Christopher Hume surveys Toronto's "mid-rise crisis" and asks why the city has made it nearly impossible to build "the urban residential form par excellence."
Bemoaning the dearth of six- to eight-storey development, Hume blames overzealous NIMBYs and the "outdated and excessive parking requirements, emergency exit regulations and construction techniques that make the economics of mid-rise so tough."
Hume speaks with architect Roland Rom Colthoff, whose firm RAW Design has a number of mid-rise condos in the works, and more on the horizon, about the struggles of working with the city and the growing demand for the housing type.
"There's an explosion of interest in mid-rise right now," he [Colthoff] insists. "The price of condos makes these projects viable. Plus there's a cultural shift going on; there are new ideas about sociability in the city. Mid-rise buildings are not for investors but people who want to be part of a neighbourhood and what's happening."
FULL STORY: Hume: Is Toronto having a mid-rise crisis?
Condo Development Controversy Goes Viral in Toronto
The controversy over a proposed eight-story condo development in Toronto embroiled author Margaret Atwood this week.
Neighborhood Activists Mobilize Against Mid-Rise Developments in Toronto
There are neighborhoods where residents are concerned about new developments raising prices, and there are neighborhoods where residents are concerned about new developments lowering home values. Toronto is currently dealing with the latter.
Mid-Rise: Density at a Human Scale
All growing cities must find ways to develop at appropriate, transit-supporting densities without overwhelming the surrounding context. The human-scaled, mid-rise building can be a solution—but achieving a good neighbourhood “fit” is not easy.
National Parks Layoffs Will Cause Communities to Lose Billions
Thousands of essential park workers were laid off this week, just before the busy spring break season.
Retro-silient?: America’s First “Eco-burb,” The Woodlands Turns 50
A master-planned community north of Houston offers lessons on green infrastructure and resilient design, but falls short of its founder’s lofty affordability and walkability goals.
Delivering for America Plan Will Downgrade Mail Service in at Least 49.5 Percent of Zip Codes
Republican and Democrat lawmakers criticize the plan for its disproportionate negative impact on rural communities.
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Balancing Bombs and Butterflies: How the National Guard Protects a Rare Species
The National Guard at Fort Indiantown Gap uses GIS technology and land management strategies to balance military training with conservation efforts, ensuring the survival of the rare eastern regal fritillary butterfly.
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