Urban Development

D.C. Updating its Comprehensive Plan Framework
The D.C. Office of Planning has been updating its Comprehensive Plan since 2016. Next up is the very first chapter of the comp plan.

Take Me Out to the City
Architecture critic Paul Goldberger analyzes the evolution of baseball stadiums and celebrates their essential connection to cities in "Ballpark: Baseball in the American City."

Detroit Columnist: 30 Years Isn't Long Enough for a Sports Arena to Stand
The short life of the Palace of Auburn Hills, once home to the NBA's Detroit Pistons, is a "colossal waste," according to John Gallagher.

A Sneak Peek at the New Plan (and Zoning Code) for Downtown Los Angeles
The Los Angeles Department of City Planning has released a draft of the DTLA 2040 plan. In addition to the changes it proposes for the downtown area, it's the first community plan update to roll out the city's new zoning code.

1,000 Residential Units on the Delaware River
A vacant parcel is located near the city's Graffiti Pier, which is slated to become a public park after closing in June.

The Problem With All Those 'Livability' Rankings
Why is it that smallish cities in western Europe always score so well? Perhaps the underlying assumptions behind ostensibly data-driven "livability" rankings cater to a certain audience and leave most of us out.

Bay Area Planners Acknowledge the Need for Regional Housing Solutions
While most Bay Area communities are pursuing housing solutions "individually," local planners acknowledge the need for strategies that address the regional as a unified whole.

Consensus on Changes to Property Tax Abatement Too Challenging for Philadelphia
Despite over a year of proposals, counter proposals, and heated debate, the city of Philadelphia has yet to broker a breakthrough on proposed reforms to the city's ten-year property tax abatement program.

The Search for Natural Silence
With more cars on roads and planes in the sky than ever before, finding truly noise-free places with pure natural sounds has become ever more challenging.

Climate Crisis, Housing Crisis on a Collision Course
Sprawl might relieve the housing crisis, but it would also exacerbate the climate crisis. Tough choices will be necessary in regions like San Diego, where the question of where to accommodate growth is very much in question.

Seattle Sets a New Standard for Residential Zoning
Seattle is the latest in a series of cities, states, and counties to alter the landscape of land use regulation by approving what the Sightline Institute describes as the "most progressive" ADU policy in the United States.

Why Are These Prime Boston Properties Sitting Vacant?
Even though they often occupy valuable real estate, some Boston properties have sat vacant in various states of limbo for years.

More Detail on What Happened to 100 Resilient Cities
The Rockefeller Foundation has cited costs and a new strategic direction to explain why it abruptly cut off the program this year. While the work may live on in some form, the move underscores the risks of relying on private funding.

Kaiser Permanente to Construct Highrise Headquarters in Oakland
Following Salesforce's lead, the healthcare giant will relocate to a high-rise urban headquarters, transitioning out of seven locations it currently occupies in the East Bay.

How Some Cities Are Losing People and Staying Prosperous
Population loss doesn't always equate to economic decline. Richard Florida discusses a study examining American metros that are retaining their economic vitality as they shrink.

History Made: Oregon Legislature Ends Single-Family Zoning
A bill that seemed like it could be a casualty of a bitter partisan feud managed to squeak under the wire. With Governor Kate Brown's signature, single-family zoning will be prohibited throughout the state of Oregon.

An Affordable Housing Plan Takes Shape in Atlanta
The "One Atlanta Housing Affordability Action Plan" would protect or create 20,000 affordable homes in Atlanta.

Two Chicago Neighborhoods—Same City, But Starkly Different Worlds
A dataset on health measures in U.S. cities shows the difference in life expectancy between two Chicago neighborhoods is 30 years.

Another Mega-Project Coming to Downtown Toronto
Developers are betting on the continued shift of office work from the suburbs to downtown in Toronto, as the city experiences a building boom to support brisk business in the technology and financial-services industries.

New York City Agencies Gain Design-Build Authority
Agencies in the city of New York needed to state clearance to win design-build authority. Mayor Bill de Blasio hopes the change will allow more efficient development of capital projects.
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.
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City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
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Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
Municipality of Princeton (NJ)