Urban Development

Large casino resorts in Atlantic City and Connecticut take a hit, as new, smaller and local casinos, attract gamblers from the surroundings areas. New York state officials are paving the way for more casino proliferation, despite some skepticism.

October 27, 2012 - The New York Times

A unique blend of religious beliefs, state policies and capitalist interests are reshaping Mecca for the worse, critics argue, at the expense of its most prized cultural assets.

October 27, 2012 - The Guardian

Halfway completed, the University of Chicago's $250 million community redevelopment project ditches the oft-contentious town-gown relationship for a strategy of local investment and economic development, to the benefit of both.

October 26, 2012 - The New York Times

Who should be required to take the first step in suburban retrofitting? The city, in the form of providing walkable, bikeable streets, or developers, by conforming to pedestrian-oriented building standards?

October 26, 2012 - PlaceShakers

What might have been a business story about the failure of a local coffee chain - and not a small one at that - to compete against the mighty Starbucks becomes more of a description of what Seattle is all about, and urbanity plays a major role.

October 25, 2012 - The New York Times - U.S.

Two entrepreneurs and brothers take urban development matters into their own hands. The result? Lured by a contest offering free rent, and the associated buzz, Birmingham's South Avondale finds itself in the midst of a cultural renaissance.

October 25, 2012 - The Atlantic Cities

By a ratio of two-to-one, Toronto is far outpacing NYC in terms of high-rises and skyscrapers currently under construction. As other Canadian cities follow suit, Jim Flaherty, Canada's Finance Minister, is taking measures to cool the market.

October 24, 2012 - The Globe and Mail

Armed with complaints over favoritism towards developers, and insufficient deference to the needs of ordinary citizens, an independent challenger is taking on the incumbent mayor of affluent Alexandria, Virginia.

October 23, 2012 - The Washington Post

A few miles west of the District of Columbia, Tysons (formerly Tysons Corner) in Fairfax County is emerging as an economic powerhouse. Will this Virginia community overtake the Nation’s Capital?

October 23, 2012 - The Washington Post

Seattle offers a compelling example of how the transfer of development rights (TDR) can provide a market-based means to kill two smart-growth birds with one stone, writes Claire Thompson.

October 23, 2012 - Grist

Last week the San Francisco Planning Commission gave final approval for the 1,070-foot Transbay Transit Center tower, reports Mike Billings.

October 22, 2012 - The San Francisco Examiner

Lackluster sales in Pittsburgh's luxury condominium market haven't dissuaded developers from betting on the continued demand for residences in the city's downtown. A 95 percent occupancy rate in rental buildings is driving apartment construction.

October 22, 2012 - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Close to twenty five years after Denver debated the future of its historic, but blighted, Lower Downtown district, the city is reaping the benefits of its decision to preserve the “region’s largest collection of urban historic buildings.”

October 21, 2012 - Urban Land Magazine

Like its beloved baseball team, downtown Detroit is on an upswing, writes Bill Morris. The area's rise as a desirable neighborhood can be attributed in no small part to new sports facilities located in close proximity.

October 20, 2012 - The New York Times

In a provocative essay, Mitchell Sutika Sipus examines the dangers of subscribing to conventions such as style or planning trends, and argues why planners must forgo ideologies to create better solutions for community problems.

October 20, 2012 - Humanitarian Space

In the next 20 years, the D.C. area is expected to have nearly 3 million job openings. With the resulting demand for new, diverse and more affordable housing outpacing supply, some fear that the city’s housing deficit will derail its robust economy.

October 19, 2012 - Greater Greater Washington

City officials and leaders are considering an adaptive reuse ordinance for industrial buildings, modeled on the one that helped spark downtown L.A.’s residential boom, to help push forward the sputtering vision of a "CleanTech Corridor."

October 19, 2012 - Los Angeles Downtown News

From the "world’s first floating village" to the "world’s most audacious balconies," New York Magazine surveys "9 Experiments in Large" for their special feature on "Global Urban Design 2012."

October 19, 2012 - New York Magazine

One of the last major developments of Las Vegas's recent building boom, MGM's $8.5 billion CityCenter opened during the depths of the recession. Three years later, after slashing prices for hotel rooms and condos, the clouds are beginning to lift.

October 19, 2012 - The New York Times

A change made last month in the regulations concerning which buildings the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) judges to be eligible for financing could enable the construction of more mixed-use walkable developments, reports Angie Schmitt.

October 18, 2012 - Streetsblog D.C.