Urban Development

Unified New Orleans Plan Could Top $14 Billion

As the community has roundly approved the Unified New Orleans Plan, coordinators of the recovery planning effort have announced that its costs could rise above $14 billion over the next decade. Exact funding sources have yet to be fully identified.

February 4, 2007 - The Times-Picayune

The Malling Of The Champs-Elysees

With some of the most expensive real estate in the world, chain stores are now dominating the famed Champs-Elysees. Government officials in Paris are developing plans to counter the prevalence of corporate outlets, but some fear it may be too late.

February 4, 2007 - The New York Times

Making A Utah Suburb Walkable

Developers and local officials are optimistic about plans to integrate walkability into a proposed mixed use development in suburban Salt Lake City, Utah.

February 4, 2007 - The Salt Lake Tribune

Workshop Guides Planning For Spokane's University District

Last year the City of Spokane was awarded one of four Smart Growth Implementation Assistance awards from the EPA. As a result, a three-day workshop focusing on the city's emerging university district involved the public in shaping the area.

February 3, 2007 - The Pacific Northwest Inlander

Gehry Plans Unveiled For Mixed Use Development In Utah

This article from Utah's Deseret Morning News shows images of a large mixed used development designed by Frank Gehry. This development will include the tallest building in Utah.

February 3, 2007 - Deseret Morning News

ULI To Tackle Workforce Housing Crisis

The Washington-based institute has established a new research center to focus on the problem of affordable housing in an effort to prevent further urban sprawl.

February 2, 2007 - Sun Herald

Prince Charles' Poundbury Resonates With Developers

With its traditional design and mixture of uses, Poundbury -- the experimental development created by Prince Charles -- is fast becoming the model for development in Britain.

February 2, 2007 - The Times

Inner-Ring Suburbs Fight Back Against Blight

As new investment leapfrogs them to outer suburbs and exurbs, first-ring communities are becoming more aggressive in their pursuit of new development.

February 2, 2007 - The Wall Street Journal

Recipe For Hot Housing Market? Small Town Lifestyle And Beautiful Scenery

Bend, Oregon -- population 67,000 -- led the nation in home appreciation last year, and has become a symbol of the booming market in picturesque western towns.

February 1, 2007 - The Economist

Britain's First Carbon-Neutral Village

The English village of Ashton Hayes is looking to become the country's first carbon-neutral community. Cooperation village-wide has enabled the installation of solar panels and used recycled building materials in new structures.

January 31, 2007 - The Guardian Unlimited

Nagin Tells Senate He Doesn't See Federal Will To Rebuild

New Orleans Mayor C. Ray Nagin testified to a Senate committee recently that a lack of local control over federal funding is severely limiting the Gulf Coast recovery. He says he doesn't see the federal government's will to rebuild New Orleans.

January 31, 2007 - CNN

Highway Pollution Health Risks May Change Building Patterns

A new study about the effects of local highway pollution on children's health has determined that living near highways can cause lifelong health risks. The results may cause many planners to reconsider where new housing and schools are developed.

January 31, 2007 - The Los Angeles Times

Detroit Rising

A cadre of architects, planners, and designers descended upon Detroit for the 9th annual University of Michigan Detroit design charrette. The focus: a more livable and inhabited downtown for the country's most maligned, but up-and-coming cities.

January 31, 2007 - The Detroit News

A Vision Of Dubai's Future

Wired presents this slideshow of some of the extravagant and futuristic buildings planned for Dubai.

January 30, 2007 - Wired

Using 'Urban Acupuncture' To Begin Healing Cities

By focusing on certain "pressure points" in urban areas, a city can dramatically increase its quality of life, argues Jaime Lerner, the former mayor of Curitiba, Brazil.

January 30, 2007 - WorldChanging

Study Finds Many Wanting Walkability In Atlanta

A broad study of the travel habits and neighborhood choices of more than 18,000 Atlanta residents has found that a third of the people living in suburbs would have preferred a more walkable neighborhood.

January 30, 2007 - The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Hooray For Hollywood's Urban Renaissance

After decades of being victim to urban blight and decay, the world famous locale is experiencing a wave of redevelopment aimed at wooing back tourists and attracting new residents.

January 29, 2007 - International Herald Tribune

Scraping Sky In Honolulu

Officials in Honolulu is considering increasing the height limitations that dictate how tall buildings can rise in the beachside city. The mayor and city council hope that an increase in density will bring sustainable growth to the city.

January 28, 2007 - Honolulu Star Bulletin

Big-Box Costco Goes Downtown, Mixed-Use

Costco is the anchor tenant in a new Downtown Vancouver mixed-used development that partially opened November 2006. Besides going mixed-use, Costco also added underground parking to adapt to its new urban environment.

January 27, 2007 - Seattle Daily Journal Of Commerce

Two Big Retailers Drop Plans for Two Big Manhattan Stores

Home Depot and Apple are dropping plans for two big Manhattan stores. The Slatin Report offers the insider's view on the deals.

January 26, 2007 - The Slatin Report

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.