History / Preservation

How To Advocate For Historic Preservation

A new book offers a practical introduction to the politics of preservation for activists hoping to save their community's historic charm.

December 27, 2006 - The Capital

Planning And Preservation In St. Petersburg, Russia

A new report from The Classical City, a journal dedicated to preserving St. Petersburg, Russia, describes the destructive effects of the city's new plan and calls for architecture that is consistent with the city's character.

December 23, 2006 - The Classical City

India's Forest Dwellers Gain Land Rights

The Parliament in India has passed bill granting more than 27 million forest dwellers legal rights to their ancestral lands. Before the bill's passage, the forest dwellers were defenseless as logging and mining interests moved in.

December 21, 2006 - BBC

Botswanan Bush People Regain Rights To Ancestral Lands

Bushmen have won a long court case against the Botswanan government for illegally removing them from their ancestral lands. The ruling is expected to set a standard for other indigenous people in the protection of their ancestral lands.

December 18, 2006 - BBC

Converting A High School Into Housing

In a creative deal to save a historic structure and also add to the city's desperately needed stock of workforce housing, the school district in Waco, Texas, agreed to sell the old Waco High building to a private developer.

December 18, 2006 - Waco Tribune-Herald

Saving A Historic Structure From A Road Widening Project

In Baltimore County, Maryland, historic African-American school building will be moved away from dangerous traffic.

December 16, 2006 - The Baltimore Sun

Prairie Dogs And Property Values

In rural Kansas, a fight continues over a 5,500-acre prairie dog colony. Some ranchers and environmental groups want to preserve the area, while many property owners and local officials advocate eradication.

December 12, 2006 - The New York Times

Voters Consider Trading Parkland To Developer

A special election in Lakewood, Colorado, asks voters to decide if the city should trade 22 acres of public parkland with 22 acres of less-than pristine land owned by a developer. Opponents fear the traded parkland would immediately be developed.

December 11, 2006 - Denver Westword

Planners Largely Absent From '100 Most Influential Americans' List

The Atlantic magazine has released its list of the top 100 most influential figures in American history. The field of planning is sparingly represented.

December 7, 2006 - The Atlantic

New Reserve For Florida As Fish Stocks Deplete

The state of Florida has approved a marine reserve area off it's west coast to help counter a recent warning that the world's seafood stocks would be depleted by 2048. The reserve will be the largest in the continental U.S.

December 1, 2006 - The Christian Science Monitor

The Second Battle Of Gettysburg

A casino proposal shoots the Civil War battlefield to the top of the list of Pennsylvania's endangered historic places.

November 29, 2006 - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

New Upscale Hotel Threatens Music City's Soul

In Nashville, a debate ensues over an eco-friendly hotel and condominium project that may change the character of a funky downtown commercial strip that dates from the 1940s.

November 21, 2006 - The New York Times

The Best And Worst World Heritage Sites

National Geographic Traveler recently conducted a survey of 419 experts to rank the 830 sites placed on the United Nations' list of natural and cultural treasures known as the World Heritage Sites List.

November 17, 2006 - National Geographic Traveler

Saving Bucharest's 'Little Paris'

The decision by local officials to demolish one of the oldest buildings in the city, which serves as a clinic, has brought civic groups together to protest the insensitivity towards the city's historic heritage.

November 16, 2006 - INTBAU News

Voters Approve $5.7 Billion in Conservation Funds

Voters across the political spectrum approved 77% of the 128 tax and bond initiatives on ballots in 23 states last Tuesday.

November 14, 2006 - CNN

From Steel Plant To Slot Parlor

Bethlehem, PA pins its hopes on Pennsylvania's new slots laws. Jeff Pooley explores whether this is really the best hope for revitalization of the dying steel town.

November 14, 2006 - The Next American City

Old Homes Lose Out To New Development

After 100 years, progress marches on to bulldoze the suburban St. Louis neighborhood of Hadley Township.

November 13, 2006 - St. Louis Post-Dispatch

Modernist Skin Will Replace Historic Facade In New York

New York City's Landmarks Preservation Commission refused to designate the 19th century Colonial Club as historic. Instead, the building will be stripped of its cornice, pediments, and pilasters and be reborn with a new facade of aluminum and glass.

November 10, 2006 - The New York Times

Book Review: A Painstakingly Detailed History Of NYC

In the latest volume of his encyclopedic history of the development, architecture and planning of New York City, author Robert A. M. Stern has written the most complete history of any city.

November 9, 2006 - The New York Sun

New Ideas For Preserving Old Charleston

The historic South Carolina city is revisiting its preservation strategy as the rapidly growing metropolitan area plows full steam ahead into the 21st century.

November 8, 2006 - The Post and Courier

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.