Philadelphia

Philadelphia, Chinatown

Philadelphia's Chinatown Stays Resilient Against Displacement

With the construction of a new community center and housing, Philadelphia's Chinatown sees a more secure future for the historic neighborhood

November 28, 2016 - PhillyMag

What Now for Philly Neighborhoods Reconnected by the Rebuilt 41st Street Bridge?

The city of Philadelphia's "most notorious unfinished infrastructure project" is now complete. What will the rebuilt 41st Street Bridge mean for the neighborhoods on either side?

November 19, 2016 - The Philadelphia Inquirer

SEPTA Token

Tokens Finally a Thing of the Past for Philly's Transit Riders

The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transit Authority (SEPTA) are expecting to roll out the final components of the new SEPTA Key system, allowing all riders to pay the fare with something other than tokens.

November 14, 2016 - PlanPhilly

Little League

The $600 Million 'Rebuild' Program Takes Shape in Philadelphia

Neighborhood revitalization will focus on parks and libraries under a new program in Philadelphia.

November 9, 2016 - The Philadelphia Inquirer

SEPTA Token

An Early Win for Clinton on the Penultimate Day of Election

With Pennsylvania a battleground state and Philadelphia a Democratic stronghold, ensuring that transit-dependent voters get to the polls was a given, but a transit strike beginning Nov. 1 threatened to derail access. The strike was settled Monday.

November 8, 2016 - USA Today

Temple Band

Critiquing Temple University's Plan to Build a New Football Stadium

Despite a turbulent year for the university, Temple presses ahead with plans for a new football stadium in a dense residential area.

November 4, 2016 - The Philadelphia Inquirer

SEPTA Station

Could the Philadelphia Transit Strike Determine Who Becomes the Next President?

Hundreds of thousand of bus, trolley and subway riders (and potential voters) in Philadelphia have been left to find alternative means of transportation since Nov. 1 due to a strike by the local Transport Workers Union who work for SEPTA.

November 3, 2016 - The Washington Post

Philadelphia

Billboards Having a Moment in Philadelphia

A proposal to add billboard advertisements to a pair of city-owned buildings come at a time when residents, and the federal government, are already concerned about the proliferation of billboards in the city.

November 1, 2016 - The Philadelphia Inquirer

Philadelphia Renaissance Threatens Working Diamond District

Heretofore preservationists in the City of Brotherly Love have been focused on finding new uses for vacant, historic buildings, but the city's economic resurgence now threatens five, occupied low-rise buildings city's in vibrant Jewelers Row.

October 13, 2016 - The New York Times - Real Estate

Reading Viaduct

Philadelphia Awarded a Big Chunk of State Redevelopment Grants

About a fifth of a recent round of Pennsylvania's Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program (RACP) awards went to projects in Philadelphia, including the Reading Viaduct rail park project.

October 5, 2016 - The Philadelphia Inquirer

Elfreth's Alley

Against Parking Requirements and Driveways in Philadelphia

Recent suggestions from Philadelphia's City Council threaten the city's rebound and could turn swaths of Philadelphia into suburbia, argues Inga Saffron in a recent opinion piece.

October 4, 2016 - The Philadelphia Enquirer

A SEPTA R5 commuter train heading for Doylestown, Pennsylvania from Lansdale station.

SEPTA Trains Running on Schedule for the First Time in Two Months

The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority returned to a normal commute schedule today, after making sufficient repairs to new trains that didn't start on the right track.

October 3, 2016 - The Philadelphia Inquirer

Empty Parking Lot

How Cities Are Slimming Down on Parking

Cities around the world are finding ways to go on a parking diet, freeing up unused space. San Francisco and Philadelphia are two U.S. leaders, while cities like Paris, Copenhagen, and Zurich pursue even more aggressive measures.

October 2, 2016 - The Guardian

Amtrak Pennsylvanian

The Huge Cost of Improving Amtrak's Pennsylvanian Even a Little

This is Amtrak between Pittsburgh and Philadelphia: It could cost $13 billion to speed up the tip by 30 minutes, and $16 million to add just one more train.

September 25, 2016 - The Philadelphia Inquirer

Jersey Shore

The Jersey Shore—Or Philadelphia East

People who own property on the Jersey Shore tend to have a lot in common when it comes to geography, income, and religion.

September 4, 2016 - The Philadelphia Inquirer

Friday Fun: Mapping a Decade of Philadelphia Block Parties

David Bowie and Mick Jagger approved.

August 12, 2016 - PlanPhilly

Median Parking: A South Philly Tradition Some Hope Will End

A group of local activists argue that the median parking that is so common on South Broad is dangerous. Some South Philly residents say median parking is part of the neighborhood's DNA.

August 5, 2016 - NewsWorks

American Street Rendering Phildelphia

Details of a Green Street redesign in Philadelphia

A comprehensive overhaul of a stretch of American Street in Philadelphia includes a bioswale to better manage stormwater runoff along the corridor.

July 30, 2016 - PlanPhilly

Glenwood Green Acres, Philadelphia

An Urban Lesson From the DNC's Host City

While Democrats consider the future of the country, the host city of the DNC offers a great urban lesson from the past: the elegant efficiency of rowhouses.

July 28, 2016 - California Planning & Development Report

Philadelphia DNC

Talking Points for an Urban Agenda at the Democratic National Convention

Next City has released what it's calling an "urbanist's guide" to the Democratic National Convention.

July 26, 2016 - Next City

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.