Urban Development

Idiot brigade

More on the Cost of Anti-Growth Policies

As urban centers start making better sense for a digital economy, NIMBY policies might be worth re-examining. In addition to driving up the cost of housing, they may compound inefficiencies and slow down the economy.

April 12, 2015 - The Economist

Planned City

Are Asia's Planned Cities a New Colonialism?

While they look clean and green on the drawing board, Asia's planned developments might be nothing more than cloned commercialism set in concrete. By undermining local culture, this 'smart city' approach may also prove unsustainable.

April 12, 2015 - The Global Urbanist

Red and Blue States

Op-Ed: Where GOP Is Strong, Cities Receive Less

When it comes to federal appropriations, urban areas in states dominated by rural Republicans are at a distinct disadvantage. In search of lobbying power, metros in affected states are banding together.

April 11, 2015 - Governing Magazine

Queens New York

Iconic Queens Clock Tower Anchors 915-Foot Skyscraper

In a complex saga involving the MTA, an 88-year-old tower, and a planned 77-story apartment behemoth, affordable housing may be first to fall by the wayside.

April 11, 2015 - New York Times

Traffic and Speed

'Jobs Sprawl' Plagues Cleveland Commutes

Research from Brookings puts Cleveland in last place for improving access to jobs from 2000 through 2012. And jobs sprawl is up throughout the rest of the country as well.

April 11, 2015 - Green City Blue Lake

Big Plans for Fort Wayne's Downtown Waterfront

Situated at the confluence of the St. Joseph, St. Marys, and Maumee Rivers, Fort Wayne, Indiana is flush with funding for an ambitious waterfront revival project.

April 10, 2015 - The Architect's Newspaper

Can Seattle Build 20,000 Affordable Units in 10 Years?

Frank Chiachiere provides some advice on how Seattle can achieve its ambitious goals for affordable housing over the next decade: build transit to places where land is less expensive.

April 10, 2015 - Seattle Transit Blog

Los Angeles Releases Ambitious 'Sustainable City Plan'

Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti has ambitious plans to modernize the city. This week his administration laid out a sweeping sustainability agenda on matters of critical importance to the future of the nation's second largest city.

April 9, 2015 - Los Angeles Daily News

TOD Sign

Quality Public Transit Benefits Land Use Outcomes

New research quantifies public transit impacts on urban development patterns, and resulting benefits. Current transit services reduces U.S. urban land consumption by 27 percent, which reduces VMT, fuel consumption and pollution emissions 8 percent.

April 9, 2015 - Quantifying Transit’s Impact on GHG Emissions and Energy Use—The Land Use Component

Visioning Edges in Cities, and the Spaces Beyond

In an inspirational essay about the undeveloped boundaries of the public domain (such as street-ends), Chuck Wolfe urges innovation in city spaces where we "blend the familiar with the edge of the unknown."

April 9, 2015 - The Huffington Post

Preservation and Revitalization in Latin America

Urban city centers have been decaying for years in Latin America, however, with renewed interest by Latin American governments, these city cores are once again being revitalized. Arup Connect spoke with urban design leader Pablo Lazo to learn how.

April 8, 2015 - Arup Connect

Fall Sprawl

Study: Transit, Density Can't Overcome Sprawl on Carbon Emissions

A new study explains how building new transit and density along transit corridors isn't enough alone to reduce carbon emissions in metropolitan areas.

April 8, 2015 - Climate Central

Minneapolis Green Line University of Minnesota

Minneapolis' New Urbanism Success Story

A case study in how New Urbanist principles helped transform the neighborhood around the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis.

April 8, 2015 - Streets.MN

Recession Success Story: Walkable Commercial Areas

New data show the resilience of walkable commercial areas through the recent recession. Parking minimums, however, prevent new projects from taking advantage of the strengths of such development patterns.

April 8, 2015 - Vox

Developer Owned Utilities Struggle to Manage the Cost of Water in Northern Arizona

The Arizona Daily Sun details the curious case of subdivision development, private utilities, and skyrocketing utility rates that linger as an effect of the last development cycle of boom and bust.

April 7, 2015 - Arizona Daily Sun

New Life for Hotels in Downtown Detroit

A new talking point to support the idea of a comeback for Detroit: brisk business and new investment in the Downtown hotel market.

April 7, 2015 - Detroit Free Press

New York Reconsiders Air Rights for Landmarks

An old idea has new life in the de Blasio Administration—less restrictive air rights regulations for landmarks like St. Patrick's Cathedral.

April 7, 2015 - The Wall Street Journal

More Evidence of Smart Growth Savings

Analysis of incremental tax revenues and public service costs of various development patterns in Madison, Wisconsin indicates significant economic savings from more compact land use. Modest increases in density can provide large fiscal benefits.

April 7, 2015 - The Fiscal Implications of Development Patterns

New York Zoning Amendments to Speed Sandy Recovery Efforts

The city of New York is still working to support property owners in their recovery from Hurricane Sandy—as well as their preparation for the next extreme weather event. The zoning code is one area in need of improvement.

April 7, 2015 - New York Department of City Planning

Tampa

Inside Tampa's New Urbanism Makeover

The Tampa Bay Times dives into New Urbanism with an interview of Jeff Speck and Dvid Dixon about their work on the $1 billion transformation of Tampa's downtown waterfront.

April 6, 2015 - Tampa Bay Times

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.

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.