District of Columbia

D.C. Bike Share a Victim of Its Own Success

With 174 stations in DC, and more than 200 throughout the region, Capital Bikeshare has logged almost 5 million rides since it launched in 2010. The program's immense popularity has caused some problems however, with demand often outstripping supply.

August 8, 2013 - The Washington Post

Are Stadiums Akin to Museums and Libraries?

As D.C. debates the value of subsidizing the construction of a soccer stadium on a site in Buzzard Point, Dan Malouff argues that such facilities should be judged as cultural amenities, rather than business investments.

August 8, 2013 - Greater Greater Washington

Is a Subsidized Soccer Stadium a Smart Investment for D.C.?

Recently it was announced that D.C. had reached a tentative agreement to help fund a new soccer stadium to be built in an area of the city that has long resisted redevelopment. Stadiums are generally a bad deal for cities, but is this an exception?

August 3, 2013 - Washington City Paper

Pop-Ups Smooth Tysons' Urban Transformation

A multi-decade vision will transform the auto-oriented DC suburb of Tysons Corner into a vibrant, walkable place. While the subway extension at the heart of the plan will open this year, development will take time. Pop-ups will help bridge the gap.

July 30, 2013 - The Washington Post

54 Ideas for Fixing D.C.

In advance of next year's mayoral race, the Washington City Paper has reached out to local leaders for their suggestions for how to fix one of the city's intractable problems. See their 28 detailed, and 26 simple, solutions.

July 27, 2013 - Washington City Paper

New Study Makes Economic Case for Increasing D.C. Height Limits

As part of a study into potential changes to D.C.'s Height of Buildings Act requested by Congress, the results of an economic feasibility analysis were presented this week. Relaxing limits would create jobs and several thousand new housing units.

July 25, 2013 - The Washington Post

'Gentrification Overdrive' on 14 Street Symbolizes D.C.'s Gilded Age

In D.C.'s newly-crowned densest area, apartment rents average $2,700 a month, cocktails cost $16, and it's tough to get a table on a Tuesday night. 14th Street's rapid renewal, emblematic of the city's recession-era boom, has some residents chafing.

July 22, 2013 - The Washington Post

Ideas Unveiled for Prime D.C. Parcel

The three finalists vying to redevelop 67-acres of Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Northwest Washington unveiled their vastly different visions for the historic site in public presentations this past week.

July 21, 2013 - Washington City Paper

8 Steps to Creating Vibrant Retail Streets

Tasked with developing a plan for how D.C.'s underperforming neighborhoods could improve their attraction to shoppers and retailers, consultants Streetsense whittled down hundreds of factors into an 8-step guide to creating vibrant retail streets.

July 20, 2013 - Elevation DC

Redevelopment Threatens Oasis of Deaf Culture in D.C.

The students of Gallaudet University, one of the world's premier colleges for the deaf and hard of hearing, helped transform H Street into one of D.C.'s 'hippest neighborhoods'. Could the area's popularity extinguish an enclave of deaf culture?

July 16, 2013 - The Washington Post

D.C. Backtracks on Parking Reform

Opponents to a proposal to eliminate parking minimums in certain areas of D.C. have been heard. In order to smooth approval of the city's massive zoning overhaul, planners will reduce minimums in some areas rather than eliminate them.

July 15, 2013 - The Washington Post

Are D.C. Planners Missing the Forest for the Trees With Redevelopment Efforts?

Seemingly forgotten in D.C.'s rush to revitalize its once run-down neighborhoods is the allocation of new parks and open space, says Aaron Wiener. Are planners repeating the same mistake in the transitioning Mount Vernon Triangle neighborhood?

July 14, 2013 - Washington City Paper

D.C.'s Gridlock Has Improved; What Can Be Done to Sustain Recent Gains?

Recent studies report a noted decrease in traffic congestion in the D.C. area. Robert McCartney credits two trends and asks how the area should spend additional transportation revenues that will be generated by recent tax increases.

July 12, 2013 - The Washington Post

Empty Parking Lot

From Peak Car to Peak Parking?

Fewer cars on the road, less driving, why not fewer parking spots? Cities like D.C., L.A., Denver, Philadelphia are responding by reducing or eliminating parking minimums, while Portland, which had already eliminated them, are bringing them back.

July 10, 2013 - The Wall Street Journal

How the Centerpiece of D.C.'s Affordable Housing Efforts Became a Catastrophe

In an in-depth article, Robert Samuels examines the "oversights, missteps and missed opportunities" that have turned the New Communities Initiative - imagined as "the centerpiece of the District’s affordable-housing efforts" - into a train wreck.

July 9, 2013 - The Washington Post

What's Being Done to Keep D.C. Affordable?

Across the D.C. metro area, the supply of market-affordable apartments has dropped dramatically over the past decade as the region's economy has boomed. Nonprofit groups and local governments are working to improve affordability.

July 8, 2013 - The Washington Post

Yards Park DC

Giving Waterfronts Back to the People

Does D.C. want to be a swamp? Are waterfronts for tow parks or people? Heidi Petersen reports on a panel discussion on the past and future of Washington's waterfront at the National Building Museum.

July 7, 2013 - ASLA The Dirt

Effort to Eliminate D.C. Parking Minimums Comes Under Attack

Like many cities across the country revisiting their outdated zoning codes, Washington D.C. has made parking requirement reform a centerpiece of their efforts. These efforts have attracted the ire of residents and AAA who fear parking armageddon.

July 6, 2013 - WNYC: Transportation Nation

Studying the Psychology of Sacred Green Spaces

Over 20 years, the TKF Foundation has funded the creation of dozens of “green refuges from the stresses of modern life”. With $4.5 million in funding for six new projects, they’re out to prove the physical and psychological benefits of such spaces.

July 6, 2013 - The Atlantic Cities

Why Developer Overconfidence May be Good for D.C. Renters

After years of dramatically rising rents, relief for D.C.'s renters may have finally arrived. A weakened local economy combined with a glut of new properties on the market (and more coming) will lead to more leasing discounts for area residents.

June 26, 2013 - The Washington Post

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.

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A short list of voices on social, video, and podcasting platforms.