Urban Development
Salt Lake City Bucks Downtown Decline Trend
The city’s central business district is bustling with more activity than before the pandemic.
How to Scale Up Heat Mitigation
As heat waves intensify, cities are seeking out heat mitigation techniques that can be applied widely and benefit entire neighborhoods.
The Death of the Office?
Despite efforts on the part of many employers to bring workers back to the office, office buildings are now the most distressed segment of the commercial real estate market.
Hawaii Governor Wipes Away Regulatory Barriers to Housing With the Stroke of a Pen
The governor of Hawaii is using emergency powers to remove barriers to housing construction.
Gainesville in Final Discussions on Mandatory Inclusionary Zoning Ordinance
A see-saw battle over land use and housing policy continues in the city of Gainesville.
AI and Downtown Recovery: Missing the Mark in Seattle?
In his fourth GeekWire article on downtown recovery, Chuck Wolfe reviews the use of AI imagery in a section of the Seattle Downtown Activation Plan and suggests how it may have missed the mark.
Phoenix Could Ease Parking Requirements to Support Transit, Affordable Housing
In addition to lower citywide parking requirements on residential properties, a proposed law in Phoenix would lower minimum parking requirements even further for affordable housing developments near the city’s light rail system.
Land Use Changes Could Improve Walkability Along Bus Rapid Transit Corridor in Denver
Denver councilmembers are proposing an overhaul of land use regulations along a long stretch of East Colfax Avenue—the route of a planned Bus Rapid Transit line expected to open in 2026.
Largest TOD in North Texas Breaks Ground Near Dallas
The mixed-use complex features over 400 housing units, offices, retail, and park space.
Union Shakeup Could Have Implications for California Housing Policy
One of the most powerful opponents to California’s YIMBY legislators, the Trades union of building and construction workers, is under new leadership. Some observers speculate that the change could indicate a new era of development politics.
The Double-Edged Sword of ‘Healthfields’
Building hospitals and other health-oriented facilities on former brownfield sites can benefit the community, but can also perpetuate historic inequities and exploit undervalued land at the expense of local residents.
New Plans for Palo Alto: Updated Zoning and 6,000 Housing Units
The city of Palo Alto, a city central to the geographic and economic might of Silicon Valley, is planning a significant overhaul to its plans for the future, making space for over 6,000 new housing units in the next eight years.
National Zoning Atlas Makes Headway
The project aims to bring zoning data from around the country into one database, making it easier for planners and researchers to compare policies and their impacts.
‘Divided by Design’ Underscores Inequities in Transportation Policy
The report calls for a wholesale overhaul of U.S. transportation policy to redress the damages caused by decades of auto-centric development.
Midtown Master Plan Envisions More Walkable Missoula
The plan envisions safer, more walkable streets, more affordable housing, and improved opportunities for small businesses.
Zoning Reform Proposed in Austin
Proposed changes would create more room for mid-density housing and shift away from single-family homes on large lots.
Car-Free Montreal Street Hailed as Success
A summer pedestrianization project is widely popular with residents and local businesses.
New Research Blames Affluent Suburbs for Housing Crisis
Small, often wealthy enclaves build far less multifamily housing than their larger counterparts, exacerbating the dearth of affordable housing near big cities and job centers.
Map Identifies DeKalb County Brownfield Sites
The GIS tool is designed to help developers find vacant and blighted lots that could be restored for new housing or other uses.
How Walkable ‘Activity Centers’ Can Reduce Driving
Encouraging mixed-use neighborhoods that help reduce vehicle miles driven and put urban amenities within easy walking distance is possible with surprisingly modest policy tweaks.
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.
City of Rosemead
Rutgers University, Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy
One Hundred Miles
Hunter College, City University of New York (CUNY)
The Architects Foundation
University of Cincinnati Online
City of Cambridge
Montrose County
The Pocatello Development Authority
