Urban Development
Support Builds For Highway Removal in Saint Louis
St. Louis Post-Dispatch editorial board formally endorses the removal of elevated and depressed lanes of current I-70 ROW to reconnect city and arch grounds.
Rewiring Manila to Avoid Devastation of Natural Disasters
The leading architect and urban planner from the Philippines is calling on the city of Manila to take stronger precautions in the face of earthquakes and other natural disasters.
Banks Swing Hammers to Finish Homes
Builders can't get credit but they may get jobs from banks, who, because of foreclosures, have unfinished homes that they need help completing.
The Challenges of Sustaining Smart Growth Over Time
In the late '90s a trio of North Carolina suburbs tried to ditch their suburban past with a new, much lauded Smart Growth planning effort that revised the way they used their land. The success of the celebrated developments didn't last long.
Arrest Made as L.A. Cracks Down on Illegal Billboards
In an unprecedented move, L.A. City Attorney Carmen Trutanich has placed a business owner under arrest for posting an illegal "supergraphic" billboard.
As Flames Dies, Olympic Costs Pile Up for Vancouver
The Olympics have ended in Vancouver, but their costs live on.
'Drive 'til You Qualify' Foreclosures on the Rise
Long commute + High Fuel Costs = Home Losses in Exurbs.
How New York Lost Its Sidewalks
Streetsfilms launches a new series they're calling "Fixing the Great Mistake.”
Bay Area Naval Base Approved for Neighborhood Conversion
A former Naval weapons station in Concord, California will be converted into a new, 12,000-home neighborhood.
Interview With 'Sustainability Czar' Shelley Poticha
OK, there is no such czar, but now that Office of Sustainable Housing and Communities is established, why not be creative? Poticha is former CEO of Reconnecting America, and before that, Congress for the New Urbanism.
Sprawling Madrid
While Madrid's urban core is highly dense, the city has sprawled out over the last two decades much further than its growing population requires, says Madrid resident and planning consultant Marco Adelfio.
A Monopoly of Malls
Simon Properties Group is attempting to acquire rival General Growth Properties Inc., giving them a near-monopoly on America's malls. Will complete control of malldom give them the power to bring back this dying breed?
'Unexpectedly Green' Slums
This article from The Prospect looks at slums and squatter cities. Author Stewart Brand, editor of the Whole Earth Catalog, calls them "unexpectedly green".
The Death and Gentrification of Great American Cities
Sharon Zukin's new book takes a different look at the urbanity championed in Jane Jacobs' seminal book "The Death and Life of Great American Cities", arguing that gentrification is tearing up the authenticity of places.
With Financing Frozen, Construction Workers Feeling the Pinch
Construction unions are reporting that 30% of their members are still unemployed or between jobs. Public projects are raising hopes, but as one carpenter's union spokesperson puts it, "The private sector is dead."
Google Fights For Mixed-Use Near Campus
Google's headquarters in Mountain View, CA is not unlike many suburban office parks, but now the search giant is advocating for mixed-use development around their campus.
Shanghai Dreams
This profile from National Geographic takes an inside look at the growing and rapidly changing city of Shanghai.
Denser Communities = More Calories Burned
Dr. Lawrence Frank (U. of British Columbia) et.al. looked at Atlanta to make the connection between health reform and transportation reform, devising a clever 'energy index'. While the index rose in denser neighborhoods, it didn't in mixed-use ones.
Speedy and Successful Downtown Resurgence in Des Moines
Des Moines, Iowa, is undergoing a rapid and thorough urban revival -- at least when compared to other cities. By Des Moines standards, the city's pace is par for the course.
Sim China?
The US Department of Energy has created a software tool not unlike Sim City that can project scenarios for an actual population's energy, transportation and fuel needs. The software made its debut recently modeling a development in Jinan, China.
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.
City of Moorpark
City of Tustin
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions
