Mike Lydon
Mike Lydon is Principal of the Street Plans Collaborative and co-author of Tactical Urbanism: Short-term Actions for Long-term Change (Island Press, 2015).
Contributed 400 posts
Mike Lydon is a Principal of The Street Plans Collaborative, an award-winning planning, design, and research-advocacy firm based in Miami, New York City, and San Francisco. Mike is an internationally recognized planner, writer, and advocate for livable cities. His work has appeared in The New York Times, NPR, ABC News, CNN Headline News, City Lab, and Architect Magazine, amongst other publications. Mike collaborated with Andres Duany and Jeff Speck in writing The Smart Growth Manual, published by McGraw-Hill in 2009. Mike is also the creator and primary author of the The Open Streets Project and Tactical Urbanism: Short-Term Action, Long-Term Change Vol. 1 – Vol. 4. Mike also co-created and edited Mercado: Lessons from 20 Markets across South America authored by Julie Flynn. Most recently, Mike finished writing a full-length book about Tactical Urbanism with co-Principal Tony Garcia, to be published by Island Press in March, 2015. Mike received a B.A. in American Cultural Studies from Bates College and a Masters in Urban Planning from the University of Michigan. Mike is a CNU-Accredited Professional and he encourages you to trade four wheels for two.
Is Detroit Half-Empty, Or Half-Full?
<p><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">Two years ago I saw John Norquist, former Mayor of Milwaukee and current President and CEO of the Congress for the New Urbanism, give a presentation on the state of America’s cities. During the slide show, Norquist used two sets of images to effectively convey a point about urban disinvestment in America. The first set of images was of Berlin and Detroit circa 1945. Unsurprisingly, the Berlin image displayed a war-torn and rubble-strewn city, while the Detroit image revealed why it was once called the Paris of the Midwest -- it was simply elegant. <span> </span>However, the second set of images displayed the same two cities 60 years later. It was as if Detroit had been through an epic war and not Berlin.
Will Portland's New Transit Mall Exclude Buses?
<p>In order to accommodate the inclusion of light rail, the City of Portland decided to temporarily move its bus lines a block away. The lines have been so successful that many are starting to question if the move should be permanent.</p>
Boston Tries Its Hand At Artist Housing
<p>A new development in Hyde Park aims to revitalize its business district by attracting artists who are being priced out of Boston's formerly affordable neighborhoods.</p>
Miami Moves Closer To Metrorail Expansion
<p>Though funding is not ensured, the Miami-Dade Transit Authority has received permission from the federal government to start acquiring land for its 9.5 mile Metrorail line expansion.</p>
Will Miami Become The Next Great Walkable City?
<p>Through the use of a city-wide form-based code, the City of Miami and Duany Plater-Zyberk and Company are teaming up to create a more walkable, transit-oriented city.</p>