Urban Development
Will New York City Go On A 'Zoning' Diet?
Following in the footsteps of cities in California, Michigan, and Massachusetts, the New York City Council majority leader is throwing his weight behind a proposal to restrict the number of high-calorie, fast-food giants in the city's neighborhoods.
A Major Setback For Atlanta's Beltline Project
Atlanta's proposed transit and recreation loop using largely abandoned rail lines as a spur to economic development was dealt a damaging blow as a suburban developer backed out of plans to build condo towers along the line.
A Clash Over Sustainable Design For Vancouver Olympics
Planners and developers are clashing over the design of Vancouver's Olympic village for the 2010 games. Some say the developers haven't gone far enough to achieve the 3 E's of sustainability.
Sea Of Sameness
This column from the UK's New Statesman bemoans the drab similarity of English towns. A report concludes that 42% of the nation's town's are essentially 'clones'.
ULI Honors Peter Calthorpe With Nichols Prize
Peter Calthorpe, an early pioneer of the new urbanism and smart growth movements, recently received the prestigious J.C. Nichols Prize for Visionaries in Urban Development by the Urban Land Institute.
Development Pushing Out To New Territories
Developers are increasingly investing in remote locales as price appreciation slows in traditionally developed areas.
S.F. Redevelopment Opposition Denied On Technicality
A referendum opposing a redevelopment plan signed by more than 33,000 San Francisco voters has been ruled invalid, angering many who feel that the city is bending rules to appease developers and gentrify their neighborhood.
High Hopes For Huge Toronto Park
Plans are underway in Toronto for the development of a huge public park along the city's Lake Ontario waterfront. Like many big cities, Toronto is utilizing abandoned and underused industrial lands to create an attractive destination.
It's The Middle Class, Not The Creative Class
Joel Kotkin argues that cities need to win back the middle class by focusing on their basic needs -- affordable 'market-rate' housing, schools, and public infrastructure -- if they are to be genuinely successful at urban revitalization.
Smart Growth, Defined
Thirty-two organizations have come together to release "This Is Smart Growth," a new publication from ICMA and the Smart Growth Network, which illustrates and explains smart growth concepts and values, using 40 examples from around the country.
Duany Takes On Scotland
Architect and urban planner Andres Duany has been hired to plan a new town near Inverness, Scotland -- one that he assures will not resemble Seaside.
Waiting For Recovery, Eager To Plan
More than half of the residents in the small unincorporated community of Henderson Point, Mississippi, turned out to help begin planning for the rebuilding of their completely devastated community.
Flat Roofs Have Fans And Foes
As the price of land increases, many real estate developers are looking at flat-roof designs as a means of increasing the square footage of houses, much to the chagrin of historical preservationists and municipal officials.
'Fractal' Design Makes More With Less
In a comparative study of English towns, one small village with a compact and walkable design has been shown to seem much larger to pedestrians than a comparable area in a big city -- mainly because there is more to see there.
After 50 Years, Waterfront May Be Redeveloped
With a population cut in half and an almost abandoned waterfront area, the city of Buffalo is thinking redevelopment. Actually, the city has spent nearly 50 years thinking redevelopment. Now steps are actually being taken to improve the waterfront.
What Is This Thing Called Sprawl?
The concept of sprawl and its attributes are broken down in simple terms in this Q&A with Indiana University Professor John Ottensmann.
Go, West? Not So Fast
The Rocky Mountain West, an area where people were content to let others do what they pleased with their land, is moving towards increasing growth controls as the region's population explodes.
Downsizing Affordable Housing
With small lots and small houses, one Florida home builder is taking an unconventional approach to developing affordable housing.
The Darkside Of Building New 'Green' Homes
The waste generated from demolition, and the large floor space of many new eco-mansions, is an environmentally unfriendly result of the new green home trend.
Suburban Subdivision Naming Guide
A conveninent tool for coming up with attractive names for suburban subdivisions.
Pagination
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.
Caltrans
City of Fort Worth
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie