East Fourth St. is a popular spot in downtown Cleveland, an alley lined with tables from onlooking restaurants. A recent renovation has resulted in an explosion of flowers.
"'The flowers make this street much more inviting,' said Carrie Neale, manager of Lola Bistro. 'People get to enjoy flowers in an urban setting.'
'The flowers make the street feel very vibrant,' agreed Ken Ho, who owns Saigon Restaurant & Bar with Danny Nguyen. 'People enjoy settling down outside even more with the flowers around them.'
From one end of the street to the other, white and purple petunias fill sleek copper sconces mounted on brick walls. A mixture of moonflower vine, gloriosa daisies, sweet alyssum and other flowers cascade from tall plant stands and sway in the breeze.
'We wanted to plant things that would have an immediate impact,' landscape architect Jim McKnight of McKnight & Associates said of the $130,000 urban garden.
This unusual blend of eateries, bars and botanicals was a collaboration among McKnight's firm; nearby Medical Mutual of Ohio; East Fourth Street developer MRN Ltd.; and ParkWorks."
FULL STORY: East Fourth Street project brings an urban garden to chic night spot
How Pollinators Fight Warming Cities
Researchers are starting to understand how urban bee populations can support healthy green spaces and reduce the urban heat island effect.
No Connection Between Gardens and Gentrification in Detroit, Study Says
Research from late 2021 documented the footprint of urban gardens in Detroit, finding evidence of inequities but not gentrification.
A Microfarm Grows in an L.A. Front Yard
The founder of Asante Microfarm hopes his farm will serve as a model for bringing fresh produce to underserved communities.
What ‘The Brutalist’ Teaches Us About Modern Cities
How architecture and urban landscapes reflect the trauma and dysfunction of the post-war experience.
‘Complete Streets’ Webpage Deleted in Federal Purge
Basic resources and information on building bike lanes and sidewalks, formerly housed on the government’s Complete Streets website, are now gone.
The VW Bus is Back — Now as an Electric Minivan
Volkswagen’s ID. Buzz reimagines its iconic Bus as a fully electric minivan, blending retro design with modern technology, a 231-mile range, and practical versatility to offer a stylish yet functional EV for the future.
Healing Through Parks: Altadena’s Path to Recovery After the Eaton Fire
In the wake of the Eaton Fire, Altadena is uniting to restore Loma Alta Park, creating a renewed space for recreation, community gathering, and resilience.
San Diego to Rescind Multi-Unit ADU Rule
The city wants to close a loophole that allowed developers to build apartment buildings on single-family lots as ADUs.
Electric Vehicles for All? Study Finds Disparities in Access and Incentives
A new UCLA study finds that while California has made progress in electric vehicle adoption, disadvantaged communities remain underserved in EV incentives, ownership, and charging access, requiring targeted policy changes to advance equity.
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.
City of Albany
UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
City of Piedmont, CA
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research