Community / Economic Development
Buffalo's Plan to Become "the Berkeley of New York"
Once the 8th largest city in the United States, Buffalo, NY is now ranked 70th (with 261,000 residents). After several failed attempts at urban renewal, the city leadership is trying a new approach - namely, to recast Buffalo as a college town.
PWC Ranks Top "Cities of Opportunity"
PricewaterhouseCoopers recently published the fourth edition of Cities of Opportunity. The report rates 26 cities in a range of categories (including transportation and infrastructure, for example) and then comes up with a master ranking.
How Universities Affect their Local Economies
The UK-based Centre for Cities published a short report about the several ways that universities can affect local economic performance.
U.S. Mayors Get Crash Course in Planning
Tom Wright, Executive Director of the Regional Plan Association, traces the history of the Mayors' Institute on City Design from its creation 25 years ago to last week's conference which was attended by some of the country's most important mayors.
What Downtown LA Would Like Without Cars (VIDEO)
Three architecture students from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo teamed to make this video which aims to show what an auto-free downtown LA could be.
Downsizing Detroit: How They Found the Money to Shrink, and What We Can Learn
Cities like Detroit can find the funds and initiative to make downsizing work by identifying as many stakeholders and potential partners as possible, writes Alison Bates, who thinks that "right-sizing" is the right move for the city.
Does Minneapolis Need a Casino?
Columnist Steve Berg thinks Minneapolis must be having an identity crisis. What else would explain the city seriously considering putting a casino downtown?
Seeking Suburbia's Future in Its Past
A group of urban designers and architects descends on the ur-suburbia of Levittown. Alison Arieff writes that the urban academics doodled in the margins rather than serious tackle the issues raised by the suburban way of life.
Maine's "Informed Growth Act" Repealed
The 4-year-old Informed Growth Act required large retail stores in Maine to go through an extra hoop to analyze their potential adverse impact on the community. The Maine House repealed the act last week.
Cities for Single Moms
Zillow has created a list of the top ten places in America for single moms to live, based on five metrics including women's earning rates, violent crime rates and walk scores.
Does Density Pay?
Does having more density in a city means more people to pay property taxes, and thus, less of a tax burden on residents? Sam Newberg and a colleague run the numbers.
L.A. tries to Sue Superbank 'Slumlord'
The city of Los Angeles is attempting to sue Deutsche Bank, the owner of thousands of foreclosed and blighted homes in the city. If it works, other cities could follow.
Minneapolis Questions Worth of Casino Project
A proposal to build a casino in downtown Minneapolis has locals and lawmakers wondering if it's a good deal for the city. The governor wants more than the suggested 25% take of revenues, but others say even that is not worthwhile.
Would You Move to Transit-Oriented Development? How about for $12k?
D.C.'s Office of Planning is launching a pilot program to do just that.
Community-Focused Sustainability Programs Thrive Amid Budget Cuts
Sustainability-focused programs offered at the federal level have received overwhelming support from communities and protection from budget cuts, even in an age of tightened budgets.
The Warhol Community
In comparing the legacies of artist Andy Warhol and urban thinker Jane Jacobs, this essay suggests that the sort of urban community we think of today is more a result of Warhol.
Stadium Renovation Prices out Brazil's Poor from its Most Revered Public Space
As Brazil prepares to host the 2014 World Cup and 2016 Olympics, renovations to the Maracana, an infamous soccer stadium in Rio de Janeiro, are pricing out the city's poor. Some say the work is killing one of the city's few egalitarian public places.
The "Eccentric" Town of Canon, Georgia
When asked to describe their town at a charrette, the residents of Canon chose words like "rundown", "courageous" and "eccentric". University of Georgia students and professors worked with locals to create a vision for the town.
Can A Failed Mega-Mall Un-Fail?
Officials in New Jersey are planning to revive a stalled megamall project called Xanadu. The New York Times asks a panel of experts whether the plan should move forward.
One Year Down, 3,000 Homes Demolished
Officials in Detroit have demolished 3,000 buildings over the course of the last year, a goal set by Mayor Dave Bing.
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.
EMC Planning Group, Inc.
Planetizen
Planetizen
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service
