Los Angeles
Reviving the Art of Urban Sketching
Los Angeles County Planner Dr. Clement Lau reviews "The Art of Urban Sketching" (2012) by Gabriel Campanario. The volume has added to his planning skill set and allowed him to discover his inner artist.
For L.A. to Thrive, it's Time to Think Small
L.A. stands at a critical juncture in the city's development, with an opportunity to embrace new patterns of land use that break with its postwar history. To seize this opportunity, the city will have to build incrementally, argues Peter Zellner.
Streetcars: The Latest Must-Have Accessory for CA's Cities
Los Angeles recently took a major step in its plan to return streetcars to downtown's streets. But they're not the only Southern California city pursuing the nation's trendy transit mode. Bill Fulton examines the attraction.
Can L.A. Transform a Notorious Housing Project into a Vibrant Mixed-Income Community?
Jessica Garrison reports on the ambitious $600 million "makeover" planned for the Jordan Downs housing project. The phased transformation, which allows any existing resident "in good standing" to stay, will be the largest such effort in the U.S.
Design for Tallest Building in the West Unveiled
Roger Vincent shares the long-awaited design of the Wilshire Grand, a 73-story tower planned for downtown Los Angeles. When completed, it will surpass the nearby U.S. Bank Tower as the tallest building west of Chicago.
Postwar Suburbia from the Air
On Places, D.J. Waldie assesses iconic aerial photographs of Lakewood, California, one of the nation's first postwar planned communities.
Who Can Fill L.A.'s Design Leadership Vacuum?
While New York has benefited over the past decade from the design leadership of Michael Bloomberg, Amanda Burden, and Janette Sadik-Khan, Los Angeles sorely lacks such powerful champions. Sam Lubell asks who will step up for L.A.
L.A. Opens its First Pilot Parklet
With the opening last weekend of the city's first pilot parklet in the neighborhood of Eagle Rock, Los Angeles is hoping to join the ranks of cities hopping on the low-cost trend in public space creation.
L.A.'s Rail Revolution Celebrates 20 Years
Dave Sotero reflects on the "mammoth undertaking" necessary to build L.A.'s modern subway system. He begins with the completion of the first phase of the Metro Red Line 20 years ago, and ends with a look at its promising future.
New Specific Plan a Model for L.A.'s Land Use Future
An editorial in the Los Angeles Times praises the Cornfield Arroyo Seco Specific Plan as a model for how the city can break free of outdated zoning laws that force residents into obsolete living, working and commuting patterns.
L.A.'s Reuse Ordinance: A Victim of its Own Success
Los Angeles's landmark adaptive reuse ordinance has been credited with helping to spur downtown's dramatic growth over the past decade. However, developers now find it cheaper to build new than reuse the area's historic structures.
Parking Privatization Efforts Not Spreading Smoothly
In the wake of the problem-plagued privatization of Chicago's parking meters in 2008, two WSJ reporters assess conversions (or attempts) in Indianapolis (2010), Pittsburgh, Los Angeles, Cincinnati and New York, as well as what went wrong in Chicago.
How an Honorable Elbow Led to One City's Bicycle Revolution
Before Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa was thrown off his bike by a taxi, shattering his elbow in the process, L.A. was known as "a pathologically unfriendly bike city." Two years later, the city has made incredible strides in building its bike culture.
The Three Keys to Building an Effective Transit Network for L.A.
By comparing the city's density, scale, and distribution of employment nodes to other major cities, Kristin Eberhard makes the case for why and how transit can work in big, dense, polycentric Los Angeles.
Gentrification Pushes Artists out of LA's Arts District
The arts district in downtown Los Angeles is transforming its industrial buildings into trendy boutiques, restaurants and hotels. The concern is that gentrification will drive out low-paid artists who can no longer afford to live there.
Friday Eye Candy: Los Angeles Then and Now
Interactive before and after images taken nearly six decades apart show L.A.'s changing urban landscape.
L.A. Mayoral Candidates Tackle City's Housing Troubles
At a forum held last week, candidates to become L.A.'s next mayor outlined their approaches to tackling the city's most daunting housing challenges - from homelessness to the need for more affordable housing.
How Art Inspires L.A.'s Public Transit Commuters
As the L.A. metro continues to expand, so do opportunities for artists to showcase their art. For transit riders, this adds an important element to their daily journey, making the commuting experience all the more memorable.
L.A. to Increase Parking Requirements...For Bikes, not Cars
This week the L.A. City Council's Planning and Land Use Committee forwarded to the full council a progressive bike parking ordinance that could dramatically change how developers provide parking for both bikes and autos, reports Damien Newton.
How Should L.A. Connect the Valley to the Basin?
For anyone who's tried to commute between the San Fernando Valley and L.A.'s Westside during rush hour, it's clear the existing options just don't work. LA County is now considering six options - from BRT to rail tunnels - to help ease congestion.
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
University of Michigan School for Environment and Sustainability (SEAS)
Hunter College, City University of New York (CUNY)
The Architects Foundation
City of Cambridge
The Pocatello Development Authority
The Urban Renewal Agency of the City of Pocatello
