Urban Development
Bilbao Beyond the Guggenheim
Bilbao is known for the Frank Gehry-designed Guggenheim Museum. But there's a living city behind that iconic architecture, and local officials are trying to prove it with a new public park.
Distilling the Best Practices for Sustainable City Planning
Planner Alex Aylett discusses the challenges municipalities face when trying to create a successful sustainability plan, and how to overcome them with a new toolkit that takes cues from New York City's PlaNYC.
Getting Rural
The recession and fewer urban job prospects are driving young American families to try rural living.
Bump in the Road for Columbia's Expansion Plans
Columbia's plans to use eminent domain to expand its campus may have to wait. On Thursday, an appellate court reversed a previous decision to take property on behalf of the school.
Liveability a "Major Priority" at DOT
Among the criteria for evaluating projects, livability is at the top, along with safety and economic competitiveness.
Redefining Blight
From New London to the Atlantic Yards, the last month has seen a flood of news around the issue of eminent domain. Diana Lind wonders if we need a new definition of 'blighted.'
Pearl District Revitalization Now Includes Kids
A new affordable housing development going up in Portland's dense Pearl District will include a public school on the ground floor.
The Corner Store Returns
Market forces are reshaping the usual suburban format for many large-scale grocers.
'Zero-Energy' Neighborhood Emerges in Boulder
Developers in Boulder are planning to unveil a 12-home subdivision that claims to be one of the nation's first "zero-energy" neighborhoods.
Austin Considers Density Bonus
City officials in Austin are considering a new incentive for builders willing to include public spaces in new projects.
Curing Sprawl in Lansing
Like many American cities, Lansing, Michigan, has been afflicted with sprawl since the end of World War II. Locals have identified the culprit: separate-use zoning.
One Step Towards Orange County's Great Park
The Orange Country Great Park has received the official go-ahead, with a dedication of $65 million for the first phase of construction.
Last Gasp for Vegas?
The $8.5 billion CityCenter mega project is set to open next week in Las Vegas. Many say it's likely to be the last major project in the struggling city for years.
The Forgotten River of Kolkata
The Hooghly River runs right through Kolkata, India, but it remains largely behind the scenes and caved in by factories and industrial uses. Some voices are calling for the city to embrace its river and reorient itself around the amenity.
Redeveloping Open Space to Revive Housing Projects
Public housing projects have been a thorn in the paw of New York City for years. The city is trying to figure out what to do with the perennially problem-plagued housing projects. Some groups say redevelopment is the answer.
Scars of a Subdivision That Wasn't To Be
This post from BLDGBLOG looks at the ghost of a planned but never realized subdivision on the outskirts of a Southern California exurb where only faint lines of unfinished roads remain.
Developer Goes Green To Make Up For Big Box History
Developer Jim Jacoby likes to joke that his move into alternative energy and mixed-use development is penance for a history of building WalMarts.
Exercising Eminent Domain for Private Developers
A New York Court of Appeals ruled in favor of a private developer, who plans to build a basketball arena in Brooklyn, validating the state's use of eminent domain on his behalf. A local group says the fight is just beginning.
Front Yards Are For Lawns, Not Cars, City Says
Queens and Brooklyn homeowners may soon be prohibited from converting front yards into parking pads if a set of regulations is approved. The loss of street parking from new curb cuts was cited as a reason, along with aesthetics.
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
