Downtowns

San Jose, California

Downtown San Jose Could Get Taller

In the Bay Area's biggest city, the debate over density pits two economic drivers against each other.

October 1, 2018 - Mercury News

17th Street, Denver, Colorado

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.

June 19, 2018 - The Denver Post

Philadelphia

Growth Centers on Philadelphia's Downtown, But Poverty Persists Elsewhere

An opinion piece points out the inequities of growth in contemporary Philadelphia.

April 24, 2018 - The Philadelphia Inquirer

Detroit Sports Arena

Saying No to Surface Parking in Downtown Detroit

Multiple proposals to demolish downtown buildings and put up surface parking lots are meeting resistance.

February 8, 2018 - Detroit Free Press

Pearl District

'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.

January 26, 2018 - Willamette Week

Chicago Ferris Wheel

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.

December 17, 2017 - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Houston, Construction

Houston's Tallest New Buildings Coming to Neighborhoods Not Called Downtown

A 328-foot building is planned for the Downtown-Adjacent Midtown neighborhood.

November 25, 2017 - Houston Chronicle

Downtown Houston

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.

November 16, 2017 - Houston Chronicle

Washington

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.

October 29, 2017 - The Urbanist

Downtown Reno

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.

September 13, 2017 - Next City

Atlanta

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.

August 22, 2017 - Atlanta Intown

Santa Monica

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.

August 10, 2017 - The Planning Report

Anti homeless bench

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.

July 17, 2017 - CityLab

Nice Tramway

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.

June 1, 2017 - Bisnow

Austin Bus

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.

March 30, 2017 - Medium

Amsterdam Wedding

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.

January 6, 2017 - Community Builders

Food Trucks

Minneapolis Grapples with Food Truck Regulations

Downtown property owners are clashing with food truck operators over where the latter should park their businesses.

August 23, 2016 - MinnPost

Busy Downtown

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.

July 6, 2016 - The Washington Post

Portland Oregon Bus

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.

July 5, 2016 - Bus75.org

Des Moines

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.

February 10, 2016 - Politico

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.

Top Books

An annual review of books related to planning.

Top Schools

The definitive ranking of graduate planning programs.

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.