Massachusetts
A Parking Lot is a Terrible Thing to Waste
Smart growth proponents are fighting a New Jersey transit agency plan that would lease out dozens of parking facilities to private operators for 30 to 50 years.
Bulldozing Quincy, Mass - and Building it Back Up
Most cities don't get the chance to start from scratch. But Quincy, Mass. plans to raze most of its 50-acre center and build it anew with the aid of a private developer's upfront funding - a plan that may rewrite the rules of urban development.
Preservation Challenges on Peddocks Island
At the 210-acre Peddocks Island in Boston Harbor Island State Park, two different visions prevail over preserving -- or destroying -- the 26 historic buildings on the island.
Rise of the Ethnoburbs
Timothy Egan describes growing American ethnoburbs, or "entire cities" (or suburbs) "dominated by a nonwhite ethnic group," and their implications for politics and power.
Cities To Lead The Economic Recovery
Innovation Districts are helping metropolitan areas around the country lead the way toward economic recovery.
The Rise of Mid-Sized Cities
The Boston Globe discovers that midsize towns across Massachusetts are ditching the mall and revitalizing their downtowns.
The Importance of Quality Streetscapes
This piece from Next American City looks at plans to dramatically rework streetscapes in Boston, and cheers the effort.
Zoning Out Planned Parenthood
While Planned Parenthood isn't even currently considering an office in Gardner, Mass., opponents of the nonprofit have petitioned the Planning Board to create zoning limitations that would exclude them from opening up shop.
Massachusetts to Get 'Pay As You Drive' Auto Insurance
To reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 25% below 1990 levels by 2020, Massachusetts hopes to tap federal funds to help enact a 'Pay As You Drive' auto insurance program to reduce transportation emissions.
When Small Alleys Cause Big Headaches
Getting the City of Boston to pick up the tab for maintenance and repair of certain alleyways has proved frustrating for residents of the city's South End, due to high costs and restrictions associated with transferring ownership rights to the city.
Andres Duany Uncovers Landscape Urbanist Takeover
"Landscape Urbanism," a school of thought that argues that landscape and natural forms are more capable of shaping cities than architecture, is gaining ground in the U.S. Andrés Duany reports that to his dismay, it's also taking over Harvard.
The Missed Aerotropolis
Aerotropolises are cities that develop around airports into vibrant centers of business and residences. The Boston area had a chance to make one, but the city and state missed out, according to this column.
Largest Single Project in Boston's History Approved
The new 23-acre Seaport Square in the South Boston waterfront district will bring a mix of uses and ample parkland to a former railroad property.
A Woonerf in Harvard Square
English architect Ben Hamilton-Baillie sees possibility in a section of Harvard Square that has all the qualities of a "woonerf"; mainly, that cars, bikes and pedestrians all share the street equally.
Cape Wind: Did Enthusiasm Trump Reality?
A controversial $2.5 B wind farm planned off the shores of Cape Cod is touted by supporters as a way to jumpstart the state's green economy. Beth Daley argues the project was rushed to the drawing board despite not making economic sense.
Building on Strengths
In Lowell, Massachusetts, planner Jeff Speck painted a picture for locals of a transformed city that capitalizes on the strengths of the city to move forward with a greater vision.
Lawsuit Over Zoning Dismissed, But the Damage is Done
The Town of Kingston, Massachusetts won a lawsuit this week, filed over whether land around the town's commuter rail station was properly rezoned -- but lost the promised developer and a state grant for smart growth in the process.
City of Boston Tours Downtown Crossing to Entice Retailers
In an effort to create a more diverse retail base and fill empty units retailers from an International Conference of Shopping Centers were guided through Downtown Crossing, The Rose Kennedy Greenway and South Boston Waterfront.
Starchitect Rejected, A New Compromise Rises
With Harvard's plan to build a Renzo Piano-designed art museum rejected, the university took a new tack and built student housing, a park and an underground parking garage -- a "satisfying outcome", says Anthony Flint.
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
University of Michigan School for Environment and Sustainability (SEAS)
Hunter College, City University of New York (CUNY)
The Architects Foundation
City of Cambridge
Montrose County
The Pocatello Development Authority
