New York
When Planners Misread Maps: It's Time to Rethink Zoning
Jordan Fraade writes of the embarrassing mishap of the New York City department that misread its own zoning maps. What else are we missing, and at what cost, because of byzantine land use regulations?
Report Highlights the Role of Biodiversity of Urban Scavengers
Cities are full of ants, mice, rats, and other animals that scavenge on the trash of human beings. A new report from North Carolina State University analyzes how biodiversity influences the productivity of these creatures.
On the Growth of New York's Urban Forest
A New York Times article details the surprisingly difficult to catalogue history of New York's greenery.
Op-Ed: Billionaire Philanthropy Defeats Democratic Process
Following the splashy announcement of media mogul Barry Diller's plans to finance a $170 million park at Manhattan's Pier 54, a New York Times column renews the call for more equity in open space around New York City.
Exposé: the $4 Billion World Trade Center Transportation Hub
Now that 1 World Trade Center has opened for business, more attention will go to another building with conspicuous civic purposes—the Oculus pavilion at the World Trade Center Transportation Hub.
Critic's Review: 1 World Trade Center 'A Cautionary Tale'
New York Times Architecture Critic Michael Kimmelman unequivocally pans the newly opened 1 World Trade Center as a cautionary tale: "The point is that something better was possible in Lower Manhattan."
To Understand New York's Needs, Think Beyond Manhattan
When most people think of New York City, says CUNY planning professor and activist Tom Angotti, they think of Manhattan. This excessive focus on a narrow slice of the greater New York metropolitan area needs to be reconsidered.
Report Aims to Reinvent the MTA; Critics Say it Misses the Mark
After Capital New York leaked an early draft of the report by a MTA Transportation Reinvention Commission, critics are wondering if the commission is living up to its titular promise.
Tappan Zee Bike and Pedestrian Path Controversy Continues
A controversy erupted last spring when residents of South Nyack objected to the route of a bike and pedestrian path over the new Tappan Zee Bridge—now residents think that their concerns were brushed under the rug until after the recent election.
Nation's Most Expensive Bridge Crossing Turns 50
Perhaps known more for high tolls than beauty, the Verrazano Narrows bridge turned 50 on November 21. Staten Islanders expected the high tolls to end when the bridge was paid for.
Managing the 'Uneven Growth' of the Urban Boom
A new exhibit at the New York Museum of Modern Art examines the growing pains of urbanism's ascendance.
New York City Council Would Change Zoning Code to Support Industrial Uses
The New York City Council released a report this week proposing "industrial employment districts," "creative economy districts," and "new kinds of zoning to more effectively support mixed-use industrial, residential, and commercial neighborhoods."
The High Price of Raising Low State Gas Taxes
Now that an increase in New Jersey's gas tax is before the legislature, Christopher Maag of The (New Jersey) Record looks at how neighboring states Delaware, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, and New York have met their transportation needs.
$170 Million Park Would Replace Manhattan's Pier 54
With designs by architect Thomas Heatherwick and Landscape Architect Mathews Nielsen, a park proposal for the Hudson River would make a splashy addition to the neighborhood that boasts the south end of the High Line.
Report Details Best Practices for Land Banks
A recent report collects data from the experience of cities using land banks as a method for addressing vacant and blighted properties.
So Long Pay Phones—7,000 'LinkNYC' Towers Coming Soon
Pay phones are over in New York City. Soon, however, 7,000 futuristic looking Link towers will be a standard presence among the New York streetscape.
Invention Could Turn Leftover Transit Fares into Charity Donations
How much money goes unused in the form of spare change leftover on transit cards around the world? One invention would allow those fares to go to charity instead of washing away in the laundry or at the bottom of the dump.
Coming to the Streets of New York: 2,000 Bioswales
New York will invest $46 million in an aesthetically pleasing and functional addition to its streets—2,000 bioswales that absorb stormwater and provide a lush sidewalk garden.
Moses, Reprised: An Ambitious Plan for Expanding LaGuardia Airport
John Leland provides coverage of a big idea by Jim Venturi, the son of architects Denise Scott Brown and Robert Venturi, for the renovation and expansion of LaGuardia International Airport in New York.
Appreciating Postmodernism to Preserve Postmodernism
Postmodernism lacks the popularity of other eras of architectural design and is too young to be appreciated for history's sake. Can preservationists learn to love underappreciated gems of Postmodernism before it's too late?
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
