New York
At Least One Group Welcomes Sandy’s Healing Power
The construction industry is licking its chops as plans for Sandy’s recovery take shape. After years of idleness due to the housing bust, builders and contractors find themselves ready to roll up their sleeves, and in need of a new workforce.
What Will it Take to Build a Smarter New York?
Cassim Shepard and Varick Shute respond to an exhortation by Governor Cuomo to "build [the New York City area] back smarter" in the aftermath of Superstorm Sandy, and in the face of changing weather patterns, with some ideas on what that will entail.
Bikes Are Big Winners Post-Sandy
With gasoline increasingly hard to find in New York and many subway lines still down, biking has surged in popularity in the aftermath of Sandy. Bikes are selling briskly and new adherents are jumping in the saddle.
In Lower East Side, Cell Phones and Social Media More Helpful than FEMA or Red Cross
In blacked-out Manhattan, recovery is slow, if not entirely absent. To help fill the void left by public agencies, a self-organized recovery effort is trying to help those left behind, with the assistance of technology.
New Brooklyn Arena Works, But Larger Project Is Broken
Architecture critic Michael Kimmelman delivers his verdict on the Barclays Center, the new home of the Brooklyn Nets and the first phase of the larger Atlantic Yards mixed-use project. He has praise for the arena, but lambastes the larger plan.
Sandy Changes Political as well as Physical Landscape
NJ's Republican Gov. Chris Christie heaps praise on President Obama, and the governor of the neighboring, hard-hit state, NY Gov. Andrew Cuomo, has also stirred the political pot by going where no other pol has gone - linking Sandy to climate change.
Sandy Exposes New York's Increasing Inequality
Extreme events tend to expose the true weaknesses and strengths of a place and its people. In the same way that Sandy revealed the shortcomings in NY's physical infrastructure, it has shown the growing chasm in the city's economic infrastructure.
Seeking Return to Normalcy, New Yorkers Struggle to Get to Work
In many parts of the city located on higher ground than Lower Manhattan, the lights are on and the flood waters have receded. But New York's transportation network is struggling to reconnect the city's business centers with commuters.
Lacking Opportunities at Home, New York Architects Export Their Brands
In the face of slow development in the U.S., renowned architects Richard Meier and Robert A.M. Stern have been exporting their distinctive styles overseas, where “people want to bask in the reflective glow of New York.”
Construction Challenge: How to Dismantle a Crane Dangling 90 Stories Above Manhattan
Among the iconic images of Hurricane Sandy's devastation is sure to be the video of the construction crane on the tallest residential building under construction in NYC being toppled by hurricane force winds and left dangling perilously in Midtown.
How Can New York Prevent Future Superstorm Disasters?
After nearly a decade of ignoring warnings about the type of disaster witnessed this week, New York City and State officials may no longer be able to push off implementing drastic plans to safeguard the city from rising seas and super storms.
Sandy Is Just the Tip of the Iceberg, and NYC May Be the Titanic
Although still being measured, the damage superstorm Sandy inflicted upon New York was clearly historic. But the stunning conclusion reached by Richard Barone of the Regional Planning Association, is that "[i]t can get a lot worse than this."
The One Form of Public Transit That Sandy Didn't Shut Down
Though fewer in number, taxis had no competition with subways, buses, and commuter rail all shut down in advance of the Monday night storm. Matt Flegenheimer continues his update on how Hurricane Sandy affected pubic transit and roads in New York.

Stunning Images Capture Sandy's Assault on NYC
In case you missed it, The Atlantic Cities has compiled some of the most arresting photos of Hurricane Sandy's historic visit to Manhattan, as reported on social media and elsewhere Monday evening.
As Northeast Casino Boom Continues: NY Gambles with Possibility and Risk
Large casino resorts in Atlantic City and Connecticut take a hit, as new, smaller and local casinos, attract gamblers from the surroundings areas. New York state officials are paving the way for more casino proliferation, despite some skepticism.
Transit Improvements Boost Business in NYC
In addition to making the city's streets safer, the pedestrian plazas, bike lanes and rapid-transit bus system built in New York City over the past several years have been a boon to surrounding businesses finds a new report released this week.
Does the High Line Signify a New Era of Urban Design?
Sue Illman thinks so. And in this editorial for The Guardian, she argues that the success of the High Line signifies a new era in which the quality of our parks and public spaces, rather than our skylines, makes our towns and cities stand out.
Food Systems Planning: The Next Step in NYC's Public Health Crusade
Now that Mayor Bloomberg has had his say in what New Yorkers drink, Alan Brake argues it's time for the next mayor and his partner in Albany to focus on what they eat, by devising a plan to link New York's upstate farms with its downstate markets.
Put a Ring on It: Grand Central Redesigns Unveiled
In advance of Grand Central's 100th birthday next year, the Municipal Arts Society (MAS) asked three architecture firms to rethink the station's public spaces for the next 100 years. The results were unveiled last week.
Resolving the Tension Between 'Resilience' and 'Sustainability'
Although "two of the hottest buzzwords in urban planning" - resilience and sustainability - are often used interchangeably, in many cases they actually work against each other. David Biello examines why both are crucial for the future of our cities.
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