Urban Development
Safeguarding New York's Most Vulnerable Neighborhood
While Staten Island and Rockaway, Queens also suffered devastation from Superstorm Sandy; Broad Channel, an island in Jamaica Bay, Queens, may be the lowest lying area in the City and endures tidal flooding regularly, not just from storm surges.
Reputation Renewal: Reconsidering America's Master Builders
Over the last several years, successive books and exhibitions have sought to paint America's midcentury master builders in a new light, by focusing on their accomplishments. What can we learn from the 'post-war planning titans'?
How Bloomberg's Bluster Inspired New York to Build Taller
Kicking off its in-depth examination of the ways in which New York City has been remade during Mayor Bloomberg's tenure, Matthew Schuerman looks at the city's astonishing vertical growth, a significant feat considering the shadow of 9/11.
1968 Inverted: Why the 'Back-to-the-City' Movement is 'White Flight' in Reverse
Calling 'white infill' the new 'white flight', Richey Piiparinen argues that urban thinkers need to consider whether the back-to-the-city trend is exacerbating inequity and segregation.
From Peak Car to Peak Parking?
Fewer cars on the road, less driving, why not fewer parking spots? Cities like D.C., L.A., Denver, Philadelphia are responding by reducing or eliminating parking minimums, while Portland, which had already eliminated them, are bringing them back.
Watch North America's Cities Grow Up
A Canadian real estate startup has created striking animated 3-D visualizations of the evolution of the skylines in cities such as New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Chicago.
A New Way to Diffuse NIMBYism?
A controversial affordable housing project proposed for Somerville, Mass. diffused community opposition by coordinating with the for-profit developer of an adjacent parcel. Could the partnership provide a template for moderating NIMBYism?
Teaching Urban Lessons from Rural Landscapes
Chuck Wolfe's photoshoot in the Palouse region of southeastern Washington State shows the timeless issues of human settlement, from agrarian to urban.
Laurie Olin: The Man, The Myth, The Landscape Architect
Laurie Olin, the preeminent landscape architect, is being presented this week with the prestigious National Medal of Arts. The well deserved honor is a big deal not only for Olin and his firm, but for all landscape architects.
In Replacing Hockey Arena, Pittsburgh's Goal is to Repair Street Grid
When Civic Arena was built in the late 1950's, it severed Pittsburgh's historic Hill District from Downtown, displacing thousands of African American families and businesses. A redevelopment being proposed for the site aims to re-establish the link.
World's Largest Building Opens in China
At nearly three times the size of the Pentagon, Chengdu's New Century Global Center has staked a claim to the title of world's largest building. How do you keep 420 acres of floor space lit? Build an artificial sun, of course.
LA's Four Epic Planning Mistakes and What They Teach Us
In its history, Los Angeles has made four fateful planning decisions, in the opinion of real estate consultant and developer Michael P. Russell, but much can be learned from these mistakes.
A No-Brainer: Taichung Recognized as Intelligent Community of the Year
Taichung, Taiwan (pop 2.7 million) has beaten out six other finalists to claim the Intelligent Community Forum’s (ICF) designation as "intelligent community of the year". Robert Bell and Sylvie Albert describe what makes the city an intelligent icon.
How a Growing Megalopolis Will Redefine Africa's Economic and Political Boundaries
Within a few decades, explosive population growth in West Africa will create an urbanized area similar in size to America's eastern seaboard between Boston and D.C., "only far more populous." At one pole is Lagos, a "powerful new city-state."
Paris Is What People Want; How Can We Make More of It?
Hazel Borys concludes her whirlwind European travelog. This week: a look at the DNA of Paris, and how to replicate it elsewhere.
Is Urban Planning Effective in the Developing World?
A common question raised by those working in the developing world is whether urban planning is useful in those environments. Since questions often focus on planning of a comprehensive type, they overlook planning's intrinsic value and flexibility.
Citizens Organize Around Restoring Street Grid in Downtown Oklahoma City
In a challenge to the wishes of the state DOT, a group of citizens has successfully campaigned for the addition of an alternative to restore the downtown street grid in place of a high-speed boulevard in Oklahoma City.
Chinese Investors Embark on U.S. Real Estate Shopping Spree
With of support of leaders in Beijing, Chinese investors are making their presence known in U.S. commercial and residential real estate markets. The levels of foreign investment are reminiscent of the Japanese buying binge of the 1980s.
Low Impact Streetscape Provides a Model for Main Street Revivals
Despite a prickly political atmosphere, the Seattle suburb of Bainbridge Island recently transformed the main artery of its town center, Winslow Way, in what author Mark Hinshaw, FAIA, calls “a really cool way.”
Seeing Dollar Signs, Developers Cater to Cyclists
Seeing an opportunity to cut costs, attract residents, and respond to changing demands of tenants, commercial and residential developers in the Seattle area are investing in amenities for bicyclists.
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.
JM Goldson LLC
Custer County Colorado
Sarasota County Government
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Claremont
Municipality of Princeton (NJ)
