United States
'Garden Blocks' to Feed Urbanity
The relationship between agriculture and cities is becoming increasingly important. Daniel Nairn suggests building "garden blocks" within cities to meet community food needs.
Sustainable Communities: Live Event with HUD, DOT and EPA Leadership
Whitehouse.gov held a live online event on July 15th at 2pm EDT/11am PDT on sustainable communities. All of the questions were submitted and chosen by Planetizen readers.
The Resurrection of the Small Movie Theater
Small movie theaters, long thought dead, are having a comeback as vital centers in small towns across the country.
Closed Car Dealerships Get New Life
2,300 auto dealerships have closed in the U.S. since 2009. 649 of those have been redeveloped, becoming lumberyards, schools, chain drug stores, and groceries.
Kotkin Takes Aim at Urbanists
Naming Richard Florida, Carol Coletta and ULI as pro-urban forces, Joel Kotkin accuses them of having "wishful thinking" in regards to the back-to-the-city movement. Kotkin says people want single-family homes, not condos.
Video: Time to Urbanize Suburbia
The Washington Post's Ezra Klein suggests readers watch this 20-minute TED video featuring Georgia Tech's Ellen Dunham Jones, author of "Retrofitting Suburbia." Jones talks to the importance of making suburbs greener by retrofitting to urbanize them.
Streetcars Getting Serious Again
Once a major part of cities transportation networks, streetcars have over the last half a century devolved into mere tourist attractions and novelties. But the pendulum may be swinging back.
Cities Fighting For Lebron
Cities are falling over themselves to try to convince basketball superstar Lebron James that he should pick their NBA franchise as his new team.
Home Building and Sales Down
New figures from the National Association of Realtors show that the number of new homes being built and the number of homes being sold were both down during May.
Stumbling Toward a Smart Grid
The Infrastructurist reports on a recent panel about smart grid technology -- and its awkward timing right after a major smart grid plan was shot down by the Maryland Public Service Commission.
The Transformation Of DOT Under LaHood
Few expected this Republican in the Obama cabinet to cause such a stir. Yet, from his high speed rail advocacy to campaigning for road safety ("just say no to texting") to pushing livable communities, 64-year-old Ray LaHood has changed D.O.T.
Can "Cities of Service" Meet Local Needs?
The Cities of Service coalition, a new initiative funded through Rockefeller Foundation grants, aims to facilitate local volunteer-based efforts to meet community needs.
Cuts to Public Transit Endangering Sustainable City Agenda
In their attempts to deal with their budget deficits, state and local governments are slashing public transit funding, which may leave residents little choice but to return to their cars.
Walking and Biking on the Rise
This infographic from GOOD shows how walking and cycling have grown in America -- and how federal funding for bike and pedestrian projects have steadily increased.
Jane Jacobs Overkill
Jane Jacobs, often viewed as the patron saint of the progressive urban planning world, maybe be given too much credit, according to this piece from Andrew Manshel.
Neighbors Connected
Face-to-face interactions between neighbors may be declining in some cities, but, increasingly, neighbors are connecting with each other online.
Bright Times Ahead for Amtrak
Amtrak Chief Joseph Boardman says now is a good time for the much-troubled national rail system. Support from the federal government is helping the system grow and improve, according to this interview.
Lifting Parking Requirements
As part of its series looking at improving transportation in the U.S., Slate delves into the intricacies of parking requirements and how they impact transportation and traffic in cities.
Suburbia Isn't The Problem
John Jensen at the Seattle Transit blog makes a persuasive argument that the suburbs themselves aren't the problem - depedency on the automobile is.
Placemaking for Pot Smoking
Potential legalization of marijuana presents California cities the chance to do a different type of 'greening.' Josh Stephens reports on the land use challenges of regulating California's most lucrative crop.
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
