Urban Development

Boise Looks to Streetcars for Urban Renewal

Boise considers resurrecting their streetcar system after an 80 year absence.

August 15, 2008 - The Boise Weekly

The New King of Scotland

Allan Murray's architectural vision is habing a signficant influence on the future of development in Edinburgh. This column from The Times wonders if putting the future of a city in one man's hands is such a good idea.

August 15, 2008 - The Times

Freakonomics Investigates Suburbia

Urban experts weigh in on the future of the suburbs.

August 13, 2008 - Freakonomics (Opinion) on The New York Times

The Man Behind Secret Corporate Tax Deals

The practice of secret bidding that goes on between cities vying for business to locate in their town has been going on since the 1920s- and there's one man responsible for it all.

August 13, 2008 - Governing Magazine

Tech Mogul's City Plans Progressing Slowly

Plans are moving forward in India for Nano City, the planned city brainchild of Hotmail mogul Sabeer Bhatia.

August 12, 2008 - The San Francisco Chronicle

High Gas Prices Breathe New Life into DC's TOD

The cost of commuting is beginning to trump federal policies favoring exurban development, and transit ridership is at a fifty year high.

August 12, 2008 - The Washington Post

Pixar Director Building Fake Treehouse Home

Peter Docter, director of the animated film 'Monsters Inc.', has submitted plans to build a series of artificial tree houses on his land in Lafayette, CA to be his family's home. The Planning Commission is currently considering the project.

August 10, 2008 - San Jose Mercury News

Broad Urban Renewal Project Takes Over Baltimore Neighborhood

The expansion of a Baltimore hospital has sparked a neighborhood-wide urban renewal project.

August 8, 2008 - The New York Times

Beijing's Olympic Lessons for Chicago

Olympics-related construction in Beijing has impressed many, but does little to make the city a better place. Architecture critic Blair Kamin says Chicago needs to be careful about not repeating China's mistakes if it hosts the games in 2016.

August 7, 2008 - The Chicago Tribune

Commute Costs Changes Growth Patterns in D.C.

Suburban growth in the DC area has been fueled by low gas prices and abundant freeways. Expensive gas has changed this growth paradigm as commuters shift to public transit and seek close-in homes. Will government respond to the change in the market?

August 7, 2008 - The Washington Post

The Mega Capital of the World

China is rapidly becoming home to more and more mega-cities, and there's little sign of it slowing down.

August 7, 2008 - The Washington Post

Placemaking is Alive and Well in Denver

Simmons Buntin tours metropolitan Denver with local planner Carolyn Dooling and finds a host of vibrant developments.

August 5, 2008 - The Next American City

Affordable Housing Gets Sexier

In Boston, architecture firm Utile and non-profit developer Urban Edge bring a new, stylish look to affordable housing.

August 5, 2008 - The Boston Globe

Inner-City Suburbs Rebranded as 'Classic Towns'

The Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission, the MPO for the Philadelphia metropolitan region, has introduced an innovate way of making people aware of the benefits of older, established suburbs: market them.

August 5, 2008 - The Philadelphia Inquirer

Duany On High Gas Prices And Urban Revival

Andres Duany and other experts discuss how the convergence of high gas prices and the foreclosure crisis may reverse years of cheap gas and cheap exurban land. He's pushing mixed uses and reformed zoning in suburbia, and he's betting on Texas.

August 4, 2008 - U.S. News & World Report

Planner Faces 'Withering Criticism' on Revitalization Plan

City planners in Charleston, SC would like to see some local malls redeveloped as mini-downtowns, filling in their parking lots with buildings, but local developers think they're insane. 'This really horrifies me,' says one business person.

August 4, 2008 - The Post & Courier, Charleston, S.C.

'Place First' Parking Plans

Wes Marshall and Norman Garrick illustrate the problem with parking plans today, and how to fix them.

August 4, 2008 - Wes Marshall and Norman Garrick

The Eight Aspects of Good Downtowns

As the downtown master plan of Baton Rouge turns ten years old, planners are looking at the next stages of development. They say eight factors play into making this and other downtowns successful.

August 1, 2008 - Baton Rouge Business Report

$300 Million Mixed-Use Coming to Providence

A $300 million mixed-use development is bringing new life to a long-neglected industrial district of Providence, RI.

August 1, 2008 - The New York Times

Toronto's Waterfront: For Cars or People?

Christopher Hume argues that Toronto's planners, in planning for easy vehicle access to the revitalizing waterfront, will be harming it as a pedestrian environment.

August 1, 2008 - The Toronto Star

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.