Urban Development

Colorado Homes

Home Builders Oppose Changes to Property Tax, Mortgage Interest Deductions

The National Association of Home Builders has decided that the Republican tax reform proposal would lower property values.

November 1, 2017 - USA Today

Seattle

Revisiting Single-Family Zoning After a Political Setback

Few cities have gone so far in considering drastic changes to single-family zoning as Seattle did in 2015. Still, the discussion about single-family zoning would have to go a lot further to turn into meaningful reform.

November 1, 2017 - The Urbanist

Inland Empire

'Millennial Livability' Takes Shape in Suburban Inland Empire

The Inland Empire's housing boom and economic growth are attracting plenty of new residents—especially millennials.

November 1, 2017 - The Planning Report

Nuclear Weapons Plant

Report: Benefits in the Billions for a New Highway Through the Denver Suburbs

The proposed 10-mile Jefferson Parkway expansion would cross land once home to the Rocky Flats nuclear weapons plant—site of one of the country's largest environmental crimes.

October 31, 2017 - The Denver Post

Manhattan Skyline

Manhattan Community Group Resists 'Super Tower'

Plans for an 800-foot tower have attracted well-funded opposition from a community group. Its campaign to regulate the structure's height has spiraled into a big fight.

October 30, 2017 - Politico

Dallas

Downtown Dallas 'Smart District' in the Works

Spanning eight blocks, plans for the Dallas Smart District include offices, hotel space, and retail. Anchoring the development: a 78-floor tower that would become the tallest building in town.

October 30, 2017 - Dallas News

Suburban Density Retrofit, Vancouver-Style

Vancouver shows how to retrofit suburban sprawl with transit and density at a recent Lambda Alpha International event, attended and recounted by development consultant Jim Chappell.

October 30, 2017 - UrbDeZine

1970s

David Simon on the Uniqueness of New York

The creator of "The Wire" talks to CityLab about "The Deuce," New York City in the 1970s, and how strategies for one town won't always work for another.

October 30, 2017 - CityLab

Dangerous Intersection Gets an Overpass and a Cap Park in Golden, Colorado

The city of Golden, Colorado celebrated the opening of the Linking Lookout earlier in October

October 29, 2017 - The Denver Post

Washington

Livability Standards Have Arrived in the Pacific Northwest

The city of Bellevue, Washington has adopted new zoning and land use standards as part of an ongoing Downtown Livability Initiative.

October 29, 2017 - The Urbanist

bergen County, New Jersey

Opinion: Even Wealthy Counties Can Make Space for Affordable Housing

Bergen County, New Jersey offers a case study in overcoming decades of illegal and exclusionary zoning practices.

October 28, 2017 - NorthJersey.com

6th Street Viaduct

A Bold Housing Vision for the L.A. River

An unsolicited proposal from the engineering firm reimagines a stretch along the L.A. River as a mixed-use mega-development, rich in housing and jobs.

October 28, 2017 - The Architect's Newspaper

Busch Stadium

Ballpark Village Development Announced in St. Louis

A $261 million mixed-use development next to Busch Stadium will put the "village" in the Ballpark Village project in downtown St. Louis.

October 26, 2017 - St. Louis Post-Dispatch

2017 World Series

The World Series of Housing Markets

Comparing the housing markets of Houston and Los Angeles—two of the nation's metropolitan area's most commonly associated with auto-centric sprawl—before their respective Major League Baseball teams square off in the 2017 World Series.

October 24, 2017 - Real Estate Consulting

Minnesota

Minnesota Town Halts All Multi-Family Construction for One Year

Anoka, Minnesota decided it has enough rental housing.

October 24, 2017 - Star Tribune

Ontario, Canada

Sidewalk Labs, Waterfront Toronto Partnership Shoots the Smart Cities Moon

The most ambitious example of the almost-mythological "smart city" will be tested in the Quayside district in Toronto as result of a partnership between Sidewalk Labs and Waterfront Toronto.

October 23, 2017 - The Globe and Mail (Toronto)

Down Payment

Study: It's the Land That's Making Housing Expensive

A new study explains why so many small homes have such a massive price tag in desirable coastal areas: It's not the coast of building; it's the value of the land.

October 23, 2017 - Buildzoom

Atlanta Beltline Acquires Major Piece of the Future Eastside Trail

The Atlanta Beltline will be realized one step at a time, and this was a big one.

October 22, 2017 - Curbed Atlanta

An Architectural Review of Toyota's New Texas Headquarters

Toyota Motor Company of North America has arrived in Texas.

October 21, 2017 - The Dallas Morning News

California

Integrating Environmental Justice Into Planning Processes

National City, California pioneered a model for implementing environmental justice considerations into planning processes—state law compels states to follow National City's leadership.

October 20, 2017 - Next City

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.

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.