Manufacturing

Philadelphia Jewelers' Row

Luxury Condos Versus Philadelphia's Jewelers' Row

Downtown gentrification threatens to displace skilled artisans in a district where workshops go back five generations. Some of the jewelers own their premises, but the rewards for building pricey condos are tempting.

April 14, 2015 - Philadelphia Inquirer

Mapping America's Toy Manufacturing

All those toys under the Christmas tree came from somewhere.

December 25, 2014 - The Washington Post

The Middle Class Fights for Survival in Lima, Ohio

An article surveys Lima, Ohio's long-term residents, politicians, and economy to weave a narrative tracing the ups and downs of the shrinking small town.

October 16, 2014 - Rolling Stone

California High Speed Rail Authority Reaches Milestone

The Authority is ready to purchase trainsets, and once again, the Siemen's rail manufacturing facility in Sacramento is looking to add another contract to add to its growing rail car orders. A request for "expressions of interest" was issued.

October 4, 2014 - Sacramento Business Journal

San Francisco's Shopping Spree for New Muni Cars

After winning the contract to build All Aboard Florida's locomotives and passenger cars, Siemens Sacramento manufacturing plant landed a $648 million contract much closer to home: Replacement of the San Francisco Muni Metro Breda light rail cars.

September 23, 2014 - San Francisco Chronicle

What's Driving the Economic Turnaround in Youngstown and Canton, Ohio?

Youngstown had been one of those Rust Belt, "shrinking" cities long noted in Planetizen, but thanks in part to fracking and its location on the Utica shale formation, manufacturing has returned and unemployment has dropped by half since 2010.

September 9, 2014 - The New York Times - Business Day

Nevada's $1.2 Billion Investment in Tesla Predicted to Have $100 Billion Impact

The generous incentives granted the electric car company for securing the $5 billion factory will yield disproportionate economic benefits, according to Gov. Brian Sandoval, for a state suffering high unemployment and a lack of economic diversity.

September 7, 2014 - The Wall Street Journal

Houston's downtown skyline

Ranking the Cities Leading the Industrial Revival

Forbes has produced a list of 'The Big Cities Leading A U.S. Manufacturing Revival.'

July 1, 2014 - Forbes

Will Manufacturing and Trade Work for Florida's Recovery?

Adie Tomer challenges local and state leaders in Florida to leverage its strengths in trade and logistics for a more production-oriented economy—to the benefit of the long-term economic prosperity of the state.

June 14, 2014 - Brookings

'Innovation Hubs' Called a Manufacturing Silver Bullet

A recent Wall Street Journal editorial calls for "Topic-specific, industry-led, and place-based…public-private hubs" as the key to a manufacturing renaissance. The idea is already being tested in four cities.

June 9, 2014 - The Wall Street Journal

Technology and Robust Economies Drive Rural Town Revival

Population loss has been a fact of life for many of the United States' rural towns for decades. But if the experiences of rural towns across Minnesota are any indication, manufacturing, farming, and technology may generate a widespread rural revival.

December 3, 2013 - Star Tribune

Detroit Bankruptcy Highlights Nation's Obsession With Diplomas

If you thought the bankruptcy in Detroit was caused by the disappearance of manufacturing jobs, well, you'd be wrong. Alan Mallach explains how our obsession with college degrees contributed to the downfall of a city.

October 1, 2013 - Rooflines

Can Chicago Ride Its Rails to Economic Growth?

Chicago's position as a central hub for manufacturing and shipping helped establish the city as the economic powerhouse of the Midwest. A new report recommends the city update that infrastructure to grow the region's economy.

September 25, 2013 - The Architect's Newspaper

Battle Over Gas Exports Pits Manufacturers Against Energy Industry

America's oil and gas boom has energy companies ramping up their ability to export natural gas, and the feds eager to approve export terminal projects. But Dow Chemical’s chief executive warns that exports threaten the U.S. manufacturing renaissance.

August 22, 2013 - The New York Times

Car Production Line

The Geography of America’s Industrial Renaissance

After a sharp decline during the recession, an industrial expansion is helping to drive job growth in many of America’s metropolitan areas. New analysis outlines the country’s best manufacturing ‘storylines’.

May 25, 2013 - New Geography

State of the Union Recap: Energy, Economy, Infrastructure and Environment

In an address heavy on President Obama's domestic agenda for the first year of his second term, issues of importance to planners and urbanists got plenty of play, including: the environment, energy, infrastructure, and the economy.

February 13, 2013 - The Washington Post

The Tokyo Model: From Post-War Slum to Superpower

In this compelling essay, authors Matias Echanove and Rahul Srivastava take a look at Tokyo's post-war development and explore how lessons learned from its unplanned growth may be useful for other rapidly urbanizing Asian cities today.

January 20, 2013 - Next City

Building Small is the Next Big Thing

A recent study documents the shift from large-scale units of production to smaller mass-produced units that can be dispersed across many locations. This shift promises to change a host of industries, from transportation to power generation.

November 7, 2012 - Science Daily

A Ride on the Rails Reveals America's Changing Economy

Adam Davidson reflects on the urban decay that can be glimpsed out the window of an Amtrak train traveling between New York and Washington D.C., and the forces transforming the nation's economy that cannot.

November 5, 2012 - The New York Times

New York City Struggles to Retain What's Left of its Manufacturing Industry

During the last two decades, New York City has continued to shed manufacturing jobs. But recent efforts led by the city, in partnership with private developers, are looking to retool some of New York's largest legacy sites for a new breed of tenant.

September 30, 2012 - The New York Times

News from HUD User

HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research

Call for Speakers

Mpact Transit + Community

New Updates on PD&R Edge

HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research

Top Books

An annual review of books related to planning.

Top Websites

The best of the Internet—since 2002.

Top Apps

Planning apps for a brave new world.

Top Schools

The definitive ranking of graduate planning programs.

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.