Urban Development

Michael LoGrande Appointed As Los Angeles' New Planning Director

Chief Zoning Administrator Michael LoGrande has been promoted to director just a few short weeks after his predecessor, Gail Goldberg announced her resignation.

August 5, 2010 - The Architect's Newspaper

Would A World Cup in Qatar Make Sense?

The Middle Eastern country of Qatar is bidding to play host to the 2022 World Cup. But some wonder whether the Cup might do better for the area if it were hosted by a regional coalition.

August 5, 2010 - The Huffington Post

Urban Lifestyle Preference On The Rise

Using the 15-year-old transformation of Rockville, MD's mall-centered downtown to a mixed-use town square as an example, the real estate industry sees the suburban-to-urban lifestyle change spreading across much of the country.

August 4, 2010 - Reuters via ABC News/Money

San Francisco Parking Battle Shows Limits Of Smart Planning

Neighbors are in uproar over a 71-unit affordable housing project planned on a bus-turnaround in a residential area of San Francisco because it provides only 7 parking spaces. Is smart growth planning getting ahead of itself by becoming top-down?

August 4, 2010 - San Francisco Chronicle

Revitalizing Downtown in Small and Mid-Sized Cities

Small and mid-sized cities in Canada are taking innovative steps to revitalize their downtowns, and lure businesses and entrepreneurs back.

August 4, 2010 - The Globe and Mail

Volcano-Oriented Development

The Albuquerque City Council and staff are drafting plans for Volcano Heights, Volcano Cliffs and Volcano Trails, three sites bordering Petroglyph National Monument. A simmering debate over open space conservation seems cooled by public process.

August 4, 2010 - Albuquerque Journal

Designing Urban Areas to Hear the Sounds of the City

Cities make more sounds than just cars driving by or factories humming. Trevor Cox says we should embrace the subtle sounds of cities, and update our urban design to make sure we can.

August 3, 2010 - New Scientist

Ambitious Development Plan Crumbles Before City's Eyes

This piece from The New York Times looks at how an ill-fated development plan for the island of Alameda fell apart, and the city official tied up in the controversy.

August 3, 2010 - The New York Times

From Baseball Star To Affordable Housing Rehabilitator

Former major league baseball player Maurice Vaughn has made a new new career of buying, then rehabilitating public housing projects. The Times describes Mo's life and transformation as well as that of his six-year-old company, Omni New York LLC.

August 2, 2010 - The New York Times - N.Y. / Region

The Harlem 'Under-Line'

Seeking to replicate the success of the High Line linear park in New York City, some are suggesting the creation of a linear small business market beneath a segment of Metro tracks in Harlem.

August 2, 2010 - Crain's Business New York

The Mall: Not Dead Yet

Retail Traffic Magazine reports that the indoor mall, long declared dead, has weathered the storm of the recession better than expected -- and better than many retail concepts imagined as the next big thing.

August 2, 2010 - Retail Traffic Magazine

The Happy Magic Watercube Waterpark

That's the name of the new project being built in the Beijing Watercube, one of the city's highlight architectural creations built for the 2008 Summer Olympics.

August 1, 2010 - Contract

New Jersey's Forests Disappearing

A new study shows that the amount of urban development in New Jersey now outnumbers the state's forest acreage.

July 31, 2010 - New Jersey Star-Ledger

Cairo Facing Possible Future of American-Style Suburban Sprawl

Real estate investment is expected to rise sharply in the greater Cairo region. Some fear this will bring about American-style suburban sprawl.

July 31, 2010 - Global Real Estate Monitor

Liveability Loses Out

The House of Representatives voted on the 2011 appropriations bill for Transportation and Housing and Urban Development yesterday, stripping $200 million from liveability initiatives that the Obama administration wanted.

July 30, 2010 - Streetsblog

Miami Approves 50-story Electronic Signs

The Miami City Commission has controversially approved a pair of 50-story electronic signs to be built atop a parking garage next to the City's Arsht Performing Arts Center.

July 30, 2010 - Miami Herald

China's Cities: All Show, No Substance?

Chinese urban sprawl has the potential to be transformed into urban sustainability.

July 29, 2010 - TheCityFix

Underwater Homeowners Taking New Gambles on Real Estate

The Wall St. Journal reports that some homeowners are selling their underwater homes at a loss and turning right around and investing in new homes with lower mortgage rates and getting more house in the process.

July 28, 2010 - The Wall St. Journal

San Francisco Pins Utopian Hopes on Treasure Island

San Francisco has always been home to utopian dreamers. With a clean slate to work on in the middle of the bay, the city has drafted plans for a sustainable utopia. With politics and money kicking in, will the dream be dashed?

July 28, 2010 - Shareable

Cleveland Development Could Connect Food Wholesalers With Public

A proposed development on a vacant lot in ailing Cleveland could connect locals with a little-known asset of their community - a cluster of food wholesalers.

July 27, 2010 - The Cleveland Plain Dealer

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.