District of Columbia
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.
'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.
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.
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.
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?
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.
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?
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Controversial Eisenhower Memorial Gets Another Update and Crucial Commission Approval
The long-running saga surrounding Frank Gehry's design for a memorial to Dwight D. Eisenhower may actually be heading towards a resolution with last week's vote of approval from the Eisenhower Memorial Commission.
With Improvements, Baltimore Seeks to Steal D.C.'s Thunder...and Residents
The last decade has brought tremendous growth and prosperity to Washington D.C., but it's neighbor to the north hasn't been so blessed. Planned infrastructure improvements are intended to lure new residents to Baltimore's cheaper cost of living.
Attack Raises Questions About Safety of Popular D.C. Bike Route
An unprovoked attack on a bicycle commuter by as many as 15 youths in Washington D.C. this week is raising questions about the safety of one of the city's most popular bike routes.
D.C. Bike Share Steers Economic Growth
Real estate listings tout proximity to it, retailers want to be near it, and communities are clamoring for it; Capital Bikeshare has become an economic development tool that some think could be as potent as cars and Metro in guiding development.
What is the Role of the National Mall?
The cancellation of the Hirshhorn Museum's bubble project has Dan Malouff pondering the role of the National Mall. Should it be an urban room whose buildings define its open space, or the setting for risk-taking architecture?
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.
City of Rosemead
Rutgers University, Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy
One Hundred Miles
Hunter College, City University of New York (CUNY)
The Architects Foundation
University of Cincinnati Online
City of Cambridge
Montrose County
The Pocatello Development Authority
