
Ferris Wheel Proposed With Big Mixed-Use Plans Near Downtown Pittsburgh
A Ferris wheel has been proposed as a highly visible signal of the North Side of Pittsburgh's role in the city's downtown revitalization.
Houston's Tallest New Buildings Coming to Neighborhoods Not Called Downtown
A 328-foot building is planned for the Downtown-Adjacent Midtown neighborhood.
20-Year 'Plan Houston' Would More Than Double Downtown's Population
The Houston Downtown Management District and Central Houston Inc. have released a new 20-year vision for Downtown Houston.
Livability Standards Have Arrived in the Pacific Northwest
The city of Bellevue, Washington has adopted new zoning and land use standards as part of an ongoing Downtown Livability Initiative.
Homeless People Could Pay the Price of Reno's 'Revitalization'
Reno is considering a law that critics say is a textbook example of the criminalization of homelessness and everyday life.
Mark Your Calendars: Draft of Downtown Atlanta Master Plan Coming Soon
A draft of the Downtown Atlanta Master Plan will be made public on September 13, 2017. The plan focuses on revitalizing the city's urban core.
Santa Monica Mayor: High Inclusionary Housing is Worth the Risk
Mayor Ted Winterer and Mayor Pro Tem Gleam Davis elaborate on the city’s new Downtown Community Plan, which includes what may be the state's highest inclusionary housing requirement.
Booming Downtowns Are Squeezing Out Homeless Shelters
In downtowns across America, booming development has come at the expense of crucial homeless services that have traditionally located there.
Eight Cities Rolling Out Streetcar Projects
America's urban streetcar renaissance looks to be on track with eight more projects planning to break ground by 2020. The list includes some of the nation's largest metros as well as plenty of medium-sized cities.
Why SXSW Attendees Couldn't Embrace Transit
In short, transit wasn't really there. When transportation network services went down, people felt stranded. Transit friendliness can go a long way.
Weddings on the Street
Wedding photographers are fond of taking post-nuptial photos on quaint Main Streets, but rarely on the commercial strip. Here's why.
Minneapolis Grapples with Food Truck Regulations
Downtown property owners are clashing with food truck operators over where the latter should park their businesses.
New Data on the Shift to Cities
It's no secret that urban centers are doing better today than they were 30 years ago. New FHFA data on housing prices confirms the trend and suggests that a changing environment (as opposed to changing preferences) account for it.
Riding the Bus in Portland: An Essay
Blogger and transit consultant Jarrett Walker paints a picture of Portland's Line 75, a workaday bus serving urban neighborhoods outside downtown. His reflections on radial and orbital journeys are worth a read.
Reinventing Des Moines
Fairly or unfairly, Des Moines has a solid reputation as one of the nation's least interesting cities. But unbeknownst to the rest of us, this quiet working town might become the Midwest's answer to Austin, Texas.
Pagination
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.
One Hundred Miles
County of Mendocino
planning NEXT
The Architects Foundation
University of Cincinnati Online
Montrose County
Northern Illinois Transit Authority (NITA)
The Pocatello Development Authority