Public Space
What Makes Placemaking Work
New qualitative research into three example public spaces in the United States offers best practices and obstacles to avoid in the placemaking process.
How Downtown Public Space Investments Impact Equity
Efforts to revitalize declining downtowns have, in some cases, become catalysts for supporting small, minority-owned, local businesses.
San Francisco Supervisors Vote to Keep Parklets, Close Them at Night
The pandemic-era outdoor seating arrangements can stay, but a last-minute amendment lets business owners close them overnight.
Providence Plans Ambitious Public Space Makeover
Take a virtual tour of the new public spaces proposed in the Providence Unified Vision Plan.
The Inequities of Beach Access
Over 80% of Californians live within an hour’s drive of a beach, but that does not mean that everyone has easy access to beaches.
'Open Streets' Have an Accessibility Problem
The rush to utilize sidewalk space for outdoor seating and parklets has created new obstacles for people with disabilities.
Long Beach Gated Community Must Provide Public Access
The development never fulfilled its mandate to build a public walkway through its property. Now, the Coastal Commission wants it to open its gates.
'Penn Center Transit Gateway' Planned Near Philly's City Hall
Public realm and urban design improvements are planned for a "languishing" pedestrian mall located near Philadelphia's City Hall.
Manhattan Residents Cling to Public Space Amid NYPD Crackdowns
The city's police has begun issuing citations and implementing curfews in public parks that became oases of social activity during the pandemic.
Car-Free Streets Benefit Restaurants, Yelp Survey Shows
Restaurants in areas designated as "slow streets" during the pandemic saw a boost in consumer interest.
Major Waterfront Improvements Completing Construction South of Cincinnati
Developer Southbank Partners is putting the finishing touches on the second phase of the Riverfront Commons in Covington, Kentucky.
The Pitfalls of the 15-Minute City
The concept, touted as "hyper-local," can fail to take into account local conditions and historical inequities in American cities.
Public Drinking in America
Regulating alcohol in the public realm.
Rethinking Streets During the Pandemic
A new book from the "Rethinking Streets" series identifies 25 quick redesigns cities can use to reconfigure streets for the realities of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Pandemic Revealed Public Space as 'Essential Infrastructure'
COVID-19 restrictions have highlighted the importance of abundant, multi-use open spaces accessible to all.
'The World's Most Beautiful Avenue' Getting A Green Makeover
Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo approved a new plan to revitalize the Champs Élysées ahead of the 2024 Summer Olympics.
Serpentine Maze: Pop-Up Parks in the Pandemic
If the combined effects of winter's cold and the pandemic has you bummed, check out this community-building exercise in the frozen North.
Public Gardens as Places of Hope and Healing
Descanso Gardens in Los Angeles County offered the "Wishing Tree" for visitors to share their wishes and hopes for 2021. The public response was overwhelming, with over 10,000 notes hung on the tree in a matter of weeks.
Why Playgrounds Need to Stay Open
California has reversed its decision to close playgrounds as part of the state's stay-at-home order after some legislators and parents complained and argued that children need outdoor play for their health and well-being.
Reimagined Public Spaces and Programming During the Pandemic
Public spaces have become more important than ever. Here are five case studies of innovative and safely designed programming that engages people of all ages and backgrounds.
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
Hunter College, City University of New York (CUNY)
The Architects Foundation
University of Cincinnati Online
City of Cambridge
Montrose County
The Pocatello Development Authority
