Urban Development
Showcasing Suburbia
An exhibit at the Carnegie Museum of Art offers an unbiased, "awestruck" exploration of America's suburbs.
Continued Demolition Threatens New Orleans Character
In post-Katrina New Orleans, a fine line exists between razing potentially deadly structures, and harnessing a zeal for wholesale redevelopment.
Even Dubai is Feeling the Pinch
Cityscape, Dubai's annual real estate showcase, paints a rosy picture of the booming city. But even Mideast moguls aren't immune from the global financial crisis.
Residents Call For Expansion of Seattle Growth Boundary
Residents in the Seattle region are calling on officials to expand the area's urban growth boundary to allow denser development in what is currently outside the border.
Taking City Revitalization Beyond Iconic Architecture
Many cities see new iconic buildings as a major element in recreating themselves into distinctive places. But if every city has distinctive buildings, the distinctiveness is diminished. This commentary argues for new revitalization ideas.
'Broken Windows' Rebuffed: The Social Life of Skid Row
On L.A.'s Skid Row, revitalization efforts fail to consider the human aspects of life on the streets, according to Rocco Pendola.
Wine Bars Raise Property Values
CoolTown Studios looks at a recent study in Portland, OR that shows that certain retail establishments- cafes, movie theaters, wine bars- increase property values in neighborhoods by up to 30%.
Reconsidering the Trailer Park
A new study finds that manufactured housing (also known as mobile homes), despite their reputation, offer important advantages for low-income households.
Why Affordability Matters
In this article, Erick Villagomez argues that affordable housing, by enabling urban diversity, is the key to a city's economic and social sustainability.
The Ephemeral Shopping Mall
Harundale Mall, one of the first enclosed malls built in the country, is now a strip mall. This article contains an examination of its somber decline and the direction in which Harundale--and other malls--may be headed next.
Stalled Project Gets Money, Beats Odds
Capital may be tough to find these days, but the developers of a major downtown mixed-use project in Boston's Downtown Crossing district have received financing.
Cities Struggle as They Face Higher Municipal Bond Rates
The credit crisis has caused soaring interest rates on municipal bonds, causing cities to look for other ways to fund projects. Nevertheless, numerous projects have been put on hold or face cancellation.
Neighbors Oppose Possible Street Sale in New York
One of New York City's smallest and least-known streets is attracting the eyes of private developers, and the city seems keen to sell. But neighbors say the tiny street is worth preserving.
Urban Supermarkets, Suburban Designs
Supermarkets are moving back to urban areas like Philadelphia. But their big box designs are decidedly un-urban, according to architecture critic Inga Saffron, who calls for more relevant urban designs.
Testing Ideas in Dubai
Dubai is increasingly attracting architects and planners as a blank slate, and it's becoming a vibrant testing ground for ideas new and extreme.
What Constitutes a 'Floating Home'?
Houseboats may soon appear on Lake Erie, along the Port Clinton, OH waterfront. But first, planners are taking great pains to define what makes a 'floating home.'
New York Needs a Wrecking Ball
New York Times architecture critic Nicolai Ouroussoff argues that some buildings make the city worse, and lists of some that need to be demolished. Included in his list are Penn Station, Madison Square Garden and Astor Place.
Doug Farr on Detroit, His Hometown
A Detroit weekly talks to Doug Farr about his life growing up in Detroit and his ideas for bringing sustainable urbanism to the city.
Relating Peak Oil To Auto Dependency And Urban Planning
Daniel Lerch, author of "Post Carbon Cities" presents his thoughts for a new California Dream in a 'post carbon future' in which cars still exist but are used sparingly due to urban planning that reduces their necessity. He looks toward Portland.
Rule-Bending Keeps Fresno Sprawling
Despite a 2002 General Plan update aimed at curbing sprawl in the Central California city of Fresno, repeated zoning amendments have allowed hundreds of developments to push the city's edge farther out into the fringe.
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
