History / Preservation

Alamo Master Plan Thrown Into Disarray
Remember that $450 million plan to renovate The Alamo in time for the 300th anniversary of the battle? It's in trouble.

Adaptive Reuse More Popular Than Ever, Study Says
The past decade saw more old commercial buildings transformed into residential buildings than any decade previous.

Houston Officials Draft Ordinance to Protect Natural Areas
With more than 50,000 acres of parkland, Houston is one of many cities to notice an increase in use of natural areas. Natural Resources Manager Kelly Ondracek is drafting a plan to protect the natural lands from development.

Looking Ahead and Way Back as the U.S. Passes 200,000 Coronavirus Deaths
It's been eight months since the first confirmed infection from the novel coronavirus in Washington state. As deadly as COVID-19 is, Americans should reflect when 200,000 died in a single month from a far deadlier virus 102 years ago.

How Typical Economic Development Kills Community Character
An economic development pro makes an argument for an approach to economic development that prioritizes the urban design decisions that favor community character.

The Causes of California's Development Malaise
A spate of recent articles has taken a critical look at the regulatory obstacles to a progrssive planning vision in the state of California.

Houston Lacks Zoning—Or Does It? The State Supreme Court Will Decide
A lawsuit argues that Houston's Historic Preservation Ordinance is a form of de facto land use control, equivalent to zoning, which isn't allowed by state and local laws.

How Urban Form Created Classic Rock
A great many factors converged to create the culture and music of the 1960s. A powerful, but often overlooked, factor was the Los Angeles neighborhood of Laurel Canyon. A new documentary provides a case study in urban creativity.

Economic Recovery in Legacy Cities
Americans living in legacy cities face a unique set of challenges and opportunities in recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic. Several local, state, and federal support strategies could aid these cities in recouping losses.

Considering the Legacy of the Metro Green Line after 25 Years of Service
25 years of the Metro C (Green) Line means reckoning with a history of destruction and displacement while looking forward to upcoming improvements.

Dormant Michigan State Fairground Site to Make Way for Amazon Distribution Center
Detroit officials have been trying to find a new life for the former site of the Michigan State Fair for a long time. Amazon will fill the void, according to a redevelopment proposal announced last week.

A Development Proposal 34 Years in the Making
Or a historic preservation fight, 34 years in the making, depending on your perspective.

First Look at the New Eisenhower Memorial in Washington, D.C.
The idea for the Eisenhower was approved by Congress in 1999, and though the opening date for the Frank Gehry-designed memorial was delayed from May 2020, the public will finally get a chance to see newest memorial in D.C. this September.

'We Are Living Right Now Through a Historic Pandemic Outbreak.'
On the day before America reached the grim milestone of four million COVID-19 cases, with one million added in the last 15 days, Anthony Fauci shared views on where the nation is headed in the pandemic.

New Houston Housing Report Tells a Story of Under-Investment
A new report from the Kinder Institute for Urban Research highlights the state of housing the Houston and Harris County, and more specifically, the historically Black neighborhood of Settegast in northeast Houston.
Murder, Redlining, and the Fight for Jamaica Plain
In “Redlined: A Novel of Boston” by Richard W. Wise, an organizer's murder in 1970s Jamaica Plain exposes an epic battle over the future of American cities.
Frances Goldin—Revolutionary, Organizer, Visionary—Joins the Ancestors at Age 95
Frances Goldin influenced a generation of housing organizers. Her vision was of a multiracial, multiethnic community based on the principles of justice. Her instruction to us was to fight for it.

Our World Accelerated: Analyzing the Impacts
During the last 120 years, our mobility increased by an order of magnitude, but so did associated costs. Are we better off? Could we do better?

The Renewed Challenge: Sustaining a City's Culture and Character
From the outset, defining the culture and character of a city is a daunting task, especially when the city around you disappears.

Richmond 300 Plan Update Includes New Cap Park, Form-Based Code
Richmond, Virginia is hoping to make some big changes in time for its tricentennial in 2037, including a new cap park and a new form-based code.
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