Los Angeles
New L.A. Bridge Designs Reflect a City Intent on Serving People, Not Just Cars
Sam Lubell reports on the proposed designs for a new Sixth Street Viaduct in Los Angeles, which incorporate Angelenos' hopes for a more walkable and park-friendly future.
LA: An "Ideal Transit City"?
Matthew Yglesias reports on how Los Angeles is embracing its natural advantages to become an "ideal transit city," matching its transit investments with improvements to the built environment.
Is L.A. TOD Purposely Pushing out Low-Income Residents and Local Businesses?
A protest last week through downtown Los Angeles was meant to raise awareness of local activists' concerns that Los Angeles County Metro is displacing working class people and small businesses as it develops land adjacent to its stations.
Can Urban Waterways Become the Next Great Public Spaces?
Cities across America have been revitalizing their waterfronts for decades with new parks and development replacing heavy industry. But, a new breed of advocates is going one step further, and pushing for a time when people can just jump right in.
Mitigation or Extortion? Getting the Most out of a Deal for LA's New Football Stadium
As the L.A. City Council prepares to consider final approval for a proposed downtown football stadium and renovated convention center, Jim Newton ponders to what extent community groups will be able to leverage the fast-tracked approvals process.
Strengthening Recovery Has Downtown LA Booming Again
While the housing crash may have temporarily halted the dramatic growth in downtown LA's residential sector, new retail and restaurant openings continued. Now, as the housing market recovers, developers are clawing to get back to building residences.
To Speed Up Transit Expansion, LA Turns Again to its Voters
Impatient with the rate at which previously approved sales tax increases are able to fund the vast expansion planned for the region's transit system, and lacking in federal support, local leaders are asking LA's voters to extend a 1/2 cent sales tax.
L.A. Gets its River Back
This week, Governor Jerry Brown signed legislation intended to increase public access to the L.A. River for recreational and educational purposes, reports Yosuke Kitazawa.
Successor to CRA Takes Shape in L.A.
Carren Jao provides an update on efforts by the City of Los Angeles to replace its Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA), which was dissolved by state mandate earlier this year.
Redefining the American College Town
Richard Florida takes the end of summer, and impending awakening of campuses across the country, as an opportunity to explore which of America's metro areas have the largest higher education concentrations.
New Initiative Seeks to Address L.A. Parks Disparity
Last week, Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa launched the city's "50 Parks Initiative," a public-private partnership that plans to add over 170 acres of new park space throughout the city's "park-poor population-dense" neighborhoods.
Los Angeles Looks to Spike its Skyline
Los Angeles Fire Code rules requiring helicopter landing zones on the city's high rises has led to one of the most bland skylines in America. As the city updates its fire code, a new working group is seeking to unleash the creativity of designers.
Late to the Parklets Craze, L.A. Plays Catch Up
With only one parklet completed in the city thus far, L.A. has its work cut out to catch its pioneering northern neighbor San Francisco, and their 40 parklets. By the end of this week, however, the city hopes to have the ball rolling.
In L.A., Pollution is Down Dramatically but Bad Air Remains
A new study by NOAA scientists and colleagues shows a stunning reduction in vehicle-related air pollutants in the Los Angeles basin over the past several decades. Despite the gains, unhealthy air remains.
Lessons from L.A. on the Benefits of Being Big
Back from a recent field trip to L.A., Sarah Karlinsky, Deputy Director of SPUR, the San Francisco Planning + Urban Research Association, explores the benefits and challenges offered by the region's size, and what lessons it can provide the Bay Area.
L.A. Eases Parking Requirements to Activate Streets
This week L.A. City Council members voted to approve an ordinance that gives the city more flexibility to lower parking requirements in select areas of the city to encourage adaptive reuse and walkability, report David Zahniser and Kate Linthicum.
Chalk Art: Child's Play or Vandalism?
Next time you suggest your child goes outside to play, you might want to make sure they're not packing chalk. Josh Harkinson looks at the nationwide crackdown on chalk art. It's not just adults being cited.
Desire for Streetcars Spreads Across America
From Atlanta to Kansas City to Los Angeles, cities across the country are welcoming a return of streetcars to their downtowns in the hopes of boosting economic growth and improving circulation. Some see the cars as just the latest urban planning fad.
L.A. Bureau of Sanitation at the Forefront of Water Sustainability
Enrique Zaldivar, Director of the Bureau of Sanitation, explains the city's efforts to maintain public health and promote water conservation. As urban areas guard natural resources and urban environments, L.A. presents some successful first steps.
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
