Urban Development

New D.C. Development Guidelines Require More Consideration of Walkability
Washington, D.C. recently released its first new guidelines for transportation review of new developments since 2012.

Shelter for Detained Immigrant Children Proposed for D.C. Neighborhood
The approval of a 200-bed shelter for detained immigrant shelter will require zoning approvals from the D.C. Board of Zoning Appeals.
New High-Rises in Boston Pick Up Where Development Left Off 40 Years Ago
A new development promises to transform a gritty part of the Back Bay, according to this article from the Boston Globe.

A Retiring Dean Considers the Changing Responsibilities of Planners
Former L.A. City Councilmember and retiring Cal Poly College of Environmental Design Dean Michael Woo reminds readers of the visionary responsibilities of elected officials to ensure the plans of today indeed consider the needs of tomorrow.

Number of Vacant Properties Declining in Syracuse
Like many cities around the country, the city of Syracuse struggles with vacant and blighted residential properties. Lately, Syracuse can report positive progress on the challenge.

Shared Mobility Subsidies Dry Up, Revealing the Industry’s Economic Realities
Companies are looking to generate profits, but customers have come to expect low-cost, subsidized travel and raising prices will prove challenging.

Planning Department Study Documents Storefront Vacancy in NYC Neighborhoods
A new report from the New York Department of City Planning has found that storefront vacancy may not be a one-answer citywide problem. Vacancies were found to be concentrated in certain neighborhoods, and the reasons appear to be varied.

Seattle Residents Wary of Urban Greening Efforts
Parts of the city desperately need more trees, but some residents worry about the long-term effects of tree planting in neighborhoods.

Presidential Politics Enters the Des Moines Rezoning Debate
Julián Castro, Democratic candidate for president and former secretary of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, chose a side regarding the controversial rezoning proposal making its way through the Des Moines City Council.

Six Months After Amazon: A Call to Develop in Long Island City
It's been six months since Amazon rescinded its plans to build a second headquarters in New York City. The neighborhood planned for the facility could still see a huge benefit from an ambitious development, according to this opinion.

Gentrification and Race in the San Francisco Bay Area
A feature article revisits the gentrification and displacement discussion, especially as it pertains to racial and economic demographics, in one of the nation's most troubled and challenging housing markets.

Zappos Partnering on a Geodesic Dome Village in Las Vegas
Zappos, a shoe company, is working with Geoship, a geodesic dome company, to build a village of the domes in Las Vegas.

Via Rideshare Service Expands in Chicago
The company hopes that a broader service area and discounted rides will help people better access transit services.

Street Closure, Park Experiment Hits a Snag in Cleveland
In July, a local nonprofit closed down an entire street in the Ohio City neighborhood of Cleveland for a placemaking experiment that had to be partially dismantled before the three-month duration of the program was complete.

Casino Developer Wants Out of Expressway On-Ramp Plan in Philadelphia
There is a lot of development and planning intrigue about a casino developer and the extremely challenging plan to add an on-ramp to the Schuylkill Expressway in South Philadelphia.

Ride App Closes Up Shop
The Ride smartphone app, which has gathered millions of miles of bike trip data to help inform bike planning and encourage cycling, is moving on to micromobility.

Boston's Seaport District Still Lacking Diversity
The glitzy new neighborhood doesn’t cater to all Boston residents, according to a new survey.

Battle of the Bay: Oakland Ahead of San Francisco in Housing Construction
Call it a role reversal: Oakland is building far more apartments and housing units than San Francisco—a reversal of the history of development in the Bay Area.

State Law Allows for Local Reform of the Washington State Environmental Policy Act
Reform of the Washington State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) is underway at the local level after a new state bill offered "safe harbor" under the law for a menu of land use and development reforms.

Jakarta's Suburb in the Sky
A rooftop housing development in the Indonesian capital takes the suburb to new heights.
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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)