California

Developer Claims That Public Transit Works For Baseball, But Not Football Fans

An executive of Majestic Realty, one of the developers bidding to construct an NFL stadium in Los Angeles, cited sprawl in the City of Industry as an advantage over AEG's proposal to build a stadium in downtown LA.

April 5, 2011 - LA Streets Blog

The Role and Impact of Preservation in L.A.

In this Q&A, architect Brenda Levin talks about the role of preservation in Los Angeles, and how restoring and reusing some of the city's historic buildings has created a long-term benefit.

April 5, 2011 - The Architect's Newspaper

Bringing Historic Renovation to Los Angeles' Westside

A developer is turning the former site of the Hughes Aircraft Company--adjacent to the huge new Playa Vista mixed-use development--into an office complex catering to the technology and creative industries.

April 4, 2011 - The Planning Report

Wave Energy Farm Irks Surfers, Fishermen

A proposal to build thousands of wave energy generators off the coast of Southern California has environmentalists, fishermen and surfers up in arms.

April 3, 2011 - Los Angeles Times

Los Angeles' First New Office High Rise in 22 Years Approved

The skyscraper, developed by Thomas Properties and financed by Korean Air, required a new signage district and a TFAR transfer. The development will provide a link between the Financial District and the emerging Figueroa Entertainment Corridor.

March 31, 2011 - The Planning Report

Manufacturing is Alive and Well

Manufacturing in the U.S. hasn't gone away, it's just gone local, writes Allison Arieff.

March 30, 2011 - The New York Times

Keep Your Car Looking Great: Use Transit

This 1950s commercial for the Los Angeles Metro poses another benefit of using transit: your car will stay looking brand new!

March 27, 2011 - Cartoon Brew

More 'Parklets' Heading to San Francisco

The City of San Francisco is expanding its program of "parklets" -- small public patio-like spaces built on parking spots.

March 25, 2011 - The San Francisco Examiner

24 Hrs. In Terrible Traffic

Data from mobile app Waze is used to create a visualization of the throbbing, insistent pulsing of Los Angeles traffic.

March 24, 2011 - GOOD Magazine

Environmental Justice Advocates Deal Major Setback To AB 32

Environmental justice advocates have been able to do in court what oil companies unsuccessfully attempted at the polls in November: deal a severe blow, if only temporarily, to CA's landmark climate law AB 32 by challenging the cap & trade provision.

March 24, 2011 - San Francisco Chronicle

Making Retail Work in TODs

Built around a BART station in 1999, Oakland, California's Fruitvale Village has had a tough time keeping its retail space alive (as have many TODs). The property managers have learned some lessons over the years about how to overcome the challenges.

March 23, 2011 - New Urban Network

Bike Plan Foresees Vastly Different Los Angeles

The recent adoption of a citywide bicycle plan in Los Angeles could bring about broad changes to the city's physical environment.

March 22, 2011 - The Architect's Newspaper

Redevelopment on its Deathbed

As lawmakers in California wrangle over the state's budget, redevelopment agencies appear to be days away from being killed.

March 22, 2011 - California Planning and Development Report

Regional Planning Begins To Meet CA's Stricter Emissions Standards

Two Bay Area planning agencies have jointly released what they call their "Initial Vision Scenario", a first step in implementing the Sustainable Community Strategy required by state law (SB 375, 2008) to reduce climate emissions from transportation.

March 22, 2011 - Mercury News

Quality of Life Down in Golden State

A new poll of California residents finds that perceived quality of life in the state has dropped.

March 21, 2011 - San Francisco Chronicle

A Renaissance in Oakland

An urban renaissance is underway in Oakland, where a population surge and a fleet of trendy shops has revived parts of a formerly crime-ridden city.

March 21, 2011 - Los Angeles Times

Borrowing Against Future Revenues to Expand Salt Lake City Rail

Salt Lake City is aggressively expanding its light rail network thanks to a voter approved tax increase. This post wonders whether the city could follow mimic a proposed plan in Los Angeles to speed up the use of those taxes.

March 20, 2011 - The Source

Proposed Stadium Needs More Than Football

Plans to build a football stadium in downtown Los Angeles hinge on more than football. A major element in making the idea work financially for the city is to make it an attractive site for conventions and conferences.

March 18, 2011 - Los Angeles Times

Los Angeles' "Public Transportainment"

An enterprising couple from Los Angeles turned an RV into a mode of public transportation for the party-going crowd. Recent partnerships with Foursquare and Walt Disney Imagineering have made the RV a popular way to get around Tinseltown.

March 16, 2011 - GOOD Magazine

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.