Urban Development

Pricetag for LaGuardia Overhaul Gaining Altitude: Now $4.2 Billion

The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey is considering a proposal to replace LaGuardia Airport's Central Terminal Building.

February 21, 2016 - The Wall Street Journal

Tinkering With Seattle's Microhousing Rules Continues

A local writer evaluates the results of a 2014 ordinance that updated regulations regarding the development of microhousing. The Seattle City Council could once again revisit the regulations as part of the city's HALA process.

February 20, 2016 - The Urbanist

CN Tower rises above Gardiner Expressway on Toronto Waterfront

From 'Traffic' Planning to 'Transportation' Planning: Toronto's Pivot to the Future

Ken Greenberg, the former director of architecture and urban design for the city of Toronto, sits down to discuss how Toronto needs to transform to ensure a less auto-reliant future that serves a changing demographic of younger urban dwellers.

February 20, 2016 - Metro

Industrial Chic—Shipping Container Homes

Innovative Idaho developer wants to create a subdivision using shipping containers that will be targeted at eco-conscious home buyers looking for new options, first-time home-buyers and empty-nesters with a sale price: $152,000.

February 20, 2016 - Idaho Statesman

Mayor Emanuel Pitches Expanded Density Bonuses in Downtown Chicago

Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel proposed an expansion of the city's Downtown Zoning District this week. The changes would allow taller buildings in a larger swath of the city.

February 19, 2016 - Chicago Tribune

Cheers

RIP: Boston Dive Bars (1630-2016)

A recent unofficial tally on Yelp found that 20 of the 70 Boston dive bars listed on the site had recently closed. The Boston Globe examines the trend.

February 19, 2016 - The Boston Globe

Vancouver and Toronto Lead Big Increases in Canadian Housing Prices

The bloated cost of housing in Vancouver and Toronto has raised concerns among market analysts about a potential correction. Presumably, people in Canada are also worried about the price of housing.

February 19, 2016 - The Vancouver Sun

Champion of L.A.'s 'Neighborhood Integrity Initiative' Speaks

A longtime Los Angeles journalist has joined the cause of a sweeping anti-growth initiative that has city leaders on high alert.

February 19, 2016 - The Planning Report

Gurgaon, India

Friday Eye Candy: India's Rapid Urbanization

Photographer and architect Lars Mortensen captured the new face of urbanization in Gurgaon, a suburb of New Delhi. The scales involved are unprecedented, and rich and poor live in close proximity.

February 19, 2016 - Wired

Alamo Square

Op-Ed: Let's Build Homes, Not Ideology

Knee-jerk, ideological reactions to the California housing crisis rest on faulty arguments and threaten to cheat the state out of workable solutions.

February 18, 2016 - Eric Panzer

Parking Minimums Could Torpedo an Adaptive Reuse Project in Cincinnati

A vote by the city of Cincinnati's Historic Conservation Board, of all things, would prioritize parking over historic integrity.

February 18, 2016 - Urban Cincy

Public Meeting Speaker

Socially-Blind Urban Planning

In this era of increased inequality, socially-blind urban planning is morally questionable. Specifically, on the issue of homelessness in America, there are three problems to which planners need to pay particular attention.

February 18, 2016 - Shelterforce/Rooflines

L.A.'s New Planning Director Vince Bertoni Shares His Vision

The new director of the Los Angeles Department of City Planning arrives at a pivotal moment for planning in the city, as countywide investment in public transit is blowing up and the flames of old development debates are being fanned.

February 18, 2016 - The Planning Report

Is Jersey City the New York Metro Area's Next Brooklyn?

A 10-minute commute to lower Manhattan has made this once dingy city into the fastest growing in the Garden State. Yet from an historic perspective, Jersey City was a "shrinking city," not unlike Detroit or Youngstown, until 25 years ago.

February 18, 2016 - The New York Times - Real Estate

São Paulo, Brazil

Can a New Master Plan Fix What Ails São Paulo, Brazil?

Facing an ever expanding shortage of affordable housing and growing inequality, São Paulo's new master plan hopes to change the face of the city.

February 16, 2016 - Next City

Boston Seaport

GE and Industry's Return to the City

GE recently made the blockbuster decision to move its corporate headquarters to Boston. More than just another example of a company returning to an urban area, the move shows how a city like Boston benefits the kind of company GE wants to become.

February 16, 2016 - Rod Stevens

Oil Rigs

North Dakota's Oil Boom Falters

As oil prices dip to around $30 a barrel, fears are setting in that North Dakota's oil fields have been overdeveloped. If the current boom goes bust, these towns might find themselves nearly empty.

February 15, 2016 - New York Times

San Diego

San Diego's Bold New Plan for Downtown Cyclists and Walkers

San Diego's downtown, dominated by 3-lane one-way streets engineered to maximize car velocity and traffic flow, may be getting redesigned to make it hospitable for bicyclists and pedestrians.

February 15, 2016 - UrbDeZine

Hackney Empire

How the Built Environment Shapes Music

From Motown to grunge, techno to hip hop, modern music came to life in garages, living rooms, churches, and warehouses. Urban design has been instrumental to what we listen to every day.

February 15, 2016 - The Guardian Cities

Inside the Plans to Build a Domed City in Dubai

Plans are underway to build the world's first domed city.

February 14, 2016 - Tech Insider

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.