Nevada
Interconnected Contradictions in the Mojave
This essay from Places looks at the history of development in Las Vegas and how the city has rapidly changed the Mojave Desert.
Starchitects Unite!
Vegas' CityCenter, designed by a handful of notable architects, may be Vegas' first walkable, urban development, complete with LEED Gold Certification.
Last Gasp for Vegas?
The $8.5 billion CityCenter mega project is set to open next week in Las Vegas. Many say it's likely to be the last major project in the struggling city for years.
Much-Needed Water in Nevada is Radioactive
Over forty years, the federal government exploded almost a thousand nuclear warheads under the Nevada desert. Radiation leeched into the aquifers, in a region with a growing population and a water crisis.
Walkable Las Vegas?
Developers and locals in Las Vegas are pinning hopes onto the new CityCenter development to bring walkability to the desert city.
Las Vegas: A Model of America's Problems
The problems facing urban America can be exemplified by looking at the city of Las Vegas, according to this piece from the Brookings Institution's Mark Muro.
Intermountain West: Off the Map for HSR Plans
Planners from Phoenix, Denver, Salt Lake City, and Reno met this week to discuss plans for high-speed rail between their cities, since they've been left off the map of potential corridors to be funded by the stimulus package.
The People Under the Strip
A community of hundreds of people live beneath the glitz of the Las Vegas Strip in flood control tunnels.
Federal Mag-Lev Funding Reignites Debate in Las Vegas
Federal authorities recently announced $45 million in support of plans to construct a magnetic levitation train line between Las Vegas and Southern California, re-igniting a debate over two proposed rail connections.
Vegas Tourism Takes A Dive
Formerly thought to be recession-proof, the tourist mecca of Las Vegas is taking a hard hit during the current economic recession.
High Foreclosure Rates Could Lead to More Defaults in Las Vegas
Willingness to default on home loans has been found to increase in ZIP codes with high foreclosure rates, leaving foreclosure-heavy Las Vegas in danger.
Housing Supply Down in Vegas, For Now
The supply of housing in Las Vegas is at a three-year low, a fact many attribute to prospectors buying up low-priced foreclosures in recent months.
Lose Lawn, Gain Money
Cities in the Southwest are drying up. With less water to go around, water-intensive plantings like vast lawns are becoming an environmental faux pas. Now some cities are compensating residents for getting rid of them.
Las Vegas Included in California's Rail Plans
Las Vegas will now be included in plans for California's high speed rail network, according to the Department of Transportation.
Histories of No History: Commodification and Urbanization in the American West
Josh Stephens reviews two biographies of cities, The Dallas Myth: The Making and Unmaking of An American City and Reno’s Big Gamble: Image and Reputation in the Biggest Little City.
The Troubles Facing Nevada's Master Planned Communities
Las Vegas and Southern Nevada are chock-full of planned communities. The region is also struggling with some of the harshest declines in property values in the nation. Though planned communities are seeing some sales, they are mainly in trouble.
The Fall of Las Vegas
In 2006, Las Vegas was one of the fastest growing cities in the country. Today, that booming metropolis is crumbling and can't maintain its infrastructure. A new documentary from Current.tv takes a look at Sin City today.
Embattled Las Vegas Mega Project to Finish
The $8.5 billion CityCenter casino complex designed for the Las Vegas Strip had been stalled over financial issues between two of the funders, but now an agreement has been reached and the mega project is set to complete on time.
Is Using Gray Water a Bad Idea?
The Southern Nevada Water Authority is officially opposing the residential use of gray water, arguing that it diminishes the replenishment of Lake Mead and, ironically, discourages water conservation.
Historic Small School Faces Closure
The elementary school in Goodsprings, Nevada is a historic and central part of this small town. But with just six students, the costs of running the school are climbing too high for administrators.
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
