Several years ago, officials in Long Beach, California, found themselves in a pickle. They had an aging city hall in need of seismic retrofits (price tag: $194 million). Fast-forward to last July, when ground was broken on a $520 million project.
The 15-acre project that will deliver a state-of-the-art city hall, activate downtown through a restored street grid, create hundreds of housing units, build a welcoming main library, re-imagine Lincoln Park as a regional asset, and throw in a new headquarters for the Port of Long Beach to bring another 500 employees downtown was all financed through an innovative new model of public-private partnerships. Now, the Long Beach Civic Center offers a case study in how the public sector can bring home substantial civic benefits — including urban revitalization, public-realm investment, and economic development — through the P3 model.
FULL STORY: Inside the P3 that's reinventing Long Beach
Could the Humble Heat Pump Be a Decarbonization Hero?
Buildings are responsible for a little less than half of greenhouse gas emissions in the U.S. Break this figure down further and you'll find that building heating accounts for about a fifth of all U.S. emissions.
Fire Tests Enable New Timber Typologies
After a long time lost in the woods, architects and engineers are rediscovering timber. Recent fire tests have demonstrated that timber can be a viable building material and meet existing code requirements.
Can Insurance Markets Jump-Start Resilience?
Risk-management experts are seeking creative ways to finance resilience investments that prevent damage from natural disasters. Insurance markets, with their direct stake in protecting homes and businesses, can be key partners in this effort.
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