Houston
Do Commute Times Create an Inherent Limit to Sprawl?
Charlie Gardner parses the data on mean commuting times recently released as part of the 2010 ACS estimates for metropolitan statistical areas, and wonders what the maximum mean travel time suggests for the urban form of America's cities.
Economic Segregation Spreads Across America's Cities
Emily Badger looks at new data from the Pew Research Center that shows, "As Americans are growing farther apart on the income scale, we are also effectively moving apart from each other within cities, into our own economic enclaves."
Houston: America's Coolest City?
Topping a new list of America's coolest cities is Portland? New York? Austin? Nope, it's Houston.
Is America's Oil Capital Going Green?
The Economist takes notice of Houston's efforts to create a more sustainable and attractive city, a not uncomplicated task in the capital of America's energy industry.
Houston Embraces Saddle of a Different Sort
Launched this week, Houston's first bike share program is seen as a significant step in helping to dispel "Houston's national reputation as an uncongenial, sprawling metropolis," reports Allan Turner.
Surprising Support for More Mass Transit in Houston
A survey tracking Houstonian opinions for three decades has found that the most striking change in the car-centric city is an embrace of an urban lifestyle led by support for more mass transit options and less reliance on cars, reports Jeannie Kever.
America's Expanding Cities
Nate Berg explains why recent headlines about the rise of the country's urban population shouldn't have smart growth advocates claiming victory just yet.
HOV-to-HOT Conversion Seen as Key to Easing Congestion
Robert Poole reports on efforts across the country to reduce freeway congestion through HOV-to-HOT conversion and public-private partnerships.
Choosing a Grid, or Not
With new research in hand, Fanis Grammenos revisits his analysis of the efficiency of the Simple Grid, and asks what, in fact, should be the preferred layout for a new neighbourhood.
An Injection of Urbanism in the Land of Sprawl
Anthony Flint reports on the Buffalo Bayou restoration project in Houston, where a remarkably green sensibility has infused the capital of fossil fuels.
Houston Densifies and Diversifies Housing
It's been over 12 years since Houston last planned for denser development patterns, but an updated code is on the way to lure an ever growing population away from the suburbs.
Making Places in Houston
Houston is leading the way in creating new public spaces. This article from The Project for Public Spaces looks at a few of the city's efforts.
Placemaking Capital of the U.S.: Houston?
The Project for Public Spaces says that despite its reputation as a sprawling, planning-free city, Houston is turning the lack of city planning to its advantage by inspiring a bottom-up approach.
Houston: City of the Year?
Fast Company chooses Houston as its 2011 City of the Year, citing its sense of opportunity and general affordability as the major reasons for its selection.
"You Can Call It Sprawl, Or You Can Call it Quality of Life"
That's Billy Burge of the Grand Parkway Association, referring to a plan in Houston, Texas to expand the city out into greenfields on the outskirts of the city.
The Hottest Cities for Multifamily Development
Builder Magazine says the construction numbers have been all over the map from month to month, but a pattern is emerging that reveals several markets to be reliable hotbeds for the development of multifamily buildings.
Rethinking the Houston Suburbs
Suburban areas are increasingly in the sights of planners and designers who are thinking of new ways to reform the sprawled out land use patterns. This interview looks at how those efforts relate to Houston.
Immigrant Growth Powers Houston As A Global City
The growth of George Bush Intercontinental Airport, Continental Airlines' largest hub but also one of he principal destinations away from the coasts for international carriers, has vastly increased passenger traffic and allowed Houston's reinvention.
Parks Are A Wise Investment In Tough Times
At a time when families across the country are facing fewer choices for fun, ambitious park projects like those in St. Louis, Detroit and Houston are "bringing urban centers back to life," according to JoAnn Greco.
Reviving Struggling Urban Areas with Parks
Three cities -- St. Louis, Houston and Detroit -- have gained new urban parks that are playing big roles in reviving parts of town.
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.
City of Rosemead
Rutgers University, Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy
One Hundred Miles
Hunter College, City University of New York (CUNY)
The Architects Foundation
University of Cincinnati Online
City of Cambridge
Montrose County
The Pocatello Development Authority
