Urban Development

Traverse City’s New Economy Rises On Old Brownfields

Grants, loans, and expertise propel a coastal community, building on considerable funding from Michigan's brownfield redevelopment program.

January 10, 2006 - Michigan Land Use Institute

How the Suburbs Made Us Rich

Without the Suburbs, our parents and grandparents would have paid rent most of their lives, and the equity that so much of the American Dream depends on would simply not have developed, suggests Wendell Cox.

January 9, 2006 - Demographia / PA Township News

New Orleans Begins Demolition of the Lower 9th Ward

The City of New Orleans has started bulldozing buildings in the Lower 9th Ward -- many still containing unidentified remains -- without informing homeowners.

January 7, 2006 - CommonDreams

The Power of Infilltration

Planning Magazine examines how cities are encouraging multifamily projects and higher densities.

January 5, 2006 - Planning Magazine

Schools Curb Energy Costs By Building Green

School officials in Oregon are learning a thing or two from a prototype uber-green classroom near Salem, which uses a large skylight and other technologies to enhance and regulate the natural light coming into the space.

January 5, 2006 - The Oregonian

The Negative Side Of Brownfield Development

Is the government's focus on brownfield development a distraction from other toxic sites that are more dangerous, but have less commercial appeal?

January 3, 2006 - The Boston Globe

Downtown Los Angeles' $10 Billion Renaissance

Depsite having the most concentrated population of the homeless in the western US, $10 billion in investment is transforming gritty downtown Los Angeles into a "Manhattan of the West Coast."

January 3, 2006 - The Washington Post

World Trade Center Redevelopment to Have Residential Component

With a decisive win in his re-election, Mayor Bloomberg spoke to his priorities for his final term as chief of the the US's largest city in his second inaugural address on New Year's Day: Affordable housing and the World Trade Center.

January 3, 2006 - The New York Times

The Transformation of the San Francisc's Transbay Terminal

Will San Francisco finally get its train station? Plans are underway to create the "Grand Central Terminal of the West" from the underused Transbay Terminal.

January 2, 2006 - New York Times (Real Estate)

Land Use Regulations and Housing Prices

A new report from Harvard shows that Boston's housing affordability crisis is created fundamentally by regulation.

January 2, 2006 - The Boston Globe

Far West Texas -- The Next Chic Locale?

From a huge investment by Amazon.com's founder to a fake Prada store, something is brewing in Far West Texas.

December 31, 2005 - The Texas Observer

Dirt Roads As Commuter Corridors

Washington, D.C. suburbs are growing so fast that the roads haven’t caught up.

December 28, 2005 - The Washington Post

The Case For 'Passive Survivability' In Building Codes

The concept of 'passive survivability' includes measures that protect inhabitants during disasters. Should these measures be incorporated into building codes for civic buildings?

December 27, 2005 - Environmental Buildign News

Affordable Housing Controversy in New York City.

What is the appropriate level of subsidization that affordable housing developers should receive? The article also describes New York City's unique inclusionary housing benefits.

December 27, 2005 - The New York Times

America's Newest Suburbs: Aging Industrial Cities

A revival of industrial towns just outside expensive metropolitan areas accompanies the grueling commutes of the new residents. While describing the Lehigh Valley, the reporters also mention the far-out regions of Boston and the San Francisco Bay Area.

December 26, 2005 - The New York Times

Do Homeowner Associations Make Good Neighbors?

As the number of people in Homeowner Associations has exploded from 2 million nationwide in 1970 to more than 54 million now, disputes become more expensive, and more frequent.

December 26, 2005 - The Baltimore Sun

Housing Boom Helps Lesser-Known Architects

The real estate boom has helped the fortunes of architects and developer who built in the 1960s and 70’s and who have been fairly obscure until real-estate brokers began resuscitating the reputations of lesser-known mid-century figures.

December 25, 2005 - The Wall Street Journal

The Housing Bubble Begins Bursting?

Home sales dropped in November by the largest percentage since 1994. Is this the beginning of the end for the real estate bubble?

December 25, 2005 - CNN.com

Forest City's Interest in Metropolitan L.A

Forest City's long-term investment in L.A.'s core is paying off, says Senior VP of Development Kevin Ratner.

December 22, 2005 - The Planning Report

Global Design and Development Trends

A group of architectural and development professionals and thinkers discuss their views about recent trends across the globe.

December 22, 2005 - ULI Urban Land Magazine

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.