New York
Guide to Street Vending and Tenants Rights
These two posts from BLDGBLOG look at an innovative project that visually explains the convoluted policies and rules of New York City tenant rights and street vending regulations.
Buffalo's 'Preservation By Neglect'
Buffalo, New York has managed to preserve most of its historic buildings due to a lack of economic drive to replace them. Now that Buffalo is doing better, preservationists are hoping to use those assets for revitalization.
Green Retrofits Required in New York City
The New York City Council has passed a suite of bills hat require green retrofits on the city's buildings.
Steamy Streets
The steam rising from New York City streets in the winter offers a lesson about urban infrastructure, according to this explainer form Urban Omnibus.
Buffalo Architecture Snubs the Street
Tim Tielman, executive director of the Campaign for Greater Buffalo takes a look at the new Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus and the terrible lack of "eyes on the street" there.
Four-Year Vacancies in NYC?
The New York City Housing Authority has come under fire because thousands of affordable rental units are sitting vacant, some for years at a time.
Bike Lanes a "Religious Hazard'?
A controversy has erupted in Brooklyn over bike lanes, which are opposed by members of the Hasidic community on religious grounds [includes video].
NY Study Links Walking and Biking to Better Health
Survey data released by the New York City Department of Health indicate a strong correlation between active transportation and better health.
Bump in the Road for Columbia's Expansion Plans
Columbia's plans to use eminent domain to expand its campus may have to wait. On Thursday, an appellate court reversed a previous decision to take property on behalf of the school.
Friday Funny: Hamster Rides the Subway
A photographer in the Brooklyn DA's office discovered a tiny model subway used in court cases, and decided it was a perfect set for her pet hamster.
Public Space Turned Private
On Thanksgiving, the NYPD effectively turned West 61st street into a private playground for guests of the Trump Tower.
Crumbling Condition
A 'staggering' number of the bridges used by Amtrak trains in and around New York City are in poor or worse condition.
Goodbye, Bike Lane
Calling it redundant, NYC's DOT has chosen to sandblast 14 blocks of a Bedford Avenue bike lane away.
A Bronx Tale: Freeway Widening Halted
Lessons from the Bronx: A community can halt a road expansion project if they get involved and make their voices heard. In this case, the NY DOT listened and thus chose not to widen exit ramps during a rehabilitation project on the Major Deegan.
Farmers Markets + Food Stamps = WIN
In the midst of discussions over "food deserts" (areas of town with no access to fresh groceries, usually poor urban neighborhoods) comes news that a program creating food stamps for farmers markets is booming in New York City.
Redeveloping Open Space to Revive Housing Projects
Public housing projects have been a thorn in the paw of New York City for years. The city is trying to figure out what to do with the perennially problem-plagued housing projects. Some groups say redevelopment is the answer.
Exercising Eminent Domain for Private Developers
A New York Court of Appeals ruled in favor of a private developer, who plans to build a basketball arena in Brooklyn, validating the state's use of eminent domain on his behalf. A local group says the fight is just beginning.
Front Yards Are For Lawns, Not Cars, City Says
Queens and Brooklyn homeowners may soon be prohibited from converting front yards into parking pads if a set of regulations is approved. The loss of street parking from new curb cuts was cited as a reason, along with aesthetics.
Harassment and Assault Common on Subway
A group called New Yorkers for Safe Transit has called attention to the continual problem of female subway riders being ogled, groped, flashed, harassed and attacked.
Class Divide in NY Inclusive Buildings
At the 101 Warren in Manhattan, developers split the building into luxury and affordable rentals to take advantage of tax breaks. Tensions have resulted, and now a proposed re-zoning would send the affordable residents' kids to a different school.
Pagination
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