Urban Development
St. Louis Debating and Reforming its Development Incentives
The city of St. Louis is in the midst of an intense political debate—with mayoral consequences—on the subject of development incentives, which critics say just help the rich get richer.
Whole Foods to Undergo Unprecedented Downsizing
A symbol of urbanist affluence is getting its first reality check. 2017 has not been kind to brock and mortar retailers.
Unveiling Renters' Hidden NIMBYism
This research shows that renters in high-cost cities can be just as prone to NIMBYism as homeowners, even as they theoretically support more housing. This is housing supply's collective action problem.
Boston Neighborhoods Find Controversy Following Residential Zoning Changes
An in-depth look into the political controversies stirred up in the Boston neighborhood of Jamaica Plain as a result of a proposed, density-adding zoning plan.
Friday Eye Candy: Renderings for the New Star Wars Theme Park
Fans of Disney theme parks and fans of Star Wars had a big week.
Fortress No Longer: What's in Store for Willis Tower
Designed for a different era, Willis Tower's pedestrian-phobic base is in line for a complete overhaul. The goal is to open the immense tower to the street.
Vouchers Can Work, But...
School vouchers might expand educational choice and thus make city life more appealing to middle-class families—but the most appealing versions of a voucher system are also the most costly.
Georgia State Senate Pumps the Breaks on Cityhood Processes
Atlanta's quickly growing region means many communities are seeking to incorporate. Several controversial processes, however, have compelled the state to reform the incorporation process.
Know of Any 'Suburbs in Name Only'?
No cities are entirely urban, or even similar from one neighborhood to the next. The Corner Side Yard has some fun thinking about which Chicago neighborhoods we "Chicago in Name Only" and which of its suburbs are "Suburbs in Name Only."
A New Housing Strategy for Akron, Ohio
The city of Akron has lost 93,000 residents since 1960, so it has room to grow. Now it has a draft housing plan that uses a tax abatement program modeled on examples in Cleveland and Cuyahoga Falls.
Freddie Mac Releases its 2017 Multifamily Housing Market Forecast
A new report from Freddie Mac predicts rising rents and rising vacancy rates in the national multifamily market. The report also compares submarkets.
Nation's First Transgender Cultural Historic District Coming to San Francisco
Developers will fund the Compton's Cafeteria Transgender, Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual District to quell opposition to a proposed mixed-use development in the Tenderloin neighborhood of San Francisco.
Defending Washington's Growth Management Act
Washington state's 1990 Growth Management Act (GMA) is facing a renewed round of attacks from Republican legislators in the state. A post on The Urbanist says the latest bills designed to weaken the GMA go further than other recent examples.
Lessons in Brownfields: Phase One Report Reform Ain't Working
This second of a series on brownfield remediation and development is a funny and sarcastic primer about the process and its failures. Written by Environmental attorney Richard Opper.
First Draft of Austin's New CodeNext Zoning Code Released
It was a big day for planners and planning in Austin earlier this week, when the city released the 1,100-page first draft of the city's new zoning code—the first major revision of the city's zoning doe since the mid-1980s.
Urban Renewal Alive and Well in the Suburbs of Atlanta
The practice facility for a new Major League Soccer franchise was made possible by the demolition aging and affordable apartment buildings.
Report: Transit Oriented Developments Have Way Too Much Parking
Smart Growth America surveyed five examples of transit oriented developments from around the country and found a common characteristics: all of the projects have way too much parking.
A Planning Controversy of the Transit Oriented Variety in Suburban Denver
A controversy has erupted over a proposed vision for transit oriented mixed in a Denver suburb.
10 Freeways That Have Got to Go
The Congress for New Urbanism has released the latest Freeways Without Futures list, updating a list we last saw in 2014.
On the Municipal Balance Sheet, Central Districts Look Good
Charles Marohn analyzes Lafayette, Louisiana for how well (or poorly) its districts measure up in terms of infrastructure investment versus tax revenues. The results are telling.
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.
Harvard University Graduate School of Design
KFH Group Inc.
Greater Baltimore Committee
The Architects Foundation
University of Cincinnati Online
The Pocatello Development Authority
The Urban Renewal Agency of the City of Pocatello
