Virginia
Bringing God to the Urbanites
As the trend towards urban living grows, churches are rethinking how to approach the urban and religious. This article from a Baptist newspaper suggests that the faithful have been reading and absorbing Richard Florida.
Entering the 'Maze of Zoning'
In Virginia Beach, VA, homeowner Herbert Harris was told that the wheelchair ramp and extra bedroom he was building for his wife and ill daughter needed building permits. Thus began a trip down the rabbit hole of the Board of Zoning Appeals.
D.C. Airport-Rail Link Heading to Congress
Plans to expand rail transit to link Washington D.C with Dulles International Airport have received federal backing and can now head to Congress for funding approval.
A More Populated Future for Tysons Corner
Despite a high concentration of shopping, jobs and parking, Tysons Corner does not have a lot of people. Plans are moving forward that will bring more life to this office park, shopping center city.
From Edge-City to Real City
Its way of life no longer en vogue, the auto-centric suburb of Tysons Corner, VA plans to undergo a large-scale transformation into a walkable, "real" city over the course of the next 30 years.
Rush Hour for Lunch
At lunchtime, traffic in Tysons Corner is even worse than during the morning commute, causing officials to launch a lunchtime shuttle to keep more cars off the road.
Best Cities To Live in During a Recession
Business Week looks for the most recession-proof cities, using as their main criteria an abundance of jobs in stable industries like government, health care, and education.
Not Quite Urban, Not Quite Suburban
One city in Virginia has gone from suburban to (quasi-)urban in just a few years.
McCain Votes Against Transit
John McCain was one of two dozen senators to vote last week against a bill that included $1.5 billion to fund D.C. transit.
Plan Approved to Un-Sprawl Tysons Corner
In an effort to recreate sprawling Tysons Corner into a dense urban environment, county supervisors have unanimously approved a plan to build higher, denser, more transit oriented and more walkable.
Is New Urbanism 'Antiseptic'?
Columnist Michael Paul Williams of the Times-Dispatch worries that the planned New Urbanist development in Roseland, VA will turn out to be 'as antiseptic as a theme park."
Future Unknown For Famous But Damaged Tomb
The Tomb of the Unknowns, a 70-year-old marble monument in Arlington National Cemetery, is showing its age. With cracks and damage, some are calling on officials to make repairs, but others say it's time for a new tomb.
Commute Costs Changes Growth Patterns in D.C.
Suburban growth in the DC area has been fueled by low gas prices and abundant freeways. Expensive gas has changed this growth paradigm as commuters shift to public transit and seek close-in homes. Will government respond to the change in the market?
Parking Key to Tysons Corner Redevelopment
In the Washington D.C.-suburb of Tysons Corner, plans for a major downtown redevelopment hinge on one basic issue: parking.
Foreclosed Properties Eyed As Affordable Housing Stock
In a move to combat the growing numbers of foreclosed homes and provide affordable housing, Fairfax County, Virginia, has announced plans to buy up foreclosed properties to augment the county's supply of affordable homes.
Contributions From Developers Banned By Board
The county board of supervisors in Loudoun County, Virginia, has voted to ban itself from accepting any campaign contributions from developers or builders.
Learning from Arlington
Columnist Roger K. Lewis reflects on Arlington's Rosslyn-Ballston corridor and what other cities can learn from their success.
Lawrence Halprin Opines on Redesign of His Charlottesville Mall
Many of famed landscape architect Lawrence Halprin's optimistic 1970s public spaces are being updated and reconsidered. Historic preservationists fight back, but supporters say, "It's a living, breathing space, not a museum."
Gas Prices Cause High Demand for Transit
Rising gas prices have caused a big increase in transit ridership in Loudoun County, Virginia, where officials are looking to expand their bus fleet and capacity to handle the jump in demand.
Virginia Governor Seeks Sales Tax Raise For Transit Projects
Virginia Governor Tim Kaine has proposed a plan to raise sales taxes in the state to help fund public transportation projects -- a plan similar to one voters turned down in 2002. But this time, voters won't be involved in the decision.
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
