Washington

Urban Villages Struggling To Attract Jobs

Three mixed-use, walkable urban villages near Seattle have become very popular with residents since their creation in the '80s and '90s. But while small businesses prosper and home vacancies remain low, few jobs are available.

August 14, 2007 - The Seattle Times

How Seattle Has Grown

Urban geographer Richard Morrill discusses the history of growth in Seattle, the influences that cause it, and which of the influences can be controlled.

August 8, 2007 - Crosscut

Seattle Puts Double-Decker Buses Into Service

Hoping to boost capacity without using additional road space, Seattle will become only the second city in the nation to put the London style buses into service.

August 2, 2007 - HeraldNet

Townhomes Sprouting Up In Seattle

Hundreds of new townhomes are being built in neighborhoods across Seattle. Neighbors want input into the new housing, but a loophole allows development to move forward under the radar.

July 19, 2007 - The Stranger

Seattle Moves To Preserve Historic Downtown Structures

With a wave of new development underway downtown, the City of Seattle has nominated 37 structures as historic landmarks, and has plans for even more preservation efforts.

July 14, 2007 - Seattle Post Intelligencer

Embracing Congestion May Save County Money

Facing a transportation funding shortage, a county supervisor in Washington has proposed letting some roadways get more crowded and congested to save the money that would have been spent to improve them -- money the county doesn't have.

July 9, 2007 - The Columbian

Ex-Official Says Seattle Stopped Listening

Seattle's public participation process has served as an example for cities across the globe, but the former city official who was instrumental in creating that reputation says the city's current leadership has moved away from that model.

July 9, 2007 - The Seattle Post-Intelligencer

The New Face Of Public Housing

A formerly crime-ridden public housing project has been redeveloped as a HUD Hope VI project. Many see as a successful turnaround, bringing in subsidized renters and buyers as well as market-rate homeowners.

June 25, 2007 - The New York Times

Seattle Grapples With Tree Losses

A rash of illegal tree cutting in Seattle has prompted local officials to act on the city's decreasing amount of trees and canopy cover. Tree-planting efforts hope to build the canopy back from less than its current city coverage of less than 20%.

June 20, 2007 - The Seattle Post-Intelligencer

Seattle Approves Major Mixed-Use Project For Pioneer Square

Plans call for redeveloping the north parking lot of the Seattle Seahawks stadium into a new mixed-use development that will add 400 housing units to the historic district and better link the neighborhood with adjoining areas.

June 10, 2007 - The Seattle Times

Cities In US And UK Consider Public Wi-Fi

In both the US and the UK, local governments are looking to offer wireless internet access in public spaces as a way to get more people out on the streets and near businesses. But they are carefully considering the idea's sustainability.

June 6, 2007 - The Seattle Times, BBC

Light Rail's Long-Term Financing

This article from The Seattle Times takes a look at the long-term financing schedule associated with extending the region's light rail system.

June 6, 2007 - The Seattle Times

Seattle Asking Voters To Approve $23 Billion For Light Rail

Will Washington voters be willing to pay $125 per year per household for 50 miles of light rail extensions, part of Sound Transit's "Roads & Transit" ballot measure?

May 28, 2007 - The Seattle Times

Seattle Goes On Hybrid Bus Shopping Spree

King County Metro plans to add 500 new hybrid buses to its fleet -- increasing service by nearly a third.

May 18, 2007 - The Seattle Times

New Urbanist Revival For Low Income Housing In Seattle

A former area of low-income housing has been redeveloped as a New Urbanist neighborhood in Seattle. The housing stock has almost doubled -- and nearly 40% of it is priced for very low income families.

May 15, 2007 - The Seattle Times

Seattle Plans Clamp Down On Free Parking

Crews will soon begin installing metered parking on many of the city's free curbside parking spaces in an effort to move residents away from private cars.

May 8, 2007 - The Seattle Post-Intelligencer

Affordable Green Housing Develops In Seattle

Seattle-based affordable housing developers use the city's green building standards and grant programs to get many affordable housing projects started in the city and beyond.

May 7, 2007 - The Seattle Post-Intelligencer

LDMRs and 'Air Condos' in Puget Sound

Snohomish County, Wash., officials are tussling with local city governments and fire-department officials over regulation of so-called "air condo" developments sprouting in the county's unincorporated areas.

May 3, 2007 - The Seattle Times

As Seattle Transit Ridership Increases, Officials Look To Expand

Rising gas prices have caused a noticeable increase in public transit ridership in Seattle. The rising demand has fueled transit officials to push for service expansion.

April 27, 2007 - The Seattle Post-Intelligencer

Little Saigon Threatened By Retail Chains

Seattle residents are protesting a 600,000 square foot retail development set to move into the city's historic Little Saigon neighborhood. They fear that the character of the neighborhood will be erased by the major chain retailers on tap to move in.

April 23, 2007 - The Seattle Times

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.

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.