San Francisco

Parklets are a new urban trend spreading to cities all over the world. It's an idea born in San Francisco, and the San Francisco Chronicle's John King takes a tour of each of the city's new mini-parks

January 1, 2012 - San Francisco Chronicle

Can the community of Long Beach, California use examples from much larger places like San Francisco and East Village to reclaim its extensive public alleys?

December 23, 2011 - Long Beach Post

In San Francisco, a performance parking pilot program has not had as big an impact as many thought it would. According to Michael Perkins, "Even with high rates, popular blocks still fill up, and other blocks remain under-filled even at low prices."

December 13, 2011 - Greater Greater Washington

Well ahead of it's time, San Francisco adopted a 'transit-first policy' in 1973. However, the 'drive-alone' mode dominates at 39%. While far better than elsewhere in the Bay Area and much of the U.S., transit remains clearly in second place at 32%.

December 2, 2011 - San Francisco Examiner

Hearst Corporation is planning to redevelop the city block that surrounds its San Francisco Chronicle offices at 5th and Mission. The update would include a new mixed use tower containing 1.3 million square feet of commercial space.

November 22, 2011 - SF Gate

In the thick of the campaign, the American Institute of Architects invited the eleven major candidates for mayor of San Francisco to debate their respective visions for the City by the Bay.

November 7, 2011 - The Examiner

Columnist Ken Garcia writes that San Francisco's neighborhood-driven political system has been a more powerful force in shaping the city's skyline than the planning department has.

November 1, 2011 - The San Francisco Examiner

In this Climate Watch blog and accompanying "Miles To Go" radio report, the reporter observes how powerful parking rated as a factor in determining whether to drive, walk, or take transit, and the public policies that affect the quantity of parking.

October 3, 2011 - KQED News: Climate Watch

This past weekend I attended a memorial service for a local activist. Eric Quezada was important in many planning-related issues here in San Francisco – how we create space that reflects the cultural traditions of our large immigrant communities, the importance of preventing displacement of low-income people, the development of affordable housing and institutions that meet the needs of all of our citizenry. I had known Eric for many years, but had the privilege of working most closely with him when I served on our city’s Planning Commission and he was a lead organizer in the Mission District, an historically Latino neighborhood threatened by dot-com fueled gentrification. In his short 45 years on earth, Eric touched the lives of thousands here and around the world.

September 28, 2011 - Lisa Feldstein

In his critique of "Urban Code: 100 Lessons for Understanding the City," San Francisco Chronicle Columnist John King says how the book's formula for a city doesn't do justice to its authenticity.

September 28, 2011 - San Francisco Chronicle

Warren Karlenzig pays San Francisco a visit to tour its 15 "parklets", tiny urban public spaces carved out of underused road space or a couple of parking lots.

September 27, 2011 - GreenFlow

Leah Shahum returns to San Francisco from a 7-month sabbatical in Amsterdam with a new perspective on making cities bike-friendly the Dutch way.

September 20, 2011 - Streetsblog

San Francisco has made steps to avert cars from Market Street, but the next steps to alleviate congestion are vague. A gradual rollout of trial experiments to gauge a method's success seems the most likely answer, reports Rachel Gordon.

September 14, 2011 - San Francisco Chronicle

Transplanting the wildly popular pilot projects in NYC and SF across the northern border, the City launches VIVA Vancouver program that converts parts of eight streets into public spaces.

September 9, 2011 - THE DIRT

Transit officials in San Francisco are considering a plan to allow transit riders to board through all doors of buses in an attempt to cut delays.

September 1, 2011 - San Francisco Chronicle

Graphic designer Tor Weeks captures the essence of the bicycle culture in San Francisco by classifying the types of bikes by neighborhood.

August 30, 2011 - The Huffington Post

Cities across California are proposing new stadium projects in hopes of luring football teams and economic growth as a result of their new megadevelopments.

August 30, 2011 - The Architect's Newspaper

As San Francisco prepares to host the 2013 America's Cup regatta, plans to use parts of the city's scenic waterfront for spectators' yacht parking edge too far into the public realm, according to this piece from the San Francisco Chronicle.

August 25, 2011 - San Francisco Chronicle

John King of The San Francisco Chronicle examines the installation of mobile planters around the Yerba Buena District in San Francisco; part of a 10-year revitalization initiative to bring new meaning and boundaries surrounding public space.

August 19, 2011 - The San Francisco Chronicle

Burning Man -- the annual arts festival and self-reliance experiment -- is more than a party in the desert. Its organizers are starting a new effort to revitalize the neighborhood around their San Francisco office.

August 19, 2011 - Fast Company