Urban Development

A Developer in the Park

Sitting in a controversial niche in the development market, Thomas Chapman develops plans for parcels within national parks, only to take buyouts from environmental groups or the government. He's got a bold new proposal on the way.

October 19, 2010 - The Wall Street Journal

Portland's EcoDistricts

Launched in 2009 as an effort to choose five neighborhoods where sustainability measures could be quickly implemented and tested out, the city of Portland's EcoDistricts are entering their pilot phase.

October 19, 2010 - Next American City

Using Domes to Understand Concerns

Conflicts inevitably arise during design discussions and policy talks. A team of architects has created a new way of understanding each side's concerns, mainly by diagramming them into distinct domes.

October 19, 2010 - Urban Omnibus

Mixed Use Mix Up

The Architect's Newspaper brings this cautionary tale of architect's accepting ambitious work projects in China that are too good to be true.

October 18, 2010 - The Architect's Newspaper

Owner of Valuable Railroad Easement is a Mystery

16 overgrown acres of land hide a long-unused railroad easement in Muskegee -- so long unused that no one knows who owns it. Muskegee Development wants it.

October 18, 2010 - The Muskegee Phoenix

Four Visions for Future Living

In the face of climate change and sea level rise, Popular Science offers four designs for urban lifestyles of the near future.

October 17, 2010 - Popular Science

Homes for the New Economy

The factors that make homes attractive to buyers have changed considerably since the market crash, says Builder Magazine, which features three homes that exemplify the new realities of the market.

October 14, 2010 - Builder Magazine

Ped, Bike, & Bus: Transforming NYC Streets

This 6-minute video looks at how New York City streets have changed after a mere three years of planning. Pedestrian plazas, bike lanes, and bus rapid transit are the major projects highlighted, and the improvements to economy, health, and happiness

October 13, 2010 - Grist

Clash Between Ideals and Realities in Boise

Boise, Idaho attempts to find common ground between its vision for the future and the need for economic development.

October 13, 2010 - The Idaho Statesman

Cattle vs. Subdivisions

Arizona's long-standing open range laws allow cattle to roam freely, but the state is now reconsidering the laws as residents of the West's suburban subdivisions are growing more frustrated by encounters with roaming cattle.

October 12, 2010 - New York Times

Fearing a 'Middle Class Ghetto'

As London redevelops its troubled East End ahead of the 2012 Summer Olympics, organizers are warning against the post-event developments turning into ghettos of the middle class.

October 12, 2010 - Building Design

No ARC without TOD

New Jersey wants billions in federal money for its ARC project, but NJ Transit's commuter rail service is too often just a subsidy to the rich and an excuse not to develop North Jersey, says Stephen Smith.

October 11, 2010 - Market Urbanism

Reviving Suburbs Requires an Urban Sensibility

Richard Florida argues that edge cities ravaged by the recession should take cues from urban development patterns to spur growth.

October 11, 2010 - The Wall Street Journal

New Jersey Moves Away From McMansion Trend

In the face of a recent report showing that sprawl was rapidly eating up developable land in New Jersey, developers have begun to ditch the McMansion in favor of taller and more dense projects.

October 11, 2010 - The New York Times

A Post-Sprawl Los Angeles

CNN's Richard Quest takes an incredulous look at the changes brewing in Los Angeles as downtown revitalizes and the city densifies.

October 10, 2010 - CNN

A Tale of Two Tall Towers

Josh Leon reports on his time "around two instructive pieces of vertical architecture that could presumably be competitors in a transoceanic race between the US and China for economic hegemony."

October 10, 2010 - Next American City

Stuttgart Roiled By Conflict Over Proposed Development

A plan to underground the central train station of Stuttgart and create a new city neighborhood above it is so controversial that violent protests have broken out.

October 8, 2010 - Speigel International

New Jersey Running Out of Land

The NYT is reporting that New Jersey is running out of developable land, but with the recent ARC decision, the legacy of the Mount Laurel doctrine, and decades of highway-based suburbanizing policies, is New Jersey actually ready for density?

October 8, 2010 - Market Urbanism

Grocery Stores Becoming Hot Mall Properties

Supermarkets are moving in to spaces vacated by department stores in malls, which until recently were too costly for grocery stores to rent.

October 7, 2010 - Retail Traffic Magazine

Stopping Sprawl, Slowing Emissions, Improving the Economy

A new report suggests that making policies in Canada to avoid urban sprawl development will reduce pollution and boost the economy.

October 6, 2010 - The Vancouver Sun

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.