Pennsylvania
Philly Developer Must Comply With Zoning Deal Before Tenants Can Occupy Luxury Units
City officials in Philadelphia are scrambling to deal with the fallout after a developer suddenly backed out of a deal that allowed additional height in exchange for affordable housing units for a 250-unit development near the Delaware River.

Giant Ethane Cracker Coming to a Keystone Opportunity Zone Near Pittsburgh
The state of Pennsylvania and the county of Beaver have what they wanted: Shell has decided to build a new ethane cracker facility northwest of Pittsburgh.

Real-Estate Site Locates Redevelopment Potential Across Philadelphia
A new map-based web tool created by a former city employee calculates the redevelopment potential of every parcel in Philadelphia.

'Vacant Home Tour' Reimagines Blight
It's not your typical walking tour: A resident-led project in Wilkinsburg, Pennsylvania explores the history of a community through its blighted properties.

Proposed Bill Would Empower Philadelphia Councilmember Prerogative
A Philadelphia councilmember has proposed a seemingly esoteric bill that would amend the city code to give individual councilmembers new power in the planning process.

One Reaction to an Invasive Plant Species: Eat It
When it comes to one particularly invasive plant species in Pittsburgh, some food retail businesses are saying, "if you can't beat it, eat it."

The College President With the Sterling Redevelopment Résumé
John A. Fry lacks a terminal degree, but what he doesn't lack is land use and redevelopment know-how. Drexel University in Philadelphia is the latest to employ his talents.
Loss of 'Situational Awareness' Caused Fatal Amtrak #188 Crash
The nation's transportation safety board determined that a distracted engineer caused one of the worst crashes in Amtrak's history, killing eight and injuring over 180 people just north of Philadelphia.

Pennsylvania Gov. Wolf Expresses Solidarity for Cities
Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf grew up in a small town, but he has since adopted cities among his political causes. In recent remarks, he detailed his opinions about how public policy shortchanges cities—in Pennsylvania and the country.

Two Rustbelt Cities Take Similar Tacks to Future Planning
Erie, Pennsylvania and Canton, Ohio have faced the challenges of shrinking populations and fewer job prospects, but new comprehensive plans in each city may provide a pathway to resurgence

'Pay-By-Plate' Parking Meters Bring Windfall to Pittsburgh
The power of modern parking technology is on display on the streets of Pittsburgh.

Philadelphia's Franklin Square Installs a Fence and a Symbol of Privatization
Philadelphia's Franklin Square will require admission in the evening this spring, for the duration on a Chinese lantern festival. A critic faults the "philosophy of privatism" for robbing the park of its democratic qualities.

Parking Benefit Districts Around the U.S.
As Pittsburgh moves forward on a parking management program to fund neighborhood improvements, take a look at how other cities have adapted this Shoup-inspired redevelopment strategy.

A Plan to Make Philadelphia's Market Street More Like Main Street
Changing demographics and mobility choices along the historic Market Street in Philadelphia have planners looking for ways to implement a road diet and put safety first.

PBS Takes on Urban Planning, Good and Bad, with '10 Towns' Special
Beginning with the first U.S. planned urban development, St. Augustine, Fla., and ending with one of Portland's newest neighborhoods, the Pearl District, host Geoffrey Baer takes us through ten developments that left their mark, for better or worse.
Paris Climate Agreement Signed, but Troubles Loom in the U.S.
On Earth Day, NPR looked at the intersection of the Paris Climate Agreement, which Secretary of State John Kerry signed at the U.N. on Friday, and President Obama's Clean Power Plan which has been given a pause by the Supreme Court.

All Jokes Aside: Do Oil Companies Avoid Wealthy Areas?
Environmental justice alarms sounded when an oil industry executive made public remarks about how drilling sites get selected.
What Eminent Domain Means in North Philadelphia
A panel discussion convened in Philadelphia recently to discuss the effects of eminent domain, that critical and troubling tool that makes redevelopment possible.

Plans for Massive Oil Pipeline to Philadelphia Taking Shape
Oil industry representatives have coalesced behind a plan to connect Philadelphia with the Marcellus Shale region with a large new pipeline. A recently completed conceptual plan for the pipeline is intended to build political support.

Arguing for Philly's Viaduct Rail Park Provide as a Mobility Solution
The High Line is a famous example of urban revitalization, but a useful commuter path it is not. Can a similar proposal in Philadelphia offer the benefits of beautification and mobility?
Pagination
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.
New York City School Construction Authority
Village of Glen Ellyn
Central Transportation Planning Staff/Boston Region MPO
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions