Land Use

Two entrepreneurs and brothers take urban development matters into their own hands. The result? Lured by a contest offering free rent, and the associated buzz, Birmingham's South Avondale finds itself in the midst of a cultural renaissance.

October 25, 2012 - The Atlantic Cities

An ordinance designed to help stop a Walmart "Neighborhood Market" from opening in L.A.'s Chinatown neighborhood fell short of the necessary votes at a City Council meeting held yesterday, reports Alice Walton.

October 24, 2012 - KPCC

Sue Illman thinks so. And in this editorial for The Guardian, she argues that the success of the High Line signifies a new era in which the quality of our parks and public spaces, rather than our skylines, makes our towns and cities stand out.

October 24, 2012 - The Guardian

Now that Mayor Bloomberg has had his say in what New Yorkers drink, Alan Brake argues it's time for the next mayor and his partner in Albany to focus on what they eat, by devising a plan to link New York's upstate farms with its downstate markets.

October 24, 2012 - The Architect's Newspaper

With the portion of American's living in cities set to rise to 90 percent by 2050, a new set of accessibility issues will confront the nation's disabled and aging. Metropolis invited 7 teams of designers to develop solutions to meet this challenge.

October 24, 2012 - Metropolis

In advance of Grand Central's 100th birthday next year, the Municipal Arts Society (MAS) asked three architecture firms to rethink the station's public spaces for the next 100 years. The results were unveiled last week.

October 24, 2012 - A/N Blog

The role of the physical environment in promoting healthy living was the focus of a gathering last week in the Peel Region, which encompasses three of Toronto's western suburbs. Participants discussed the challenges of adapting suburban environs.

October 24, 2012 - Toronto Star

As part of an endeavor to improve access to New York's 525 Privately Owned Public Spaces (POPS), which gained notoriety during last year's Occupy Wall Street protests, a new website has been launched to help the public find and utilize them.

October 23, 2012 - The Architect's Newspaper

Recent studies show that upwards of 77% of Millennials are opting to live in urban areas. The impact on the local economy will be huge, IF urban planners rethink how we build our downtowns.

October 23, 2012 - ICIC Inner City Exchange

Seattle offers a compelling example of how the transfer of development rights (TDR) can provide a market-based means to kill two smart-growth birds with one stone, writes Claire Thompson.

October 23, 2012 - Grist

For Howard Blackson, the latest trend in planning and design is redevelopment based on evolving, rather than phased, implementation. In this blog post he identifies the three typologies of this "slow urbanism."

October 22, 2012 - Better! Cities & Towns

Last week the San Francisco Planning Commission gave final approval for the 1,070-foot Transbay Transit Center tower, reports Mike Billings.

October 22, 2012 - The San Francisco Examiner

Is waste disposal a local or regional issue? A new CA law written by a S.F. lawmaker nullifies a voter-approved Solano County measure that limits the amount of outside garbage their landfill can accept. It is being challenged by environmental groups.

October 20, 2012 - The Wall Street Journal - San Francisco Bay Area

City officials and leaders are considering an adaptive reuse ordinance for industrial buildings, modeled on the one that helped spark downtown L.A.’s residential boom, to help push forward the sputtering vision of a "CleanTech Corridor."

October 19, 2012 - Los Angeles Downtown News

From the "world’s first floating village" to the "world’s most audacious balconies," New York Magazine surveys "9 Experiments in Large" for their special feature on "Global Urban Design 2012."

October 19, 2012 - New York Magazine

One of the last major developments of Las Vegas's recent building boom, MGM's $8.5 billion CityCenter opened during the depths of the recession. Three years later, after slashing prices for hotel rooms and condos, the clouds are beginning to lift.

October 19, 2012 - The New York Times

A change made last month in the regulations concerning which buildings the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) judges to be eligible for financing could enable the construction of more mixed-use walkable developments, reports Angie Schmitt.

October 18, 2012 - Streetsblog D.C.

Jeff Jamawat looks at the promise of a nuanced approach to tax reform being tested in 17 local jurisdictions in Pennsylvania to head off the spiral of rising prices and displacement instigated by the construction of transit infrastructure.

October 18, 2012 - Smart Growth Network: National Conversation Blog

Small towns like Carmel, Indiana have gained national prominence after redeveloping into "cities where people can live, work and play," writes Haya El Nassar.

October 18, 2012 - USA Today

Is the idea of "farming up" really taking off? Vertical farming could yield long-term environmental benefits, but still faces many obstacles.

October 18, 2012 - The Wall Street Journal