New York City

NYC has purchased 7 acres of Coney Island from a developer, with the hopes of breathing new life into the People's Playground.

November 12, 2009 - The New York Times

An argument in a New York City bar elevated to violence recently, when a male Columbia University planning professor punched a woman in the face.

November 12, 2009 - The New York Times

New York City's Gowanus Canal has been heavily polluted for years. Mayor Bloomberg said the cleanup would happen, but it never did. Now the EPA is calling the troubled waterway a Superfund site and the city is kickstarting action.

November 12, 2009 - The Architect's Newspaper

This animation from The New York Times examines the history of Midtown Manhattan -- from pristine island environment to bustling metropolis.

October 31, 2009 - The New York Times

NYC's Mayor Bloomberg oversaw the rezoning of thousands of blocks, yet many of the development projects he envisioned as the key to the city's future success are now stalled or in jeopardy.

October 29, 2009 - The New York Times

2009 is expected to turn out as a bad year for residential constructoin in New York City. After five consecutive years with more than 30,000 units constructed, at total of 6,300 are expected this year.

October 26, 2009 - The New York Times

Planning students from New York-area universities are being integrated into the city's community boards through an innovative new fellowship program.

October 24, 2009 - The Architect's Newspaper

Developers and NYC's Mayor Bloomberg have hit a speed bump in revitalizing the Gowanus Canal. It may be designated as a Superfund site.

October 23, 2009 - The New York Times

This piece from Urban Omnibus looks at a collaborative effort in New York City to get immigrant populations better engaged in the city's public parks.

October 18, 2009 - Urban Omnibus

Vision 42 has proposed closing NYC's 42nd Street to car traffic and adding light rail along its length. The Mayor isn't interested, but lots of others are.

October 17, 2009 - The New York Times

MillionTreesNYC says they're on track to reach their goal by 2017. Trees provide shade and allay problems of air pollution. They've planted hundreds of thousands of trees already... and received some complaints.

October 16, 2009 - Los Angeles Times

Despite the NYC Mayor's progress in preserving or creating affordable housing, overall the city has seen net losses.

October 15, 2009 - The New York Times

This interview with Adam Friedman of the New York Industrial Retention Network, illuminates reasons for retaining manufacturing in NYC, such as sustainability and job creation.

October 9, 2009 - Urban Omnibus

Cuts in MTA staff in subway stations leave transit riders lost, feeling unsafe. Vendors and repair staff are reluctantly picking up the slack.

October 8, 2009 - The New York Times

Did you know that yesterday was International Walk to School Day? While many communities may have let this important public awareness opportunity pass by, New York City public school students were out in full force. Perhaps one would expect nothing less in a city where 80% of students already walk to school (transit trips require walking, too!). 

October 8, 2009 - Mike Lydon

This morning, Mayor Mike Bloomberg unveiled New York City's long-awaited Big Apps contest. Big Apps seeks to promote the Internet industry in the Big Apple (it's sponsored by the New York City Economic Development Corporation) and make local government more transparent.I've been following the evolution of open data initiatives at the municipal level for about a year now, and was really hoping that New York was going to set the bar for future efforts across the country. It doesn't. In fact it's hard to understand why some notable local tech superstars like investors Fred Wilson and John Borthwick would sign on to such a lame effort.

October 6, 2009 - Anthony Townsend

A new iPhone App/public art experience allows the user to take a stroll through New York City and 'see' visionary buildings that never got built, ranging from Buckminster Fuller's dome to Antoni Gaudi's cathedral.

October 2, 2009 - BLDBLOG

High demand from tourists near Central Park has attracted unlicensed bike rental vendors in NYC. Competition is getting tougher as police crack down on the booming business.

September 30, 2009 - The New York Times

Though its flagship congestion pricing proposal was nixed by the state legislature, New York City's PlaNYC environmental plan is moving forward. Neal Peirce takes a look at its progress.

September 28, 2009 - Citiwire

Under a new service program called NYC Cool Roofs, volunteers are painting New York's rooftops white to try to lower urban temperatures and save energy.

September 26, 2009 - The Architect's Newspaper