Urban Development
Vancouver's Recession Olympics
Vancouver lost its Triple A credit rating after being forced to bail out its Olympic Athletes Village when the hedge fund that had backed it went under -- just one of the unpredicted events that made this a Recession Olympics.
Resisting Dickensian Gloom
High-density development in Australia is causing more greenhouse gases than the suburbs, argues Dr. Tony Recsei of the group Save Our Suburbs, in this rebuttal of a blog post by Michael Dudley.
Charlotte's Development Animated
This paper animation clip by Rob Carter shows the urban growth and development of Charlotte, North Carolina over time.
Revitalizing a City With Technology
The town of Holyoke, Massachusetts has hired Cisco to create a technology-led urban revitalization plan.
Vancouver Tops List of Livable Cities
As the Winter Olympics kick off in Vancouver, the city has been named the world's "most livable city".
California Plan Would Block Projects From Environmental Lawsuits
California is looking to fast-track a pilot project that would exempt some construction projects from environment-related legal challenges. It's a move aimed at speeding development and creating jobs, but critics say it will harm the environment.
What's Green and Not-So-Green About Vancouver
Grist takes a look at the Olympic city of Vancouver, and lists some of its greenest attributes, and some of its less-than-green downfalls.
London Stadium Plan Misses Mark on Context
One of London's major soccer teams is floating plans to rebuild its stadium. But with its location in one of the city's most impoverished sections, many say the new plan doesn't do enough for its neighborhood.
Reinventing Mobility in Detroit
PBS documents Detroit's attempts to overcome its history as "the Motor City" to create new ways of getting people around. Transit advocates play a big part in this preview, which includes renderings of projected transit options.
Shanghai Invests Deep in Expo, But Legacy Raises Concerns
Shanghai is preparing to host the 2010 World Expo -- an event that's costing more than $45 billion. While officials hope the event will be a boon for tourism, locals question whether the investment will pay off.
Canada Housing Prices Return to Pre-Recession Peak
What housing slump? Canada's real estate recovery has been so fast, some analysts worry it signals a return to speculation.
The State of Happiness
A new study ranks the U.S. states by residents' happiness. From Louisiana (#1) to New York (#51), the happiest people tend to live in sunny, outdoorsy states with strong quality of life measures.
The Mormon Church Backs Mixed-Use Project
City Creek Center is a $1 billion mixed-use development project that some say is a godsend for downtown Salt Lake City, creating jobs during a tough economy. Others wonder how the church's influence will play out in the culture of the project.
HUD Hearts Portland
Obama's brand new Office of Sustainable Housing and Communities admits to being inspired by Portland's groundbreaking urban planning policies.
One Latvian Town For Sale, Cheap
A secret Russian military facility abandoned by the Russian military when the Soviet Union collapsed was sold at auction on Friday by the Latvian government. Officials celebrated the sale and hoped it could bring new life to the empty town.
Grants Signal Shift in Federal Urban Planning Policy
HUD announced this week the formation of a new Office of Sustainable Housing and Communities, along with $100 million in grants for regional integrated planning initiatives.
The Economics of Greenfield Development
This essay from The Urbanophile looks at the economics behind greenfield development.
Underused Olympic Stadium to Become Water Park
Underused since the end of the 2008 Summer Olympics, the Beijing Water Cube swimming stadium will be converted into a water park.
Reviving the National Mall
After receiving thousands of comments and suggestions, planners in Washington D.C. have narrowed options down to five plans for remaking the National Mall.
Pittsburgh's US Steel Roof Reimagined as a Public Space
Other cities have opened up tall buildings to the public; Pittsburgh envisions doing the same with US Steel, which has a 1-acre flat roof.
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.
Caltrans
City of Fort Worth
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie
