Urban Development
Study: Sprawl Costs the U.S. Economy $1 Trillion Annually
A major new study estimates that sprawl costs the U.S. economy more than a trillion dollars annually, and results, in part, from planning and market distortions. Smart policy reforms can result in more efficient and equitable development.
Where Los Angeles Equals San Francisco's Density
Though the Los Angeles region is very dense, significant barriers to transit-oriented planning remain. Based on this analysis, the lack of a central urban core shouldn't be one of them.
$6 Billion Master Planned Development Moving Forward in the East Bay
Concord, California is considering a trio of massive redevelopment proposals for the site of a former Navy weapons depot that could bring 12,000 homes and 6 million square feet of commercial development to the fringe of the East Bay Area.
Surveying the Results of 150 Years of Persistent Growth in Atlanta
The American Institute of Architects will visit Atlanta this year, a month after the 150th anniversary of the end of the Civil War. What should we know about the city as it exists today?
Death and Life in Seoul
A new article in the Journal of Planning Education and Research tests whether Jacob’s ideas ring true for predicting pedestrian vitality in Seoul.
Details of New Orleans' Online Property Auction
On March 6, 2015, New Orleans launched a new online auction system for tax-adjudicated properties. The Times-Picayune has been closely monitoring the system since it launched.
A New Toolkit for Developing Urban Agriculture Systems
As cities and towns offer more incentives and planning support for local agriculture, there is still plenty of education and learning to be done to create and sustain local food systems. Enter the Agricultural Urbanism Toolkit.
Inside Flint's Innovative Blight Elimination Plan
A blight elimination plan for Flint, Michigan has take shape over the past year, revealing innovative, community-based strategies for improving vacant properties and stabilizing the city's population.
Not 'The One' and Done—Toronto Amidst a Skyscraper Building Boom
Toronto has been the hottest scene In North America for skyscrapers in recent years, leading to comparisons to New York of the 1920s. Here's a look at a new wave of expected skyscrapers in Toronto.
Egypt Proposes a New $45 Billion Capital City
It's notable that one of the world's oldest countries and the birthplace of one its most ancient cultures, would want to build an entirely new capital. Questions, like, "Will it work?" and "Will it actually happen?" remain to be answered.
Global Suburbanisms: Beyond the White Picket Fence
With more people gravitating toward cities than ever before, new urban morphologies are proliferating throughout the world. Arup Connect's Sarah Wesseler talks with Roger Keil of York University about challenges facing global suburban development.
Legal Ruling a Major Setback for Chicago's Lucas Museum Plans
Greg Hinz reports on a high profile ruling that throws up a major obstacle for the proposed development of the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art in Chicago.
On the Limitations of Density
Writing for FastCo.Design, Architecture Critic Inga Saffron provides a cautionary tale about density done poorly.
Exploring the Unique Geography of Detroit
One of Detroit’s most defining modern characteristics—and most pressing dilemmas—is its huge amount of neglected and vacant land.
Renzo Piano on the Potential of Suburbs
In an interview, architect Renzo Piano says European suburbs are not desolate. He argues they shouldn't be treated as such in the quest for cohesive cities.
Urban Renewal District Ready to Pay Off in Beaverton
An urban renewal district established in 2011 in the city of Beaverton, Oregon has so far fallen short of its 150-million potential. But as the local economy improves, so too does the tax increment and bond financing potential of the district.
Denver's Building Boom Happening on the Fringes
According to a Denver Post article, the Denver metropolitan area has 31,000 homes in the development pipeline. All but 2,600 of those homes would be built in suburban counties surrounding Denver.
Obama Administration Would End Tax-Exempt Bonds for Sports Stadiums
Ending the use of tax-exempt bonds to finance the construction of pro sports facilities has high level support from President Obama's 2016 draft budget, but it's too early to tell if the proposed ban on such financing mechanisms will be approved.
Arlington's Market-Rate Affordable Housing will Disappear by 2020
Planners have undertaken the task of protecting market-rate affordable housing in Arlington County. The need for action was made clear in an Affordable Housing Study recently released to inform the preparation of a new Affordable Housing Master Plan.
Finding the Right Mix of Uses for Former Industrial Sites
The Philadelphia City Council is tinkering with a novel land use created by its 2012 Zoning Code update to help guide mixed use development on former industrial sites.
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
