Philadelphia

Philadelphia's Old City Finally on a Roll
The comeback story for the city of Philadelphia's oldest neighborhood—Old City—displays the power of community organization and deliberate planning.
Philadelphia Searches for a Place to Feed the Hungry
Urban planning challenge: where to site a large tent for serving meals to the homeless in a revitalizing part of Philadelphia.

Philly Transit Riders Need To Keep Those Tokens Handy, For Now
While most big city transit systems have moved on to electronic passes or paper tickets, Philadelphia's riders are left to deal with tokens and transfer slips until SEPTA's plans for a system upgrade come to fruition.
Parking Spaces Reduced in Center City Philadelphia—Along With Parking Occupancy
Philadelphia is providing a living case study of the tenants of the Donald Shoup-approach to parking.

Introducing 8 Newly Elected Mayors
There's no doubt that cities provide important leadership on countless issues—here are eight new elected mayors tasked with providing the political leadership to make it possible.

New Director of Planning and Development Picked in Philadelphia
The reorganization of planning department functions in the city of Philadelphia was one of the more substantial planning-related results of the November election. Now the new Planning and Development Department is taking shape.
Rowhouses Have an Ally in Philadelphia
An important source of housing affordable to wide ranges of incomes has a new, well-funded ally in Philadelphia—the Healthy Rowhouse Project is hoping to make a big impact in 2016.

Philadelphia Attempts Urban Intervention to Fix Its 'Most Boring Street'
Surrounded on all sides by glassy, modern towers, Philly's West Market Street has lacked the sort of attractions that have brought downtown workers to neighboring streets.

Philadelphia Pushes Ahead with Changes to Zoning Code
Updates to Philadelphia’s zoning code are designed to "clean-up" the code, adopted in 2011.
Delaware River Port Authority Approves Discount for Frequent Drivers
With some extra cash on hand (rare, isn't it?) the Delaware River Port Authority will offer a discount for drivers that cross authority bridges 18 times a month. But what about transit riders?
The Regulations Making Philadelphia a Beer Lover's Paradise
Cities and neighborhoods looking to locate and support breweries and brew pubs should look to Philadelphia as an example of a beer-friendly regulatory environment.

Philadelphia Alleys Ranked for Makeover
In advance of what may be a wider program, Philadelphia's alleys have been ranked for their aesthetic quality. Those in the "average" range are most suitable for retrofits.
High Hopes for a Renovated Vernon Park in Philadelphia
A once-neglected park is at the center of efforts to breathe new life into Germantown's business district.
Developers See Dollar Signs in the Viaduct Rail Park Proposal in Philly's Center City
The Viaduct Rail Park could one day become a version of the High Line in Philadelphia's Center City.

Defining the Public Good
How well do public spaces reflect the changing conceptions of "public good" in contemporary political discourse? The UPenn design community starts a challenging conversation.
The Recently Opened Manayunk Bridge in Philadelphia Is a Big Deal
As a symbol of a changing economy and a changing city, the rails-to-trails conversion of the Manayunk Bridge in Philadelphia bears close scrutiny.

Voters in Philadelphia May Birth a New Planning Department
This week, voters in Philadelphia will decide on a ballot measure that could realign city government to create a new Department of Planning and Development.

New Research on Gentrification
Describing the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia's recent study on gentrification in that city.
The Benefits of Free Transit for College Students
A growing coalition of education and transit advocates are calling for a program that would allow Philadelphia-area college students to access transit for free with their student IDs.

Preservation in Philly Is Attracting a Younger Generation
Young historic-preservation minded Philadelphians are organized and ready to protect the history of their city.
Pagination
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Smith Gee Studio
City of Charlotte
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
US High Speed Rail Association
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
Municipality of Princeton (NJ)