History / Preservation

Portugal

The Practical Confessions of an Urbanist Pilgrim

After 12 days of walking the Portuguese Camino, the importance of many urban planning and development debates—from balanced growth to banning cars—became abundantly clear.

May 7, 2019 - Charles R. Wolfe

Los Angeles, California

Predicting the 'Next Generation of Historic Places'

The public responds to a list of "40 Under 40"—places built between 1978 and 2018 bound for historic significance.

April 25, 2019 - Preservation

Detroit, Michigan

Protecting Detroit's Historic Food District

Detroit's historic food district is under very contemporary development pressure, so the nonprofit tasked with managing the market has decided to define principles that prioritize affordability and inclusivity in the area.

April 25, 2019 - Crain's Detroit Business

Fruit Belt, Buffalo

Google Maps' Digital Erasure Highlights Issues of Community Identity in Buffalo, NY

In the face of displacement and gentrification, residents of the Fruit Belt neighborhood of Buffalo, NY point to tech-giant Google's map service as one among many possible causes.

April 23, 2019 - OneZero via Medium

Union Terminal Cincinnati

Preservation and Redevelopment Can Work Hand in Hand

While historic preservation is often perceived to be a hinderance to development efforts, preserving buildings actually helps economic development, say advocates.

April 22, 2019 - Cincinnati Edition

East Bay Regional Park District

Trails and Rails Battle in San Francisco Bay Shoreline Park

Can freight trains and a scenic shoreline park along San Francisco Bay coexist, or are they incompatible uses? The East Bay Regional Park District voted to remove old rail tracks that BNSF Railway wants to reactivate. A local court may decide.

April 16, 2019 - San Francisco Chronicle

Cobblestones vs. Bike and Pedestrian Improvements Controversy in Brooklyn

Improving streets in Sunset Park by removing cobblestones and aging train tracks has created a controversy between historic preservation and the need for safe bike and walking facilities and other streetscape improvements.

April 12, 2019 - Brooklyn Daily Eagle

New York City to Reduce Truck Emissions by Investing in Freight Rail Infrastructure

The Big Apple may claim the nation's highest public transit ridership, but it ranks well below average in its use of freight rail. Two small short line railroads are at the center of a $100 million investment to reduce truck reliance.

April 11, 2019 - The New York Times

Bears Ears National Monument

The Consequences of Trump's Attempt to Reduce Bears Ears National Monument by 85 Percent

Drone footage and 3d models reveal the stakes in an ongoing legal controversy surrounding the Trump administration's attempt to undo the Obama administration's use of the Antiquities Act to create the Bears Ears National Monument.

April 4, 2019 - The Washington Post

Planning Commission in World's Fair office, 1958

Seattle Exhibit Grapples With Redlining Past and Present

A creative exhibit highlights how redlining and racist exclusion persist today.

March 26, 2019 - Curbed Seattle

Robert Moses

The Robert Moses Nexus to Amazon's Cancellation of Queens HQ2

Last week, Amazon abruptly canceled its decision to invest about $2.5 billion and bring 25,000 high-paying jobs to Queens. A scholar blames their abrupt decision on an arcane state bureaucracy tasked with preventing Robert Moses-like takings.

February 21, 2019 - Politico Magazine

Ohio River

Form at the Forefront of Zoning Code Rewrite in Covington, Kentucky

The city of Covington is conducting public hearings to gather feedback on at the outset of an 18-month process of rewriting its zoning code.

February 18, 2019 - City of Covington

Snowy Residential Neighborhood

Making Historic Preservation a Local Concern

The city of Portland wants more local control when it comes to determining matters of historic preservation.

February 16, 2019 - The Oregonian

Italy

A Good Read for Planners and Peers: Why Old Places Matter

A recent book brings a common sense framework to historic preservation debates.

February 13, 2019 - Charles R. Wolfe

Administration building at the World's Columbian Exposition, Chicago, on opening day, May 1, 1893

Daniel Burnham: Appearing Soon on Television Screens

Make no unbingeable television, or something like that.

February 12, 2019 - Variety

MacDougal Street

Historic Preservation And High Rents

Although individual old buildings may be less expensive than newer ones nearby, historic preservation may make both old and new buildings more expensive.

February 4, 2019 - Michael Lewyn

Seattle Neighborhood

Taking Action Against Racial Covenants in Washington Property Deeds

Covenants restricting ownership to white people are not uncommon in old Seattle-area property deeds. Homeowners can now put in requests to legally strike the offensive language.

January 15, 2019 - The Seattle Times

Ghost Town

On Different Ways to See a Place

Looking forward to 2019, Chuck Wolfe reflects on how time living in London—and exposure to many other places during 2018— has highlighted how the physical shell of the old often frames today's sociocultural realities around the world.

January 2, 2019 - Charles R. Wolfe

Blight Demolition

Record Year for Demolitions in Philadelphia

City records reveal the growing trend of demolitions across the city of Philadelphia.

December 31, 2018 - PlanPhilly

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.