New York

Two Opinions on NYC's Proposed Subway Fare Increase

Editorializing on the expected fare increase for New York City's 8.5 million transit riders, the Times suggests ways to soften the blow. Writing in response, the president of the Citizens Budget Commission suggests looking toward motorists.

October 23, 2012 - The New York Times - Opinion

A Decade After 9/11 Lower Manhattan Is a Magnet

Since the September 11 attacks, the areas in and surrounding Lower Manhattan have experienced an increase in the population of young, educated workers, reports Sam Roberts. Farther-off suburbs are seeing their share of such high-value workers shrink.

October 23, 2012 - The New York Times

NYC Housing Plan Leaves Poor Families Out in the Cold

A new initiative launched by Mayor Bloomberg to tackle New York City's need for affordable housing through the construction of microunits is attracting hostility from advocates and local leaders for neglecting the needs of large, poor families.

October 22, 2012 - The New York Times

NYC to Speed Infrastructure Investment

Taking advantage of low borrowing costs, Mayor Michael Bloomberg announced this week that New York City will spend up to $1 billion on “critical” infrastructure, including bridges, roads, schools and libraries over the next 20 months.

October 20, 2012 - Bloomberg

Is There a Place for Design and Beauty in Planning Documents?

As cities strive to improve the "design" and "beauty" of their buildings, how can such attributes be mandated by planning documents if their mere mention is verboten, asks Karrie Jacobs.

October 17, 2012 - Metropolis

Understanding the Importance of Place to the Creative Class

Richard Florida discusses why "quality of place", rather than job opportunity, is the determining factor in where creative-minded people choose to live.

October 16, 2012 - Urban Land Magazine

Outdated Law Prevents NYC from Cashing In on Luxury Apartments

A New York state law on the books since the 1980s undervalues property tax rates on multimillion dollar residential buildings, providing astonishing discounts to New York City’s wealthiest homeowners.

October 16, 2012 - The New York Times

Can Designs Match Bold Ambitions for NYC's Tech Island?

The release of the sketchy first plans by designers SOM, Morphosis, and James Corner Field Operations for Cornell's new tech campus on New York's Roosevelt Island kick off the project's public review process.

October 15, 2012 - The New York Observer

Fetishizing Urban Decay Becomes Fashionable at NYC’s Newest Attractions

Sarah Goodyear attributes the appeal of NYC's High Line, and the recently opened Barclays Center, to not only smart urban design, but also the nostalgia of urban decay.

October 12, 2012 - The Atlantic Cities

Will a Brooklyn Superfund Site Become the Borough's Next Hot Nabe?

On-again, off-again, and now back on-again plans to redevelop the polluted area between two of Brooklyn's most affluent neighborhoods have the residents of Gowanus divided on the direction of their gritty community.

October 10, 2012 - The New York Times

Plan for NYC's Largest Ever Development Comes Into Focus

As the Hudson Yards project prepares to start construction on Manhattan's west side, Justin Davidson examines the plans for the borough's "largest remaining chunk of emptiness" and shares exclusive new renderings.

October 9, 2012 - New York Magazine

Williamsburg: Brooklyn’s New 'Hipster Epicenter'

For many locals, Williamsburg in Brooklyn was a weird neighborhood one passed by when getting into lower Manhattan. Now it is the center of gravity of creativity in New York City. Metropolis magazine takes a walkabout in the neighborhood.

October 7, 2012 - Metropolis

The Great Brooklyn Bait-and-Switch

No one should be surprised that at Brooklyn’s Atlantic Yards site, nothing is, or ever will be, as promised, writes columnist Roberta Brades Gratz.

October 6, 2012 - The Citistates Group

Will Development Squeeze the Life Out of Queens' Flushing Meadows-Corona Park

Shaped by two World's Fairs, the long-neglected, but intensely used, park is targeted for redevelopment. City officials plan for a new mall, a soccer stadium, and more parking, upsetting some in the local community.

October 4, 2012 - The New York Times

The Dangers of Biking and Walking in America's Largest Cities

A new study conducted by the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute shows that New York and Los Angeles have much higher rates of pedestrian and biking fatalities than the national average.

October 4, 2012 - Los Angeles Times

Infographic of the Day: The Many Moods of NYC

Launched in August 2011, Wyst is a social media app that allows users to tag locations in New York City with an emoticon. After a year of collecting data, Wyst has compiled enough info to publish its first Mood Map of NYC.

October 3, 2012 - The Architect's Newspaper

New Golf Course for the Bronx Seems Like an Odd Use of NYC's Land and Money

As the level of golf participation falls, a new course is rising in a park in the Bronx with the assistance of $97 million in public funds. Is a notoriously expensive, and elitist, sport the best use of land in a borough with a 30% poverty rate?

October 3, 2012 - The New York Times

The Flawed Plan to Fill the Lower East Side's 'Black Hole'

David Bergman argues why plans recently approved by New York's Community Board 3 and City Planning Commission for the development of the Seward Park Urban Renewal Area (SPURA) are a step backwards for the area.

October 1, 2012 - The Architect's Newspaper

Comprehensive Plan Needed for NYC's Urban Agriculture

With 700 urban farms and gardens in New York City, a new report calls for a comprehensive approach to managing the city's urban agriculture, and offers recommendations for maximizing coordination between city agencies and urban farmers.

September 30, 2012 - Grist

New York City Struggles to Retain What's Left of its Manufacturing Industry

During the last two decades, New York City has continued to shed manufacturing jobs. But recent efforts led by the city, in partnership with private developers, are looking to retool some of New York's largest legacy sites for a new breed of tenant.

September 30, 2012 - The New York Times

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.

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.