Urban Development
New Homes to Come With Energy-Efficiency Labels
Last year, developer KB Homes began putting an Energy Performance Guide (EPG) label on every home they build. Is this an idea who's time has come?
Extreme Makeover: Housing Policies Edition
As consumer real estate debt surpasses $9 trillion, TIME magazine examines four radical proposals that top policymakers and economists think will help turn things around.
Brownfield Revitalization, or Gentrification?
Residents of the Bayview neighborhood of San Francisco fear that redevelopment threatens to gentrify the area in a way that pushes out low- and middle-income black residents.
Is "Nuisance Abatement Team" a Legitimate Use of Police Power?
In Antelope Valley, Calif., questionable code enforcement practices encroach the Fifth Amendment taking clause while the obfuscation of facts by public officials mars the transparent aspect of the planning process.
Green Gadget Homes Aimed at Middle Class
Developers in Frederick, ND are aiming to build "green" homes that middle income buyers can afford. The homes are sporting features such as, solar panels, geothermal heating and high-tech computer systems that are typically found in high end homes.
NYC's Answer to Silicon Valley
Joining Yelp, Net-A-Porter, and Apple, tech companies find a new hub in Union Square (aka "Silicon Square").
TODs Spark Parking Reform
Saqib Rahim asks, "If Denver is committed to transit, how much parking should it build?"
The Challenge of Creating a City from the Olympics
The success of the 2012 Olympics in London likely won't be evident until after the event, which is seeking to repurpose a down-and-out part of town into a new neighborhood.
The Boon in British Cycling
A new report from the London School of Economics looks at the “cycling economy” that is taking the United Kingdom by storm and the economic benefits generated by individual cyclists.
Real Estate Rebound Gaining Ground in Select Cities
Bay City, Michigan, which has seen seven consecutive months of rising home prices, is one of 25 metro areas seeing a rebound in their real estate market despite a slow economic recovery, Morgan Brennan reports for Forbes.
TOD Booms in California
Transit oriented development is on the rise in California, with new projects being pushed in conjunction with new rail lines in Southern California and the Bay Area.
My Future City is Houston?
The BMW Guggenheim Lab has released an online urban planning game called "Urbanology," which asks a serious of questions to determine the type of city you think is the future.
Publicly-Funded Stadiums Bad Deal for Cities
Sports teams often coerce cities into contributing public funds toward the building of new stadiums. Numerous reports indicate that it's a bad deal for cities with little to no positive economic impact, writes Neal DeMause.
Times Square "Meeting Bowls" Bring People Together
New street furniture being tested in the Broadway pedestrian zone attempts to create a semi-sheltered, intimate space in the middle of the glitz of 42nd St.
Richard Florida Picks Hot Urban Neighborhoods
In USA Today, Florida picks 10 neighborhoods that give a "slice of local urban life," ranging from Miami's Wynwood and Design District to Fort Worth, Texas' West 7th community.
Thousands of Public Gardens for London 2012
Leading up to the 2012 Olympics, a group in London is taking advantage of stalled building projects to create 2,012 public gardens in the city before the sporting event.
Stalled Projects Don't Stop Las Vegas Redevelopment
Despite a raft of major projects that have stalled, smaller-scale projects are moving ahead in Las Vegas.
Vision Lacking in Downtown L.A. Stadium Plan
Plans for a downtown football stadium in Los Angeles are seeming ever more likely to pan out. The project present an opportunity for the city to develop a major center, but shortsightedness could keep it from becoming an exciting part of the city.
The Trouble with Designing for Transit Preference
Suburban areas don't necessarily equate with car-dependence, according to some New Urbanist plans for far-out areas. But convincing residents to opt for transit can be a challenge.
Place Overpowers Bunkers in Cleveland's Post-9/11 Projects
A decade after terrorist attacks looked to usher in an age of security-heavy architecture, new projects in cities are eschewing the security bunker for eyes and feet on the street.
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.
Borough of Carlisle
Smith Gee Studio
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
Municipality of Princeton (NJ)
