New York City

Who Defines New York's Nabes? For Starters Look to These Amateur Mapmakers

In New York, neighborhood boundaries are big business. Just ask any real estate agent who's tried to pass off a Gowanus apartment as being in Park Slope. Since the city does not officially define boundaries, amateurs are filling the void.

September 10, 2012 - The New York Times

Creative Class Cannibalization

Richey Piiparinen discusses the "Frankenstein effects" of place-making, in which, he argues, the diversity of people and place that attracts the creative class is eventually forced out by those in search of the "highest and best use."

September 4, 2012 - New Geography

Agency, Developer Wrestle Over Atlantic Yards Affordability

A look at negotiations between developer Forest City Ratner and New York City's Housing and Development Corporation around the Atlantic Yards project shows that there will be less housing units set-aside for low-income families than promised.

September 3, 2012 - The Brooklyn Bureau

Finding Mayor Bloomberg's Fingerprints on a Transformed New York

As the end of the Bloomberg Era in New York draws to a close, The Architect's Newspaper goes agency by agency exploring how the Mayor has steered the forces of NYC real estate to meet goals for a cleaner, greener, and more equitable city.

August 26, 2012 - The Architect's Newspaper

Extreme Wealth and Poverty Grow in Brooklyn

A quick look at some of Brooklyn's demographic data illustrates a dramatic divide between the Borough's most wealthy and most poor - economic segregation at its extreme in America.

August 25, 2012 - New York Daily News

Majority of New Yorkers Oppose City's Proposed Soda Ban

A new New York Times poll finds that a majority of New York City residents oppose Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg’s proposed ban on sugary drinks, adding fuel to the debate.

August 24, 2012 - The New York Times

Delayed NYC Bike-Share Gets New Launch Date

After weeks of speculation after its supposed July launch date came and went, this morning Mayor Michael Bloomberg announced that New York's much anticipated bike-share program will be seen on city streets beginning next March.

August 17, 2012 - The New York Times

Amtrak Service Dominates D.C. to Boston Travel Market

Long lines at airport security and weather delays have contributed to Amtrak's commanding travel mode share between D.C. and NYC, and majority share between NYC and Boston, but the lead is threatened by the competition and aging infrastructure.

August 17, 2012 - The New York Times - Business Day

Spike in Homeless Incites Rapid Response from NYC, Angering Many

By opening nine new homeless shelters in just the last two months, the Bloomberg administration has responded quickly to an 18% increase in the number of people entering NYC's shelter system in the past year, much to the dismay of local officials.

August 13, 2012 - The New York Times

New Technology May Help NYC Cut Crime, and Turn a Profit

The futuristic sounding "Domain Awareness System," NYC's newest crime fighting tool, utilizes cutting edge technology to further cut down on crime in what has become "one of the safest big metropolitan areas in America."

August 10, 2012 - The Guardian

Are America's Cities Too Loud?

Recent articles on uncomfortably loud environments in New York and Los Angeles raise an interesting question - is noise pollution a necessary part of city living or is it a health hazard that should be addressed?

August 8, 2012 - The Atlantic Cities

Reclaiming San Francisco's Market Street for Public Space

Following precedents from other cities, San Francisco is looking to redesign its famous Market Street by removing automobiles, creating raised bike lanes, implementing faster transit, and making for a more inviting public space.

July 22, 2012 - Streetsblog

New York, How Does Your Garden Grow?

Frank Bruni pens an appreciation for the incredible transformation New York City has undergone in the last 15 years, as Mayor Bloomberg's "greenest of thumbs" has expanded the lush life across the city's five boroughs.

July 16, 2012 - The New York Times

A City Always in a Hurry, NYC Seeks to Slow Down

Matt Flegenheimer reports on Mayor Bloomberg's announcement this week that the city plans to expand its so-called neighborhood slow-zone program, which is aimed at reducing driving speeds in neighborhoods across town.

July 12, 2012 - The New York Times

Street Art Project Pinpoints Missed Connections

In New York City a new project, I Wish I Said Hello, takes Craigslist's 'missed connections' from the internet to the street.

July 11, 2012 - Wired

Viral Video Gets MTA Response in a New York Minute

In response to widespread attention from one short video, MTA repair crews rushed to repair a faulty step at a subway station staircase in "perhaps the fastest response to a customer complaint in agency history," Matt Flegenheimer reports.

July 3, 2012 - The New York Times City Room Blog

At Manhattan Big Box Mall, Parking Garage Still Sits Empty

A big box mall built in East Harlem, complete with an 1,100 space garage, is seeing its customers walk to shop instead of driving. The suburban assumptions underlying the enormous garage never panned out in the heart of the city.

June 26, 2012 - Streetsblog

Understanding How City Rules Affect Urban Areas

In this excerpt from the new book, "City Rules: How Regulations Affect Urban Form," author Emily Talen outlines the ways in which zoning ordinances, building codes and other bureaucratic restrictions negatively affect urban areas.

June 26, 2012 - City Limits

Falling in Love With One of the Filthiest Creeks in the Country

Steven Stern explores New York's Newtown Creek through the eyes of Mitch Waxman, a self-taught historian and unlikely devotee of the aquatic wastedump-turned-Superfund site.

June 25, 2012 - The New York Times

Facebook's New Infographic: Where Are We 'Checking In'?

Tyler Falk reports on new data released by Facebook, mapping the top 5 "social landmarks" in 25 cities from Seoul to São Paulo.

June 25, 2012 - The Atlantic Cities

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.

Top Books

An annual review of books related to planning.

Top Schools

The definitive ranking of graduate planning programs.

100 Most Influential Urbanists

The who's who of urbanism, according to Planetizen readers.

Urban Planning Creators You Should Know

A short list of voices on social, video, and podcasting platforms.