Urban Development
Company Towns: A Fraught 19th Century Idea is Getting a Second Life
From Lowell to Elon Musk’s Starbase, we trace the rise, fall, and resurgence of company towns.
Arizona is Desperate to Develop Housing in the Desert. This Town Has it Figured Out
An experiment in ‘arcology’ begun in the 1970s offers lessons in passive architecture that works with, rather than against, harsh climates.
Arizona Overrides Moratorium Imposed due to Water Crisis, Approves up to 60K New Homes
A newly created legal process allows development to proceed if builders agree to bring in renewable water sources and reduce their groundwater use by 25%.
NYC Will Finally Bring Sewer System to Flood-Prone Brooklyn Neighborhood
A 12-block area known as ‘The Hole’ straddling Brooklyn and Queens has struggled with flooding and sewage contamination for decades.
Detroit To Build New Bus, Train Hub Next to Historic Station
The new station will serve intercity buses and offer connections to Amtrak service.
Jeff Speck’s “Interesting Walk,” In Unexpected Art Forms
We thought it would be fun to ask the Planetizen family to show us their version of the Interesting Walk. What we got back surprised and delighted us beyond expectation.
‘California Forever’ Funders Have a New Idea: Take Over an Existing Town
After nixing a plan to build a new city from whole cloth in Solano County, the tech industry leaders behind California Forever want to build their community as an expansion of Suisun City.
Houston 'Abandons' Street for Convention Center Expansion
The city plans to eliminate multiple blocks of public streets as part of an expansion project that some residents say didn’t take into account local connectivity.
Study: Cramped Quarters Worsen Sleep — but not as Much as Long Commutes
A Japanese study links commutes over 50 minutes to higher rates of insomnia and daytime sleepiness.
LA is Finally Tackling its Concrete Problem
L.A. County is launching an Urban Natureways initiative that will convert flood channels and utility corridors into interconnected greenways to boost climate resilience, equity, and community vitality.
Car Culture Kills. Motornormativity Explains Why.
From “car accidents” to “traffic violence,” language shapes perception — and policy. When it comes to the words we use, let’s put the power with the people.
Nearly Half a Million New Arizona Homes Halted Due to Water Crisis
The Arizona Department of Water Resources has put a moratorium on new water supply permits, making the future of planned residential developments uncertain.
“Skin, Like a City, Will Tell You if You’ve Ignored its History”
Once an urban planner, Sean Colgrave traded in infrastructure for ink when he became a tattoo artist. Now he says: one profession has a lot to learn from the other.
September Must-Reads: Top 10 Articles From Last Month
EV drivers can no longer use carpool lanes alone, Bay Area transit is saved — for now — by a $750 million loan, and a Florida commuter rail line loses its state subsidy, jeopardizing its future.
Northern Virginia's Unlikely Transit-Oriented-Development Success Story
A rail line has brought hundreds of new housing units and offices to the region.
Boston Train Station Gets ‘Stunning’ Makeover
The historic South Station got some much-needed upgrades as part of a massive redevelopment project that will bring luxury condos and offices to the neighborhood.
Study: Nearly Half of Portland TOD Residents Commute by Transit
People living in transit-oriented developments are more likely to ditch the car and opt for transit or walking, new research shows.
Will Urban Planners Lose Their Jobs to AI?
Let’s see what the data says.
William Whyte’s Seminal Urban Film Restored
‘The Social Life of Small Urban Spaces’ changed the way planners view public space and ushered in a new way of understanding urban patterns.
Boston Upzoning Proposal Moves Forward
The Boston Planning Department approved a proposal that would raise allowable building heights in downtown and streamline permitting for small businesses.
FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?
After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.
Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold
The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.
City of Rosemead
Rutgers University, Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy
One Hundred Miles
Hunter College, City University of New York (CUNY)
The Architects Foundation
University of Cincinnati Online
City of Cambridge
Montrose County
The Pocatello Development Authority
