Robbie Silver

Crowd of LA Dodgers fans in downtown Los Angeles waving pennants, celebrating a win.

America’s urban FIFA stars won’t be stadiums — it will be our downtowns. Let’s not blow it.

When the World Cup visits cities across America this summer, it’s a rare chance to shift the perception of our downtowns on the global stage. The secret? What makes downtowns great for FIFA makes them great for everyone, all the time.

April 13, 2026 - Robbie Silver

Large crowd on street in San Francisco, California during Oktoberfest festival.

The Simple Legislative Tool Transforming Vacant Downtowns

In California, Michigan and Georgia, an easy win is bringing dollars — and delight — back to city centers.

June 2, 2025 - Robbie Silver

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.