Urban Development

ULI Descends Upon LA With Ideas for Union Station

Carter Rubin at LA Metro’s The Source reports on ULI’s vision for Union Station, which Metro bought for a song earlier this year.

December 11, 2011 - The Source

For Luxury Apts, City May Exceed Parking Maximums

As plans move forward for luxury apartments on the site of Greenwich Village's former St. Vincent's Hospital, the city is divided over whether to allow an oversized parking garage on-site. The Municipal Art Society particularly cries "fuzzy math."

December 11, 2011 - Streetsblog New York

"Civic Action" Examines Art's Role In Development

The Noguchi museum in New York has asked four artists to take a crack at city planning by offering a new way of interpreting the construction of urban fabric. Martha Schwendener evaluates the results.

December 10, 2011 - The New York Times

As Long as It's Flexible, No End for Urban Retail

Last week, a panel of retailers and developers discussed the challenges--and, ultimately, the keys to success--of urban retail. Susan Piperato reports.

December 10, 2011 - National Real Estate Investor

The Apple Store: The City's "Seal of Approval"?

Apple stores are great revenue generators in cities, writes Brian Caulfield, but not just as a one-off. Customers tend to come back for more products and repairs, and the stores themeslves encourage plenty of cross-shopping nearby.

December 9, 2011 - Forbes

Ambitious Effort to Urbanize India

The Indian government is betting big with simultaneously building a massive high speed freight corridor between Delhi & Mumbai as well the physical infrastructure for 24 new cities that will become an industrial corridor.

December 9, 2011 - Global Post

Public Parks to Cover Highways in Hamburg

The City of Hamburg, Germany is planning on building elevated public parks on sections of the to-be-expanded A7 (Highway 7), which is considered one of the most important north-south connectors in Germany.

December 9, 2011 - TheCityFix.com

Retrofitting Long Island Suburbs For The Pedestrian

Complete streets, road diets, streetscape improvements - geared to promote suburban downtowns for new residents who seek access to amenities without having to drive is a hit for some towns who have successfully obtained government grants to fund them

December 9, 2011 - The New York Times- Real Estate

Big Retailers See Benefits of Transit

At a recent conference, spokespeople for Burlington Coat Factory and other big retailers explained that they are having great success at locations on subway stops and major bus lines.

December 8, 2011 - Globe St.

Los Angeles Considers Lifting Artistic Mural Ban

Los Angeles is considering a new ordinance that will allow artists to paint murals on private property as long as they have permission from the owner.

December 8, 2011 - Los Angeles Times

Edward Blakey Reviews Moscow Expansion Plans

University of Sydney Professor Edward Blakely has reviewed Moscow’s plan to expand the capital’s borders to the south-west by 2014 and proclaimed that they will not hamper the city’s development. The territory will more than double.

December 8, 2011 - RT

London's "Pop-Up" Shopping Mall To Be One of a Kind

British entrepreneur Roger Wade has built "[t]he most environmentally friendly shopping mall ever built." 'Boxpark,' which recently opened, is composed of 60 standard size shipping containers stacked two stories high by five rows wide.

December 7, 2011 - CNN

How the Suburbs Killed Our Connectivity, And How to Fix It

The deeper our sense of community, the better positioned we are to take on change, says Scott Doyon, but the leisurely lull of the suburbs may have killed our ability to work together.

December 7, 2011 - PlaceShakers

Developers and Landlords "Don't Know What's Best For Them"

While the article is headlined "We Need More Zoning," the body is more about the need to plan public spaces well before architects and developers come in to guide their projects for the public good.

December 7, 2011 - The New York Observer

The Living Wage Mandate Works

A 2003 policy that mandated that subsidized developements grant jobs at living wages has not hampered development, according to one official.

December 7, 2011 - Capital New York

Massive Mixed-Use Transit Oriented Development To Hit White Flint

In Maryland, the Washingtonian Tower has been the tallest skyscraper in Montgomery County. Developers in White Flint are proposing an even taller building that will incorporate mixed-use, transit-oriented, and retail/office development in one plan.

December 6, 2011 - Greater Greater Washington

Revitalization For Downtown Wheaton

In Maryland, the Montgomery County Park and Planning Commision received a $200,000 grant to study moving its offices. The County Executive, Ike Leggett says "its the best way to kick-start the revitalization of downtown Wheaton."

December 6, 2011 - Greater Greater Washington

Freight-Oriented Development To Be Implemented Along the Red Line

In Charlotte, N.C, planners are looking at ways to appeal to freight users. In addition to transit-oriented development, their plan is to allow freight trains to run on the same tracks as passenger trains promoting the use of the Red Line.

December 6, 2011 - the transport politic

Should Cities Develop Their Own Condos?

Despite depressed home prices around the U.S., Toronto's condo market is still so hot that the city government is considering getting a piece of the action.

December 5, 2011 - The Globe and Mail

In Some Ways, Downtown Brooklyn's Aspirations Remain Just That

A recent rezoning led to high economic hopes for downtown Brooklyn. But a more recent economic downturn seems to have undermined those expectations. Indeed, some growth has occurred, but success depends on whom you ask.

December 3, 2011 - Brooklyn Bureau

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.