Urban Development

The Two Faces Of Gentrification

Hollywood celebrities and gangs, million-dollar luxury homes and the homeless, all live side-by-side in the Oakwood neighborhood of Venice.

June 14, 2006 - The Los Angeles Times

Downtown L.A. To Get Convention Center Hotel

At 54 stories, the $750-million project would feature a five-star hotel, nearly 1,000 rooms, and luxury condominiums. It would be one of the largest buildings in LA.

June 14, 2006 - The Los Angeles Times

'Microhomes' Joining McMansions As Vacation Getaways

Microhomes range in size from a few hundred to a little over one thousand square feet -- much smaller than the U.S. average of 2,400 square feet. While the microhome market is still "tiny", architects say buyer interest is growing significantly.

June 14, 2006 - The Wall Street Journal

Spanish Neighborhood To Mix Housing And Agriculture In 'Sociopolis'

The new development in Valencia, Spain, harkens back to a 1,000-year-old way of life, integrating small agricultural lands with housing, using a modern, high-rising twist.

June 13, 2006 - The Guardian

Who Is To Blame For Ground Zero Redevelopment Delays?

New Yorkers are not quite sure who is reponsible for the delayed redevelopment of Ground Zero.

June 12, 2006 - The Los Angeles Times

Miami's Legal Battle Over 'Citywalk' Redevelopment Plan

The City of Miami rejected Florida-based Concalpro's "Citywalk" plan, citing the market would not support the proposal for the 135-acre property adjacent to Miami International Airport. Concalpro has answered the rejection by taking legal action.

June 12, 2006 - The Miami Herald

What Should Maryland Look Like In 2030?

Involving hundreds of stakeholders, a set of four workshops in different parts of the state hopes to create a blueprint for regional growth.

June 12, 2006 - The Baltimore Sun

Brownfields - Redevelopment Opportunities Of Last Resort?

In built-out areas of Oregon, the only remaining developable land is on often located on contaminated brownfields, although in some cases the government has stepped in to provide funding for clean up.

June 11, 2006 - OregonLive

Balancing Growth In Miami

As Miami continues to grow and gentrify, City officials must balance the concerns of their future and existing residents.

June 10, 2006 - The Miami Herald

Last Stand for Property-rights Activists?

A year after high court's key decision, New London, Conn., voted to evict homeowners.

June 9, 2006 - The Christian Science Monitor

Federal Land Sale May Fund Local Wilderness Development In Utah

Population growth in scenic St. George, Utah, has officials trying to sell federal land to pay for municipal projects. Other western states may follow suit.

June 9, 2006 - The Los Angeles Times

House Passes Transportation, Housing, And Urban Development Budget

The new bill approved by the House Appropriations Committee "Provides for Smarter, More Efficient Amtrak Operations"; "Supports Aviation"; "Addresses Critical Housing Needs"; and "Funds Highway Spending", while cutting some critical programs.

June 8, 2006 - U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Appropriations

Housing Demand Booms -- In South African Shantytowns

The rabid market for housing has spread from upper- and middle-class neighborhoods to the shacks of impoverished slum townships, with tens of prospective buyers for every property.

June 8, 2006 - The New York Times

Server Farms: The Hot New Land Use

The Washington farmland town of Quincy has signed deals with Yahoo and Microsoft to house huge new Internet data centers -- server farms -- and land prices are spiking. Low power costs and high connectivity can create a 'technology gold rush'.

June 7, 2006 - BusinessWeek

'Banking' On Open Space In Florida

Bedroom community Maitland wants to convert its strip commercial core to a downtown, but guidelines mandate open space. Redefining 'open space' has opened a door to greater intensity -- and controversy.

June 7, 2006 - The Orlando Sentinel

Sprawling Calgary Faces Increased Pollution, Car Dependence

With a footprint as big as New York City but with a tenth of the population, and with no natural limits on growth, Calgary struggles to rein in suburban sprawl.

June 7, 2006 - The Globe and Mail

World's Fastest Growing City - A Photo Essay

Dubai is leading the pace as one of the world's fastest growing cities.

June 7, 2006 - Flickr

Sharpening 'Ruppie' Skills For Downtown Living

Urban planner Kyle Ezell has developed a course to teach suburbanites the "skills" required for downtown living. It promotes the "ruppie", or "retired urban people" lifestyle.

June 7, 2006 - The Chicago Tribune

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.