History / Preservation

Columbia River Gorge Fire

How the West Got Bigger, Badder Fires

Two new books chronicle the origin of U.S. policy on wildfire, the damage that policy has done, and why it’s unlikely to change any time soon.

January 4, 2018 - The New York Times

Gentrification Protest

Wrestling with Growth, Equity, and Sustainability

A historic summit with Denver mayors about responsible growth, and a take-to-the-streets protest of gentrification in the city, suggest the need for a better conversation about today’s challenges to urban sustainability.

January 3, 2018 - Dean Saitta

Beach Driving

Texan Offers Very Texan Plan for the Coast of Texas

In a new book, lawyer Jim Blackburn suggests that engaging private landowners is the only way to manage the coast of his home state.

January 2, 2018 - Offcite via The Urban Edge

Dead

Historic Preservation vs. the Housing Crisis

How can cities balance the benefits of historic preservation with the need for new housing?

January 2, 2018 - Sightline

Seattle KeyARena

Seattle Will Woo the NBA and NHL With Renovated Arena

Following a city council vote, Seattle's moving forward with a $600 million plan to renovate KeyArena in the hopes of attracting hockey and men's basketball.

January 1, 2018 - SeattleMet

Victorian Townhomes

New Zoning in Historic Philadelphia Neighborhood Will Protect Victorian Homes

A rezoning expected to go into effect in the neighborhood of Spruce Hill in Philadelphia chooses historic preservation over potential student housing developments.

December 31, 2017 - PlanPhilly

White House

The Most Popular Posts of 2017

All the planning news that's fit to print.

December 26, 2017 - James Brasuell

Memphis, Tennessee

Memphis Finds a Loophole to Rid Two Parks of Confederate Monuments

A victory for local control: Memphis city leaders found a way to rid their city of two racist monuments, over the objection of the State Legislature.

December 25, 2017 - The Commercial Appeal

Caribou and Brooks Range, Arctic NWR

Drilling in Arctic National Wildlife Refuge Allowed with Passage of GOP Tax Bill

When President Trump signs the tax-cutting bill, Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) will have achieved a family dream of opening up the pristine refuge, created 37 years ago, to drilling.

December 24, 2017 - The New Yorker

Gateway Arch Rendering 2

Gateway Arch Finally Connects to Downtown St. Louis

A $380 million project bridges a freeway and connects the Gateway Arch to downtown St. Louis.

December 19, 2017 - New York Times

Apartment Construction

D.C. Steps in to Buy At-Risk Affordable Housing

In the interest of preserving affordable supply, the District can purchase apartment buildings that would otherwise sell to private developers.

December 19, 2017 - Greater Greater Washington

tennessee

What is Appalachia, Really?

If you want to understand rural America, critics say, look beyond Hillbilly Elegy.

December 16, 2017 - Chitucky

Flood Damaged Suburb

Hurricane Harvey and the Failure of the National Flood Insurance Program

Houston's most recent natural disaster is only the latest example of how a program created to help homeowners has been a greater benefit to the industries that profit from them.

December 15, 2017 - Houston Chroncle

Delray, Detroit

A Detroit Neighborhood 'Sentenced to Die'

A handful of Delray residents refuse to be displaced by industry, but the plan for a new bridge may mean they don't have a choice.

December 13, 2017 - Detroit Free Press

California from Space

Can We Know Which Homes in California Will Burn?

As the state's worst wildfire season ever refuses to end, an analyst from UCLA considers how land use and building codes determine the location and extent of the damage.

December 11, 2017 - The Conversation

Archaeological SIte

Researchers Warn Historic Sites Could Be Washed Away By Rising Seas

Researchers have created a digital database of archaeological sites in the U.S.—and thousands could be lost to sea-level rise.

December 1, 2017 - Pacific Standard

Southwest LRT

Barrier Wall Could Delay Southwest Light Rail in Twin Cities

A proposed 1.4 mile safety barrier may require additional review, and could further delay the project

December 1, 2017 - MinnPost

Baltimore Rowhouses

Baltimore Confronts Underinvestment in Communities of Color

As part of an interdepartmental effort, the city's planning department is embedding an explicit equity lens into how it considers the distribution of civic resources.

November 29, 2017 - Next City

Cross-Laminated Timber

Timber Industry 'Bracing' for Soaring Demand

Building with wood is back in fashion, but lumber producers have to reckon with thorny politics and new timber-based materials that have yet to be truly defined.

November 28, 2017 - The Architect's Newspaper

Harvard Square

The Community Takes Ownership of Harvard Square

Harvard Square bears the name of a prestigious private university, but it's still public space. More community organizations are taking a role in determining its future in an era of change for the historic location.

November 26, 2017 - Harvard Magazine

Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

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Planning for Universal Design

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