Urban Development
Signage Issues Resolved, Skyscrapers Get Approved in L.A.
Previous renderings of the building proposed for the two-tower, 42-story building on L.A.'s Wilshire Blvd. showed almost the entire structure wrapped in advertising. With a more modest space for signage, the project gets the thumbs-up.
The More Cars You Own, The More Likely You'll Default
That's the conclusion of a new study published in the Journal of Sustainable Real Estate. Higher WalkScores also show a decrease in defaults, unless you're in a low-income area, which results in an increase in defaults.
Jersey City's 'High Line' Spurs Controversy
A proposal to redevelop an abandoned rail embankment in Jersey City has pitted preservationists and smart growth proponents against each other.
Vancouver Considers Higher Skyline
The city of Vancouver is considering a plan to increase maximum building height restrictions in certain parts of town by 100 feet and more.
India Plans 24 'Green' Cities
India, in partnership with Japan, is planning to build 24 "green" cities along a corridor between the major urban areas of Delhi and Mumbai.
The Office Goes Urban
Motivated by factors such as municipal incentive packages and the changing preferences of younger workers, many companies are relocating to central business districts, reversing a post-war trend that based the American workplace in the suburbs.
Move Over Suburbia... For "Prefurbia"?
Twin Cities developer and software guru Rick Harrison believes that, through innovative urban design configurations such as 'coving,' suburban areas can be transformed from "disdainable to sustainable."
City's Fate Rests On Airport's Revival
Officials in Ontario, CA, contend that LA/Ontario Airport would be a major driver of development -- if it wasn't mismanaged by an airport authority controlled by the City of Los Angeles.
A New Saudi Arabia Rises Out of the Desert
An under-20 population of more than 13 million and an eagerness to move the national economy away from oil production have the Saudi government investing heavily in huge new cities that are designed to encourage a 'Western-style modernity.'
Ugly L.A. Deserves a Makeover
Los Angeles is ugly. But it doesn't have to be, argues Sam Lubell.
HUD With an Emphasis on the 'UD'
The federal government is attempting to pay closer attention to urban issues, and its Department of Housing and Urban Development is leading the way.
Waterfront Redevelopment Hinges on Theater Expansion
A new expansion to a theater in Washington D.C. is seen as the centerpiece of a massive neighborhood revitalization effort.
U.S. Court Of Appeals Rules 'Sprawl Fee' Lawful
A U.S. Court of Appeals has upheld a 2008 District Court ruling allowing a regional air quality district to manage land use for the improvement of air quality. CA's Central Valley Air Dist. now has a lawful Indirect Source Review or sprawl fee rule.
More Immigrants Moving to Midsize Cities
According to new research, immigrant homeownership is shifting from large cities like New York and Los Angeles to smaller ones like Las Vegas and Minneapolis.
Rio's Slums to See Massive Redesign
Ahead of the 2014 World Cup and 2016 Olympics, officials in Rio de Janeiro are taking on a massive upgrade project in the city's slums.
Urban Planning Musical Takes the Stage in Brooklyn
A new musical comedy, "In the Footprint: The Battle Over Atlantic Yards," brings song and dance to the conflict over the redevelopment of the Atlantic Yards in Brooklyn. The NY Times reviews it as "fresh, inventive"...and "entertaining."
A Giant of a Book on Urban Design
Ben Brown reviews Dhiru Thadani's new book, The Language of Towns and Cities. Weighing in at 800 pages, this encyclopedic urban design dictionary defines planning terms with extensive graphics.
Walkable Cities, Walkable Neighborhoods
New neighborhood-level data from the walkability rating website Walk Score has broadened the view of what it means to live in a walkable city.
Smaller Homes Coming to Smaller Towns
The small town of Tofino, British Columbia is looking to the Vancouver model of "micro homes" and laneway housing to increase its stock of affordable housing.
Portland's Latest Plaza
Linda Baker reviews the new Simon and Helen Director Park in Portland, Oregon, which she says "resembles an elegant Italian piazza."
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.
City of Rosemead
Rutgers University, Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy
One Hundred Miles
University of Michigan School for Environment and Sustainability (SEAS)
Hunter College, City University of New York (CUNY)
The Architects Foundation
City of Cambridge
Montrose County
The Pocatello Development Authority
