Urban Development

Watch: Responding to Anti-Black Racism in Planning and Urbanism
A must-watch conversation between BIPOC researchers and advocates working in the realm of planning and urbanism is available to watch on YouTube.

The Great Retrofit: Transforming Tysons With Walkable Residential Development
A 2010 comprehensive plan set a goal to add 100,000 residential units with walkable access to public transit to this unincorporated corner of Fairfax County in Northern Virginia.

Another Way to Achieve Racial Justice: Zoning Reform
An opinion piece calls out suburban communities for perpetuating structural inequality and housing discrimination. Recently converted social justice advocates should focus their zeal on zoning reform, according to the argument that follows.

Debating the Future of Cities After the Coronavirus, Volume 3
The third installment of an ongoing, curated list of a particularly contemporary genre of urbanism punditry.

Reports Offers COVID-19 Recovery Guidance for Struggling Communities
Communities struggling with the economic, social, and health realities of the 21st century must start planning now to mitigate the worst outcomes of the coronavirus pandemic, according to a new report from the Center for Community Progress.

Silver Spring Downtown Plan Expanding to Make Room for the Missing Middle
Planners are hoping that by expanding the boundaries of the Silver Spring Downtown Plan in Montgomery County, Maryland, new opportunities for missing middle housing will create new opportunities for housing affordability.

What Will Become of Dallas' Interstate 345?
Disagreement about the removal of Interstate 345 in Dallas continues. Even the son of Senator Royce West wants a say in the future of the highway.

North Texas Cities Organize Regional Recovery Efforts
A consortium of cities and regional organizations have created the new nonprofit known as the North Texas Innovation Alliance.

Designing for Life
A Black architect calls on designers to recommit their training and expertise to account for the health and safety of all, especially those who have been most harmed by the status quo of the built environment.

Trump to Suspend Environmental Regulation for Economic Emergency
Reports from the White House indicate that the Trump administration is planning to rollback federal environmental protections to expedite highway and other projects.

Black Urbanism at Work
Black Americans have been working hard to build a better world.

Can Bay Area Communities Come Together to Plan for Sea Level Rise?
Bay Area municipalities need to work together to enable a comprehensive plan to protect against sea-level rise. Communities may be submerged as early as 2030.

Laying the Groundwork for Cheaper Multi-Family Housing Construction
The processes of clearing land, building foundations, and making space for parking are three of the most expensive components of the construction process. Zoning can help reduce the costs to deliver more affordable housing supply.

Overcrowded Housing Connected to Coronavirus Infection
"This is a housing disease."

A 21st Century Planning Case Study: Buffalo, New York
Frederick Law Olmsted called Buffalo the best planned city in the United States, but in the second half of the 20th century it transitioned into a prototypical "Rust Belt" city.

Entertainment District in East Bay Area City Scrapped Due to Economic Uncertainty
A developer has changed its mind about a plan to bring a soccer stadium and convention center to the city of Concord in the East San Francisco Bay Area.

The '30 by 30' Framework Sets an Ambitious Goal for Nature Conservation
California State Legislature committee approved AB 3030 in May, adopting a plan to save 30% of land and sea from development by the year 2030. The Convention on Biological Diversity is likely to follow in adopting the 30 by 30 framework.

Post-Pandemic Era of Shopping Malls Creates Opportunities for Downtowns
The COVID-19 pandemic and massive mall-retailer closings has left millions of highly skilled workers from the retail and food and beverage industries unemployed and eager to work. Many will seek to open their own businesses in downtowns.

Violence Against Black Americans a Moment of Reckoning for the Planning Profession
After a wave violence against Black men in the United States, it is the duty of the planning profession to consider its role in perpetuating institutional racism.

The Urban Project: Urbanization, Urbanisms, and the Virus—A Historical Take
Perceptions of what makes density either "good" or "bad" have shifted over the years, and the pandemic is likely to precipitate another shift.
Pagination
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.
Smith Gee Studio
City of Charlotte
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
US High Speed Rail Association
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
Municipality of Princeton (NJ)