Urban Development

Seaside: 25 Years Later

Slate magazine offers a photographic slideshow of the influential New Urbanist community of Seaside, Florida.

March 2, 2007 - Slate

Seattle Considers Trading Height Limits For Affordable Housing

The city's planning commission wants to use "incentive zoning" to encourage the development of taller buildings and generate revenue for the city's affordable housing fund.

February 28, 2007 - The Seattle Times

Can McMansions And New Urbanism Co-Exist?

Plans by the developers of Vermillion, a 400 acre New Urbanist community outside Charlotte, call for the addition of hundreds of 4,000 square foot homes to the original neighborhood of townhomes and small lot houses.

February 28, 2007 - The Charlotte Observer

An Urban Tale: NYC's East 93rd Street

New York Times writer Chistopher Gray chronicles the history and recent renovation of New York City's 'brownstone Grand Canyon' on East 93rd street.

February 28, 2007 - The New York Times

Power Blue City Welcomes Green Condos

Designed by architect William McDonough, a pair of towers recently approved for downtown Chapel Hill will be the first mixed-use development to meet LEED Gold standards in North Carolina.

February 28, 2007 - The News & Observer

Seattle Development Plans For Public Plaza

Plans have been unveiled for a new public plaza in downtown Seattle, built in conjunction with the construction of a high rise office and residential tower and street level retail complex.

February 27, 2007 - Seatlle Post-Intelligencer

The Best Cities For Artists -- And Real Estate Investors

First come the artists, then the high rents. So why not base you real estate investment strategy on where artists are going now?

February 26, 2007 - Business Week

Gated Communities Command A Premium

Houses in gated communities generally command values 5-7% higher than equivalent houses non-gated communities. Despite the rapid growth of gated communities, many critics question the value.

February 26, 2007 - The Los Angeles Times

Will Growth-Averse Berkeley Go High-Rise?

In response to meeting regional housing demand requirements stipulated by the Association of Bay Area Governments, the Downtown Area Plan Advisory Committee of Berkeley, California, considers a high-rise development plan proposed by city staff.

February 26, 2007 - The Berkeley Daily Planet

Citizens Feeling Left Out Of Casino Planning

Residents are upset that plans for a waterfront casino in Sparks, Nevada, were not revealed to the public early enough in the planning project. Many fear that by the time a public hearing is held, the citizen voice will have no power to make changes.

February 24, 2007 - Reno Gazette-Journal

'Adult Studio' Better Use For Historic Building Than Housing

After the San Francisco Planning Department rejects several condo projects for the city's historic State Armory and Arsenal Building on the edge of the Mission District, an Internet pornography studio buys the building to make films.

February 23, 2007 - The Wall Street Journal

Save Downtown With Restrictive Zoning

Why industrial areas are vital to healthy cities.

February 23, 2007 - The Los Angeles Times

Massachusetts City Collects Smart Growth Incentives

Approving high density, smart growth developments has brought urbanity and monetary benefits to the town of Easton, Massachusetts.

February 23, 2007 - The Boston Globe

Texas Counties Cooperate For Aerial Photography Project

In an effort to improve the accuracy of property information, 13 counties in North Central Texas have initiated an aerial photography project to document the land. Many hope the publicly available project will improve property appraisals.

February 22, 2007 - Corsicana Daily Sun

A Street For Detroiters

In an effort to build community, Jerry Belanger has quietly redeveloped two bars along Detroit's burgeoning Park Street bar district.

February 22, 2007 - Model D

Small Town New Jersey Looks At Big Redevelopment Project

The small New Jersey city of Harrison is considering a massive redevelopment project that could drastically change the character of the city. Some residents worry that the $1 billion redevelopment plan is too ambitious for the small town.

February 22, 2007 - The New York Times

The Battle Over 'Billyburg'

The Willamsburg neighborhood in Brooklyn, New York, is the setting for the latest iteration in the modern day gentrification saga.

February 22, 2007 - The Washington Post

Is Sustainability Here To Stay?

Thinking and acting green is all the rage these days, but commentator Neal Peirce ponders if it can ultimately be more than just a passing fad?

February 22, 2007 - AlterNet

Ontario's Long-Term Vision

The future of Ontario is looking a lot greener and much more dense, as local officials tout recent legislative changes that they expect to drastically reshape the city in the next 25 years.

February 21, 2007 - The Toronto Star

Planning on Walking?

With positive effects on public health, safety, and environmental quality -- walkability has become the new buzz word in planning.

February 20, 2007 - Wayne Senville

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.