Urban Development

Saving Coastal Cities from Climate Change

A new whitepaper outlines solutions for improving the resiliency and sustainability of coastal cities around the world—using Red Hook, Brooklyn as a case study.

March 29, 2016 - BASF Corporation

Benchmarks: Places on the Move Measure Up

All Planetizen readers should read the full 200-page Bicycling and Walking in the United States: 2016 Benchmarking Report. If you haven't taken the time yet, Hazel Borys shares some of the best bits.

March 29, 2016 - PlaceShakers

Millennials

Peak Millennial: Looking Past the Numbers

Two articles look at millennials, cities, and the future. "Peak Millennial" refers to the numbers of millennials moving to and from cities. Grist's Ben Adler looks at why urban millennials are moving to suburbs, and what can be done to address it.

March 29, 2016 - Grist

A Detroit Design School Seeks a Seat at the Table

Academic institutions can play a major role in enriching the communities they operate in. Amy Deines, interim dean of the College of Architecture and Design at Lawrence Technological University in Detroit, discusses the city and school's trajectory.

March 28, 2016 - Doggerel

New Housing Program Lowers Construction Hurdles in Cleveland

A unique partnership is making it easier to construct and own a home in the Cleveland neighborhood of Ohio City, located in Cleveland..

March 26, 2016 - Cleveland Plain Dealer

End of the Mall

How To: Makeovers for Struggling Malls

Lean Urbanism recently released a "lean" guide to sprawl repair—focusing on how to bring struggling shopping malls back to life.

March 26, 2016 - Lean Urbanism

Chicago Mayor Emanuel Announces Park Plans to a Skeptical Audience

In a much-hyped address earlier this week. Mayor Rahm Emanuel chose the title "Building on Burnham" to describe his survey of the Chicago's ongoing and future plans to develop parks and open space.

March 25, 2016 - Chicago Tribune

Atlanta BeltLine

On Atlanta's BeltLine and 21st-Century Infrastructure

In an interview, Atlanta BeltLine visionary Ryan Gravel discusses the ongoing project and how it fits an emerging, multidisciplinary understanding of what good infrastructure can be.

March 24, 2016 - Streetsblog USA

Detroit Street Art

Backers Still Optimistic on Detroit Placemaking

After three years, an ambitious placemaking plan for downtown Detroit has delivered results, but not as quickly as its architects hoped.

March 24, 2016 - Crain's Detroit Business

Four-Lane Freeway

Reports of 'Mega-Commutes' Greatly Exaggerated

No one is denying that many Americans endure long, arduous commutes. But the data does not verify reports that "mega-commutes" are on the rise.

March 24, 2016 - City Observatory

Chicago Spire

Chicago's Never Built Skyscraper—Now a Hole in the Ground and a Pile of Dirt

The high-water marks showing where the last boom broke under the pressure of the Great Recession are still visible in cities all over the country. The Chicago Tribune recently checked on a particularly poignant example in Chicago.

March 24, 2016 - Chicago Tribune

Anchorage Updates Land Use Plan Map

After 34 years the Municipality of Anchorage is updating its land use plan map, a companion piece to its comprehensive plan adopted in 2001. The land use plan map sets the stage for future growth and development in this Northern City of 301,000.

March 23, 2016 - Alaska Public Media

Trinity Toll Road 'Dream Team' Disappoints in Dallas

Dallas reached another milestone in its years-long battle over a proposal to build a toll road through a park along the Trinity River on the edge of downtown. The latest version of the proposal so far hasn't cleared any controversies.

March 22, 2016 - The Dallas Morning News

A Critical Take on Philadelphia's Big Innovation District Plans

Philadelphia Inquirer Architecture Critic Inga Saffron digs into the facts and fictions about innovation districts, as the city reveals a third splashy project touting its innovation district bonafides.

March 22, 2016 - Philadelphia Inquirer

Humanizing Tech in New York City

Rapid technological change has brought incredible opportunities as well as challenges to cities around the world. NYC's Chief Technology Officer and Director of Innovation discuss how the City is leveraging technology for improving city life.

March 22, 2016 - Doggerel

Activist and Urbanist Collaborate for San Diego's North Park

San Diego's diverse urban North Park Community, once a victim of suburban flight, is now dealing with urban remigration. Urban planner Howard Blackson and community activist Don Leichtling collaborate on community plan update recommendations.

March 21, 2016 - UrbDeZine

Surface Parking

Munich Builds New Housing Over Parking Lots

Fed up with all the extra space parked cars occupy, residents of Munich have turned to affordable housing built over already-existing parking lots. The wood-frame structures will be prefabricated and assembled quickly.

March 21, 2016 - CityLab

A collaborative art project

What Is Placemaking, Really?

It's a term that gets bandied about by the "creative class" to describe an endless array of projects, from whimsical pop-up art to new uses for century-old buildings. But what does placemaking really mean?

March 21, 2016 - Comstock's Magazine

Sprawl

Sprawl and the Declining City

Sprawl lowers real estate values in cheap, declining cities—but it may also have social costs that aren't as relevant elsewhere.

March 20, 2016 - Michael Lewyn

Gentrification Concerns Cited in Response to Grand Rapids Development Proposal

A speculative development proposal inspired a show of community solidarity in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

March 19, 2016 - MLive

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.

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.