Urban Development

DeLuca Homes planned to build condos in Bucks County, PA- until the bottom fell out of the market. Now they're one of many developers cutting deals with governments to create open space.

January 28, 2009 - Center for Public Integrity

Rockrose Development Corporation in New York sees itself as in the business of creating community in its buildings. But some tenants have found that if you're critical of Rockrose, you might find yourself on the street.

January 27, 2009 - The New York Times

Peter Katz and Jay Walljasper pick ten notable suburbs that are breaking the mold and creating new, vibrant communities.

January 26, 2009 - Utne Reader

Architect Wes Jones argues that architecture is "an argument for a better world". But the general public doesn't understand how. Neither do most architects, writes Christopher Hume.

January 26, 2009 - The Toronto Star

Light reflecting from streets and glass buildings in cities have been found in a recent study to disrupt animal behavior.

January 25, 2009 - BBC

San Francisco building codes encouraged the creation of privately-owned, publicly-accessible spaces across the downtown. These spaces have gone underused and are little understood. A new report from SPUR attempts to clear the fog.

January 24, 2009 - Streetsblog

Street furniture is a critical part of the urban makeup in cities. New developments in the Middle East are beginning to recognize its importance.

January 24, 2009 - Construction Week

Jon Zemke ponders the many possibilities for building a world-class transportation network throughout metro Detroit.

January 23, 2009 - Metromode

A massive WWII-era airfield in Berlin has been closed down, but city officials are looking for ways to take advantage of the large space. New ideas abound -- from a proposal for a "red light" district to plans for an artificial mountain.

January 23, 2009 - Der Spiegel

The long-term planning principles that have made the National Mall a successful and adaptable public space were in the spotlight during the Inauguration. Cities should take a lesson, argues Christopher Hawthorne.

January 23, 2009 - Los Angeles Times

The author of this article offers a few ideas on how to better use our 46,000 miles of highway. From the integration of rail lines to the development of electricity distribution grids, the interstate has more potential than it seems.

January 22, 2009 - Metropolis Magazine

Plans for a new school and mixed use development in Brooklyn have neighbors excited about the project filling a need but also disappointed about the new project's height, which they say will ruin their view.

January 22, 2009 - The New York Times

Coriandoline, a housing development in Correggio, Italy, is the first to have been designed primarily by children. The award-winning neighborhood boasts themed houses and "built-in playability."

January 21, 2009 - Radio Netherlands Worldwide

Highlights of the Coney Island revival plan include new housing, shops, and recreational facilities--which some say have no place in the historic amusement district.

January 21, 2009 - New York Daily News

Growth rates in Waco, Texas, have planners concerned that the region won't be able to afford the necessary roads and services the new sprawl will require.

January 21, 2009 - Waco Tribune-Herald

The "new town" of Columbia, Maryland, was built in the 1960s as a model for new growth. The area has remained primarily suburban, but plans for a revitalization district could bring an urban look to this suburban town.

January 20, 2009 - The Washington Post

The 2012 Olympics in London -- a one month event three years away -- has already created nearly 30,000 construction jobs.

January 20, 2009 - Building

The City of Shanghai has signed on to a proposal from the Walt Disney Company to build a Disneyland theme park in Mainland China.

January 19, 2009 - China Daily

The town of Eden Prairie, Minnesota, has grand plans for a new, pedestrian-oriented downtown, but making this idea reality involves getting rid of one large and vocal neighbor: WalMart.

January 19, 2009 - Minneapolis-St. Paul Star-Tribune

Barack Obama has announced the three members of the "urban issues" arm of his incoming cabinet. Grist's Ryan Avent takes a look at Shaun Donovan, Ray LaHood and Adolfo Carrion and what they may mean for urban policy.

January 17, 2009 - Grist