History / Preservation
Fighting Blight in the Bronx
A New York man who has watched a Bronx neighborhood fall into despair over decades is hoping to help un-blight the troubled area.
Re-Engineering California's Water Supplies
In California, some worry that the state's aging delta levees are in extreme danger of being destroyed by earthquakes. And as environmental concerns rise, the state is considering plans to re-engineer its water supplies to prevent another "Katrina".
El Paso Hopes to Revive Business Corridors
The city of El Paso is hoping a new plan will breathe life back into formerly booming streets sucked dry after a freeway replaced them as the main entrance to town.
Inside Detroit's Abandoned Iconic Buildings
This slideshow from The Guardian looks inside some of Detroit's historic and decaying buildings.
How Vancouver's Waterfront Went Public
This piece from The Globe and Mail takes a look at the history of Vancouver's waterfront, and how it gradually became public land.
Moving Past Jakarta
Officials in Indonesia are increasingly considering a plan to relocate the capital from Jakarta to another, less troubled location.
Taking New York City's Parks Through Tough Times
New York City Parks Commissioner Adrian Benepe talks with Next American City about the city's increased emphasis on creating active public spaces and how his department is handling budget cuts.
Exploring the Abandoned Metro of Paris
Urban explorer dsankt offers an in-depth look inside abandoned sections of the Metro system of Paris.
Historic Preservation in Syria
Over the last 50 years, preservation in Syria focused on restoring architecturally significant buildings, "sometimes destroyed the communities around them," writes Nicolai Ouroussoff. A plaza in Aleppo represents a change in strategy.
The Challenge of Preserving Interiors
The New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission lists only 110 interiors worthy of preservation. This article in Metropolis says the challenge is the "temporal nature of interior spaces."
Beatles Crosswalk Gains Historic Protection
The crosswalk pictured on the cover of the Beatles' album Abbey Road has been designated a historic place in London.
D.C. Juggles Overhead Wires and Historic Views
Washington D.C. is planning to build a citywide streetcar network, but the overhead wires required for those plans would affect the city's historic views.
Israel's Urban Outlier
Capitalism and bourgeois values built the city of Tel Aviv, which stands today as an outlier in Israel, according to this article.
Shrinking Cities Means Shuttered Churches
The Archdiocese of Detroit is working with city planners and local demographers as they develop their plans for Catholic parish closures.
The Political History of Asia's Mega-Cities
By looking at Seoul, Beijing and Shanghai, this article from City Journal explores how politics and different governmental ideologies have shaped the growth of these mega-cities.
Jersey City's 'High Line' Spurs Controversy
A proposal to redevelop an abandoned rail embankment in Jersey City has pitted preservationists and smart growth proponents against each other.
Animal Overpasses
Highways can be deadly for animals, especially when they cut directly through habitats. A recently completed design competition sought ideas for creating animal-safe bridges over highways.
Conflict Between History and Modernity Plays Out in Seoul District
Single-story, tiled-roof houses called hanok used to cover the footprint of Seoul, now a city of skyscrapers and avant-garde architecture. Today many describe the hanok as "endangered,"and conflict has come to a head in the small district of Bukchon.
Preserving Culture, But Moving From Home as the Permafrost Melts
The village of Newtok, Alaska is subsiding into a nearby river as the permafrost beneath it melts. Villagers want to preserve their heritage, but face moving from their homeland.
Do Rainforests Grow on Money?
In an effort to halt the destruction of rainforests, increasing amounts of money are being offered to countries for preservation efforts. But some wonder whether throwing money at the problem will yield a solution.
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
