Planetizen Newswire
Keep up with essential planning news and commentary, delivered to your inbox every Monday and Thursday.
Pennsylvania
The Sharpsburg Ecodistrict in Pennsylvania has been recognized with EcoDistrict Certification, joining Millvale and Etna to become the third certified community in Southwestern Pennsylvania's Triboro Ecodistrict—and the world.
evolveEA.com
The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette recently published an investigation of the city's efforts to buy and rehabilitate vacant properties in the troubled neighborhood of Homewood.
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Overlay districts provide a tool for guiding the future of development and environmental controls at the neighborhood level.
WHYY
A cause abandoned by the Philadelphia City in 2019 is on the table again.
WHYY
Ridership on the nation's commuter rail services has plummeted more than other forms of transit during the pandemic. Serving a more affluent, professional ridership, commuter rail is looking more likely to face long-term cuts after the pandemic.
The Philadelphia Inquirer
Christian Street, known at the beginning of the 20th century as the Black "Doctor's Row" should have been on the Historic Register years ago, according to this article.
Philadelphia Inquirer
Despite 80% of survey respondents wanting a reduction in volume on Erie's waterfront parkway and improved pedestrian and bicycle access to the city's waterfront, PennDOT plans instead to double traffic as part of a $120 million high-speed bypass.
Earth Justice
Philadelphia's city council passed the city's first-ever residential development impact tax, a plan that could boost the city budget by $9 million a year.
WHYY
Coronavirus infections, while at record-high levels, have decreased during the past week, unlike hospitalizations, which are still surging. Public health experts expect it to get a lot worse due to the Thanksgiving holiday travel.
Bloomberg News
The new law won't stop the forces of gentrification, but it should stop one of gentrification's most pernicious symptoms.
The Philadelphia Inquirer
Pittsburgh has one of the most lucrative innovation districts in the country, and even more development investment is on the way.
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Four Seasons Total Landscaping. Was that not clear?
The Oregonian
A coalition of leaders in the Appalachian region recently released the "Marshall Plan for Middle America" to create jobs and transition the states of Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Ohio, and Kentucky away from fossil fuels.
StateImpact Pennsylvania
The city of Philadelphia offers a case study for the challenges and potential benefits of home repair programs.
The Philadelphia Inquirer
Feature
Outdoor dining programs have provided relief for local restaurants and retailers, while offering an oasis of social life for residents. The winter months will challenge that momentum, but creative, flexible approaches can save the day again.
One of the wealthiest neighborhoods in Philadelphia is increasing parking requirements and limiting building heights at all costs.
WHYY
The example of Philadelphia shows how a land value tax could provide relief to residents and the city's finances.
WHYY
The mayor, planning staff, and the Philadelphia Planning Commission agree. The Philadelphia City Council and residents of the wealthy neighborhood of Society Hill, not so much.
WHYY
It took a pandemic, but the worldwide effort to move restaurant and retail businesses outside, at the expense of parking, is proving far less controversial than it would have before the coronavirus swept the globe.
NPR
A major victory in the fight for housing justice has been achieved in Philadelphia.
Philadelphia Housing Action