San Antonio

Inside San Antonio's Plans for a New Civic Park

Construction is expected to begin in 2016 on a new 16-acre park in San Antonio designed to embody all of the public amenities that make the city unique.

April 15, 2015 - The Architect's Newspaper

Water Wars Follow the Race to Solve the Southwest's Drought

An op-ed in the New York Times provides a firsthand account of the growing concern over water in a state that has yet to set limits on its explosive growth.

March 16, 2015 - New York Times

Gov-Elect Abbott Says Local Regulations 'California-ize' Texas

Texas Gov.-elect Greg Abbott takes aim at local regulations, exemplified by tree-cutting bans in cities like Houston and San Antonio.

January 9, 2015 - The Houston Chronicle

San Antonio Christmas

San Antonio Set to Become Fifth-Largest U.S. City

The city may grow by 200,000 in the next two years, surpassing Philadelphia and Phoenix, if city leaders agree to annex five surrounding unincorporated areas. The Wall Street Journal considers the effect of annexation on meeting inner city needs.

December 23, 2014 - The Wall Street Journal

On the Death of the San Antonio Streetcar

When former San Antonio Mayor Julian Castro began his new job as secretary of HUD, the all-but-built Modern Streetcar project fell prey to gathering Tea Party forces.

August 28, 2014 - The Texas Observer

San Antonio Streetcar Plans at Risk

San Antonio Mayor Ivy Taylor is calling for a "pause" on the city's proposed streetcar. Meanwhile a charter amendment from project opponents could be headed to the ballot and a county judge has called for the project to be put on hold.

August 4, 2014 - My San Antonio

A Texas-Sized Commercial Property Tax Gambit

A pair of articles from the Dallas Morning News examine the inequities of property tax rates in Texas. Under the current system, commercial property owners in Dallas County "shaved more than $4.8 billion off preliminary tax appraisals."

May 6, 2014 - Dallas Morning News

The Texas Miracle: Looking Beyond the Impressive Growth Numbers

Texas is booming—its growth in people and jobs puts it in a league of its own. But another set of growth data pales by comparison: Infrastructure, particularly in the water and transportation needed to accommodate the growth, is woefully lacking.

April 30, 2014 - The Wall Street Journal - U.S. News

Texas Embraces Cycling to Slim Down Residents and Beef Up Economies

From the panhandle to the Gulf coast, cities across traditionally car-crazed Texas are building bike-share systems and expanding bike infrastructure to lure businesses, residents, and improve public health.

August 19, 2013 - The Texas Tribune

How a 75-year-old Courthouse Became the GSA's Paragon of Sustainability

Chris Bentley explains how San Antonio's Beaux Arts federal courthouse became an unlikely paragon of the GSA's sustainability efforts while balancing a sensitive historic renovation.

April 7, 2013 - The Architect's Newspaper

The Rise of Municipal Urban Design Departments

San Antonio City Design Center's Executive Manager Mark Brodeur describes his observations of the nationwide trend in cities establishing independent urban design departments.

March 25, 2013 - UrbDeZine.com

Out-Migration: An Urban Conundrum

High cost of living and lack of jobs are driving urban populations out of cities, and simply increasing density requirements might not be enough to reverse the trend, argues Jim Russell.

February 19, 2013 - Sustainable Cities Collective

Tactical Urbanism: A Look Back at 2012

From guerrilla wayfinding to future-tising, these are my top five, perhaps lesser known, highlights of a banner year for Tactical Urbanism.

December 30, 2012 - Mike Lydon

Bringing a Dead Mall Back to Life

Five years ago, Graham Weston, the chairman and co-founder of Rackspace, had a wild vision to transform an abandoned mall into his company's headquarters. His unique approach has revitalized the adjacent city of Windcrest, a suburb of San Antonio.

November 1, 2012 - The New York Times

Better Block Event Reintroduces San Antonio to The Alamo

Businesses and residents in San Antonio are celebrating what a temporary makeover of Alamo Plaza last weekend revealed about the potential to bring locals back to the city's tourist mecca.

August 22, 2012 - San Antonio Express-News

San Antonio Spurs Pioneering Water Conservation Effort

With a multipronged strategy, San Antonio has managed to achieve the nearly impossible - keeping water use flat while accommodating substantial growth - rightfully earning it the title "Water's Most Resourceful City," reports Mose Buchele.

August 10, 2012 - NPR

Economic Segregation Spreads Across America's Cities

Emily Badger looks at new data from the Pew Research Center that shows, "As Americans are growing farther apart on the income scale, we are also effectively moving apart from each other within cities, into our own economic enclaves."

August 2, 2012 - The Atlantic Cities

Where Americans Can Retire 'Like Kings'

Lisa Stark identifies the top ten U.S. cities were retirees can live on less than $100 per day.

July 20, 2012 - ABC News

Exposing How Publicly Subsidized Housing in Texas Encourages Segregation

Texas has come under scrutiny for a pattern of developing low-income housing projects in areas already suffering from poverty and blight. Karisa King describes how the NIMBY mentality is reinforced by the subsidization system.

April 24, 2012 - Texas Tribune

America's Expanding Cities

Nate Berg explains why recent headlines about the rise of the country's urban population shouldn't have smart growth advocates claiming victory just yet.

March 30, 2012 - The Atlantic Cities

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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.