Urban Development

Century Cameras

One Hundred Years of Exposure

An interview with artist and critic Jonathon Keats, who recently implemented a project in Berlin where participants will anchor pinhole "century cameras" around the city to record its changes over a period of 100 years.

June 19, 2014 - James Brasuell

Greene Medical Office Building

Self-Starter Urbanism: Small Firms Tackle Big Projects on Their Own Terms

Development and research projects allow small firms entry into large-scale design.

June 18, 2014 - Anna Bergren Miller

Planning Neglected in Philadelphia's High School Fire Sale

Inga Saffron asks the tough questions of Philadelphia's sale of University City High School to Drexel University.

June 18, 2014 - Philadelphia Inquirer

Three Transit Stations At-Risk in Cleveland's Opportunity Corridor Planning

Stations on the Cleveland Regional Transit Authority's Red Line are hanging in the balance due to funding shortfalls on the $331 million "Opportunity Corridor" that would build a five-lane, 3.5-mile boulevard between University Circle and I-490.

June 18, 2014 - Cleveland Plain Dealer

Walkable DC

Report Ranks Walkable Urbanism in America's Largest Metropolitan Areas

A new report authored by Chris Leinberger and Patrick Lynch, called "Foot Traffic Ahead," ranks walkable urban places (or "WalkUPs") around the country.

June 18, 2014 - Smart Growth America

No Little Plans for Private Passenger Rail Service Between Miami and Orlando

The last private passenger rail in the United States closed in 1983, but a private company is working on a 240-mile service between Orlando and Florida. CityLab recently detailed how a relic of the past could transform the Florida of the future.

June 17, 2014 - CityLab

Zoning Code Changes as 'Customer Service' in Somerville

Planners in Somerville, a dense suburb adjacent to Boston, are touting the city's new zoning code as a customer service document. An editorial says the changes could flip zoning in the state of Massachusetts upside-down.

June 17, 2014 - The Boston Globe

Washington D.C. Could Convert Vacant Lots to Urban Farms

Following a trend that has been more common in shrinking cities, Washington D.C. is considering a bill that would convert district-owned lots into urban farms.

June 17, 2014 - DCist

Parking Garage—Site of the Nixon Administration's Demise—Scheduled for Demolition

Reuters reports that the famous location where an FBI informant known as "Deep Throat" met with Washington Post reporter Bob Woodward during the Watergate scandal will soon be replaced with a new mixed-use development.

June 17, 2014 - Reuters via Chicago Tribune

Are Hyper-Urbanizing Countries Experiencing Lower Vaccination Levels?

Urbanization may turn conventional thinking about vaccinations on its head, at least in India.

June 17, 2014 - The Times Of India

How Popular Television Predicts Urban Trends

Christopher and Lisa Leinberger present a history of popular television shows reflecting and predicting how Americans chose to live.

June 17, 2014 - Next City

Study: American Housing Preferences Mimic American Politics

Emily Badger pulls particularly salient information from last week's Pew Research Center's report on political attitudes: liberals prefer the city while conservatives prefer small towns and rural areas.

June 16, 2014 - The Washington Post - Wonkblog

When is Density Beneficial in Disasters?

Comparing cities versus suburbs in disaster resiliency and recovery.

June 15, 2014 - UrbDeZine

Artists Feel Gentrification Pressure in Bushwick

The Brooklyn Brief attended the recent eighth edition oft the Bushwick Open Studios annual art event. There the blog heard from artists concerned about the growing expenses of living in the neighborhood.

June 14, 2014 - Brooklyn Brief

Seattle Neighborhood Debates Zoning Changes Near Light Rail Station

The city of Seattle is considering a proposition to upzone the area around the Mount Baker light-rail station in South Seattle, which opened in 2009. Locals are split on the issue.

June 13, 2014 - Seattle Times

CEQA Crusader or CEQA Bounty Hunter?

Liam Dillon tells the story of Cory Briggs, a notorious lawyer in Southern California famous for opposing projects under the auspices of the California Environmental Quality Act.

June 13, 2014 - Voice of San Diego

Uproar Over 'Surprise' Big Box Development in Dallas

The evolving story goes back to last summer, but media and stakeholders were caught off guard by the recent revelation that Trammell Crow Co. is planning to develop a 100,00 square foot Sam's Club in Dallas.

June 13, 2014 - Dallas Morning News

For Sale: Air Rights at MARTA's Urban Train Stations

MARTA is exploring the desire of developers to build mixed-use buildings over its urban train stations. Any such deal would be the first of its kind in MARTA's 40-plus-year history.

June 12, 2014 - SaportaReport

Boston Skyline with Dome

5 Reasons to Move to the City (ASAP)

Kevin Roose wonders whether "choosing to live outside a major city is tantamount to opting to live in the past."

June 11, 2014 - New York Magazine

Conservatives Push Back on 'Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing' Policy

Stanley Kurtz reports that Congressman Paul Gosar (R-Arizona) "is planning to offer" an amendment to the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development Appropriations Bill that would declaw the Obama Administration's proposed "AFFH" rule.

June 11, 2014 - National Review Online

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.