Urban Development

Study Shows Mixed Use Reduces Car Travel More Than Density

Smart Planet talks with transportation researcher Reid Ewing about a new study he co-authored about how different development patterns can reduce auto use.

June 23, 2010 - Smart Planet

Reversing California's Sprawl with SB 375 and TOD

A new report from the Urban Land Institute finds that California's VMT-focused Senate Bill 375 can potentially reverse the state's sprawl. Transit-oriented development is seen as a strong strategy.

June 23, 2010 - The City Fix

Mortgage Headache Spawns Legislation in California

Mortgage debt is crippling the housing market all over the country, and the homeowners who've taken on more debt than they can afford. Now, real estate interests and banking interests are battling over legislation intended to ease the pain.

June 23, 2010 - The New York Times

Layoffs Hurt Planning Efforts in California

Cities in California's Central Valley are looking at the economic downturn as an opportunity for planners to focus on long-range work. But layoffs in planning departments are making that hard to do.

June 22, 2010 - The Modesto Bee

Some Say Tysons Urban Village Idea Not Good Enough

A new plan up for approval today in Fairfax County, Virginia to turn the suburban office park of Tysons Corner into an urban village is a good idea gone bad, according to the chairman of the Fairfax County Chamber of Commerce.

June 22, 2010 - The Washington Post

The Social Supermarket

A new Safeway in Washington, D.C. is breaking the mold in grocery design by tucking the parking away behind the entrance and putting the market upstairs in a 2-story building, with smaller shops for lease on the street.

June 22, 2010 - The Washington Post

Americans Spending More On Housing Than Ever

18.6 million American households –renters and homeowners alike – spend more than half their income on housing, according to a new study by Harvard's Joint Center for Housing Studies.

June 21, 2010 - City Limits

Tapping the Crowd to Solve America's Transportation Problem

Slate is soliciting ideas from its readers to improve the nation's transportation system.

June 21, 2010 - Slate

Dollar Stores and Groceries Bouncing Back

A new study shows a significant increase in planned new retail stores over the past three months, and discounters and grocery stores are leading the way.

June 19, 2010 - Retail Traffic Magazine

Randal O'Toole vs. the Livable Communities Act

O'Toole asks why, if there is such a demand for high-density, mixed-use housing, that the government needs to subsidize it?

June 18, 2010 - The Antiplanner

Underground Berkeley Bike Station Surfaces

...and expands almost nine-fold to be the nation's second largest. While not as proximate to the BART gates as the existing ten-year-old, 400 sq. ft station, it will be only be half a block away.

June 18, 2010 - Contra Costa Times

Struggles with Urban Farming

A ring road that has been on the books for decades is being revived in Urbana, Illinois - and would run right through a popular urban farm.

June 17, 2010 - Chicago Tribune

Mega Development or Mega Disappointment?

CityCenter in Las Vegas is the most expensive development in U.S. history. As it settles into it surrounds, will the project attain visionary status, or will it be just another casino?

June 17, 2010 - The Wall Street Journal

Visualizing New Orleans' Shifting Population

A new infographic from GOOD tracks population shifts in New Orleans, giving a visual representation of the changes underway in the troubled city.

June 17, 2010 - Good

A New Direction for New Urbanists

At the 18th Annual Congress for New Urbanists, Andres Duany announced 'Agrarian Urbanism' as his new planning emphasis. He believes that the success of New Urbanism has stultified its progress and reduced its potential.

June 15, 2010 - Fast Company

Bruce Sterling on Cities

Boing Boing interviews author and futurist Bruce Sterling about global cities and how vastly expanding urban scale is not necessarily a problem.

June 15, 2010 - Boing Boing

Reusing Stalled Construction Sites in Seattle

Officials in Seattle are trying to pass legislation that would allow stalled construction sites to be reused as parking lots and temporary vending areas.

June 15, 2010 - The Seattle Post-Intelligencer

Understanding Through Noshing

Conflict Kitchen is a new restaurant in Pittsburgh that serves food from countries that are in conflict with the United States.

June 15, 2010 - Azure

Four Cool World Cup Stadia and Their Uncertain Futures

The 2010 World Cup in South Africa has caused the creation or redesign of ten stadia. The Architect's Newspaper offers this list of four of the most interesting stadia and what future these expensive buildings may have.

June 14, 2010 - The Architect's Newspaper

Transit Oriented Development in Los Angeles a Tricky Issue

A debate is simmering in Los Angeles between transit planners, developers, urban planners, and community activists about the future of transit-oriented development.

June 13, 2010 - Los Angeles Streetsblog

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.