Urban Development

Urbanity Reaches Oklahoma City

'The Brownstones' is the name of a new housing development in Oklahoma City, an example of how urbanity is becoming a lifestyle choice. The video is highly promotional, but is worth watching to see the 'brownstone style" development in its setting.

July 31, 2008 - The Oklahoman

To Live and Diet in LA

In the face of alarming obesity rates among many of its low-income residents, LA's City Council has voted to approve a moratorium on the construction of new fast-food restaurants in South LA.

July 31, 2008 - The Globe and Mail

Great Allegheny Passage Brings Unexpected Revitalization

Hiking and cycling traffic on the Great Allegheny Passageway has brought jobs and prosperity to small towns along the route.

July 30, 2008 - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Home Economics

Philip Langdon comments on the the economy of oil and its effects on urban design in the July/August issue of New Urban News.

July 28, 2008 - New Urban News

Hercules Backs 'New', 'Smart' Waterfront

Plans for a "new urbanist/smart growth" development on the waterfront of the San Francisco Bay Area town of Hercules has received unanimous approval from the city council, eliminating the need for inclusion on the November ballot.

July 28, 2008 - The Contra Costa Times

Columnist Neal Peirce Discusses the Past and Future of the Metropolis

Planetizen talks with journalist and syndicated columnist Neal Peirce about the trends he's seen over the course of his career and the future of America's metropolitan regions.

July 28, 2008 - Planetizen

Does HUD Need To Be Modernized?

Professor Sudhir Venkatesh of Columbia believe it is time for HUD to be replaced by a more nimble agency capable of responding to the 21st century city.

July 27, 2008 - The New York Times

NIMBYs On Vacation

Next American City nails NIMBYs for their vacation choices.

July 26, 2008 - The Next American City

Friday Funny: Developers Bad at Naming Streets

Developers often see naming streets as their way of making a mark, naming streets after daughters, alma maters, or the family dog. But they often find themselves tangled up in regulations and the limits of their own creativity.

July 25, 2008 - The News & Observer

Moscow Tops List of World's Most Expensive Cities

Moscow tops an annual ranking of the world's most expensive cities. The survey examines housing, transportation, food, clothing, household goods and entertainment for corporations and government agencies determining living costs for expats.

July 25, 2008 - Forbes

A Portrait of New Urbanism

Terrain.org profiles Bradburn Village, a successful New Urbanist project in Westminster, Colorado. As one resident puts it, 'Bradburn is designed around community.'

July 25, 2008 - Terrain.org

Coconut Grove Looks to Revamp, Modernize Waterfront

Miami's Coconut Grove waterfront neighborhood may receive a makeover if city commissioners approve a new master plan. However, one questions remains: who is going to fund it?

July 25, 2008 - The Miami Herald

Appalachia Creates a 'Suitability Map' to Entice Responsible Development

A key idea of western North Carolina's Mountain Landscapes Initiative is to create a map of land already in conservation, layered with land that should be preserved, so that developers, builders, and residents together can plan responsibly.

July 24, 2008 - New Urban News

A New Downtown for Scottsdale

Scottsdale, Arizona planners have released a new vision for their downtown, in a 'trend toward urban living'.

July 23, 2008 - The Arizona Republic

Black Flight or White Gentrification?

The Wall Street Journal reports that middle-class African-Americans are leaving America's major cities in droves, leaving remaining African-American cultural and religious institutions struggling to adjust to this new demographic reality.

July 22, 2008 - The Wall Street Journal

The L.A. River, Navigability, and the Future of Watershed Development

Planetizen's Assistant Editor Nate Berg investigates the impact of recent court decisions on the Los Angeles River, and how it may affect development on the watersheds of rivers and waterways across the country.

July 21, 2008 - Nate Berg

Is Houston A Better Place to Live Than New York?

The New York Sun looks west and finds a lot to love in Houston's cars, growth, and pro-development policies.

July 18, 2008 - The New York Sun

Miamians Protest $3 Billion Mega-Plan

The City of Miami is pushing a new 'mega-plan' that rolls a stadium, tunnel, public park, trolley system, and bailout into one $3 billion dollar deal. Miamians, including local car dealer Norman Braman, are pushing back.

July 17, 2008 - The Christian Science Monitor

New Crematory Evades City Planners

City officials in Snellville, near Atlanta, claim they cannot stop the pending arrival of a new crematorium along a busy street and near homes.

July 16, 2008 - The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

New Anchor For New Orleans

New Orleans officials say they have enough grants and private funds to move forward on a "Great Lawn" park for the city, functioning as a gathering place and a link to other attractions.

July 16, 2008 - New Orleans Times-Picayune

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.