Urban Development

Downtown Tram Planned for Burj Dubai

Plans for a 4.6 km tramway have been announced for downtown Burj Dubai -- a $136 million transit system intended to link major developments in the rapidly rising emirate.

April 26, 2008 - Arabian Business

Does LEED Have a Big City Bias?

The vast majority of LEED-certified green buildings in the U.S. are located in major cities, leading some to wonder whether there might be an inherent bias in LEED's standards.

April 26, 2008 - CoStar Group

Learning From China's Building Boom

China's booming cities have a lot to teach western architects, planners, and urban policy makers, says professor Thomas J. Campanella.

April 24, 2008 - Business Week

Amusement Park Planned for Baghdad

Investors are moving forward with plans to build an amusement park in Baghdad, arguing the Iraqi capital is in dire need of entertainment facilities. Many worry that security concerns will disrupt those plans.

April 24, 2008 - The Times

A New Downtown For Las Vegas

With a volcano, an Egyptian pyramid and the Eiffel Tower already under its belt, Las Vegas is trying its hand at building something else from scratch: a downtown.

April 23, 2008 - The New York Times

The Transformation Of A Light Rail Corridor

Seattle's new light rail line is poised to usher in a new era for Martin Luther King Jr. Way. Though most are excited about the new development, the fear of gentrification has made some residents worry that they won't be around to reap the benefits.

April 22, 2008 - The Seattle Times

Can a Developer Plan Winnipeg?

The Winnipeg Free Press responds to the announcement that the city's top planning post has been given to a developer.

April 22, 2008 - The Winnipeg Free Press

San Francisco's Bay Area Growth May Change With Climate

Officials forecast need to adapt development model: to retreat from some areas, build in others, and reduce reliance on cars.

April 22, 2008 - The San Francisco Chronicle

Infill Projects Set To Connect Cities, Transform Region

Urban infill developments are slated to transform the vast industrial land between Charleston and North Charleston, South Carolina, known as "the Neck" area, into live-work communities that stitch the two cities together.

April 22, 2008 - Charleston Business Journal

Gray Gold: Housing The Baby Boomers

A recent working paper considers the implications of housing the nation's aging population.

April 21, 2008 - Andrew Young School of Policy Studies

Words Of Advice For The New Urbanism Movement

While The New Urbanism has certainly helped to change the way people think about how communities can be built, it's still seen as a boutique product. More needs to be done if New Urbanist developments are to really compete with mainstream sprawl.

April 21, 2008 - City Journal

Do Houston Residents Want Zoning?

With planning likely to become a major issue in next year's mayoral campaign, a recent survey shows that most residents would support new rules -- including possibly land use zoning -- to manage the region's sprawling development.

April 21, 2008 - The Houston Chronicle

To Save Detroit, Plan For A Smaller City

A recent editorial argues that Detroit must look for ways to concentrate its dwindling population in a smaller, more compact city if it is to survive.

April 21, 2008 - The Detroit Free Press

Tapped Out

America is reaching the limits of its water supply, signaling a need to change urban development, energy and agricultural practices, writes Shiney Varghese of the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy.

April 21, 2008 - AlterNet

Redevelopment On Horizon For India's 'Recycling' Slum

Plans to redevelop Asia's largest slum will displace over 1 million people, many of whom earn their livelihood recycling Mumbai's trash.

April 21, 2008 - BBC News

A Battle Over Building Heights

In anti-growth Santa Barbara, preservationists and smart growth advocates have forged a compromise that will permit taller buildings for developments that include affordable housing.

April 19, 2008 - The Santa Barbara Independent

Bay Area TODs Helping To Cut Emissions

New transit towns around the Bay Area's BART stations are attracting residents who value the convenience and savings of a walkable community and nearby transit.

April 19, 2008 - The San Francisco Chronicle

In Mumbai, Pedestrians Protest Lack Of Sidewalks

Fed up with crowded or non-existent sidewalks, pedestrians in Mumbai are taking to the streets to get more attention on the issue of dangerous walking conditions.

April 18, 2008 - Gulf News

You Can't Escape Sprawl

With sprawl proceeding largely unchecked in North California, residents who fled the city for more rural areas now find that urbanization has encroached their once sleepy communities.

April 18, 2008 - The San Francisco Chronicle

In the Eye of Beijing's Boom

This article from National Geographic looks at the construction boom that is rapidly changing the face of Beijing.

April 18, 2008 - National Geographic

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.

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.