Nate Berg

We Americans love a discount. Wal-Mart and the discount retail boom are proof enough of that. What we love even more, though, is free stuff. Just slap the word &quot;free&quot; before almost anything and we&#39;ll line up.<br /> <br /> This mentality represents some challenges for cities, but also some opportunities. The challenge is that if people don&#39;t have to pay for something, they probably won&#39;t. And the opportunity is that if people don&#39;t have to pay for something, they&#39;re way more likely to want it. Let&#39;s think of this concept in terms of three innately American traditions: pancakes, mobility, and beer.<br />

The economic downturn and burst of the real estate bubble have thrown a wrench into New York City's broad plans for redevelopment and environmental redesign. This piece looks at what lies ahead for the city.

Stocked with architectural gems but fraught with crime, San Francisco's Tenderloin district has long been debated as a possible historic site. The debate is now over, as it was recently named to the National Register of Historic Places.

Nearly $100 million in transportation funding that has been sidelined in Milwaukee over bureaucratic disagreements will finally come to use, as Mayor Tom Barrett announces provisions in the Federal Omnibus Budget Bill call for it to be spent.

Square footage is dropping in new homes, leading many experts to argue that the new face of American homes will be smaller and more economically sustainable.