Land Use

City Creek Center is a $1 billion mixed-use development project that some say is a godsend for downtown Salt Lake City, creating jobs during a tough economy. Others wonder how the church's influence will play out in the culture of the project.

February 8, 2010 - The New York Times

Fast Company pulls together a handful of recent reports to paint a grim picture for the suburbs, as the number of people living in poverty rises, housing values decline, and infrastructure built in the 60s and 70s erodes.

February 8, 2010 - Fast Company

Bill Fulton was prepping for a panel on transferable development rights programs for last weekend's New Partners for Smart Growth conference in Seattle when he realized the hotel he was in was the beneficiary of just such a program.

February 8, 2010 - California Planning & Development Report

Food trucks are becoming an increasingly visible part of streetlife in many cities, but few have figured out how to deal with them from a policy standpoint.

February 7, 2010 - The City Fix

The latest news in the impact of the built environment on health: A new study says that children who live within 150 meters of congested roads have higher body mass indexes than kids that do not.

February 7, 2010 - Streetsblog

America 2050 releases a new video imagining what a commute in future Detroit could look like, including car sharing, high-speed rail, and a light rail connector.

February 6, 2010 - America 2050

This essay from The Urbanophile looks at the economics behind greenfield development.

February 5, 2010 - The Urbanophile

The Brazilian government has approved a new hydroelectric dam in the Amazon. Many locals and environmentalists are fuming.

February 5, 2010 - Guardian

In a new report looking at how cities in the American West can fight global warming, the authors conclude that the best strategy is to focus on economic and energy efficiency through smart growth.

February 4, 2010 - Lincoln Institute of Land Policy blog

The City of Portland is considering its 2030 Bike Plan today. Some question whether the $613 million price tag is worthwhile.

February 4, 2010 - The Oregonian

As a preventive measure to avoid future NIMBYism, an Air Force base in Arizona has effectively blocked the spread of residential development close to its borders.

February 4, 2010 - The Arizona Republic

The Guardian asks prominent thinkers what sort of city London will be in 20 years.

February 4, 2010 - Guardian

Allison Arieff takes a look at some of the ways GIS and other data-visualization technologies can help to address urban problems.

February 4, 2010 - NYTimes: Opinionator Blog

Haiti's official seismologist predicted the earthquake, and says the capital is in a high-risk zone for future quakes. With funds coming in to rebuild, the decision is pressing.

February 3, 2010 - Spiegel International

This post from GOOD looks at how a street can become a bicycle corridor.

February 3, 2010 - Good

This post from The Nature Conservancy examines the impact of urbanization on nature and finds that our rising food needs will be one of the most important implications.

February 3, 2010 - The Nature Conservancy

This article recalls the story of Patricia Moore, who dressed up as an 80-year-old woman to better understand how the elderly interact with products and the built environment.

February 3, 2010 - California College of the Arts

That's according to the National Vacant Properties Campaign. But there is a glimmer of hope as cases of 'temporary urbanism' and 'pop-up stores' fill the void.

February 2, 2010 - Governing Magazine

Pedestrians, street vendors, scooters and squatters all compete for space on the gridlocked sidewalks of Mumbai, where nearly 60% of the population travels by foot. Solution? 50 elevated walkways, or "skywalks."

February 2, 2010 - TheCityFix.com

With the Winter Olympics fast approaching, the editor of Vancouver Magazine takes a shot at capturing the big picture of the city that has become a model for planners everywhere.

February 2, 2010 - The Walrus