The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

John Farrell of Renewable Energy World explains how a shift to local, renewable energy sources and away from the current system of long-distance, coal-burning utilities will

December 1 - Renewable Energy World

Colorado Public Radio investigates the housing market in Denver, noting the revival of apartment building while single family homes and even condos remain at a standstill. Demand for rentals continues to outstrip supply in other cities as well.

December 1 - Colorado Public Radio via NPR

Once reversed to keep its filth out of the drinking water, the Chicago River is finally getting cleaned up, on orders from the EPA. Now recognized as an asset, re-reversal and clean-up is predicted to infuse the city with $1 billion in investments.

December 1 - The Economist

As proposals for the large-scale development at Brooklyn Bridge Park come in, some members of the public are crying foul over a perceived lack of transparency and public involvement during a recent meeting.

December 1 - Brooklyn Daily Eagle

BLOG POST

<p> This morning I embarked with three dozen volunteers to plant 10 trees in Pigeon Town, a neighborhood in western New Orleans. The group was completing an eight-hour training on urban greening initiatives, learning everything from pruning methods to how to work with municipalities to find funding for beautification projects—which have been proven to improve everything from <a href="http://www.pennsylvaniahorticulturalsociety.org/phlgreen/seeinggreen.htm">real estate values</a> to <a href="http://www.uphs.upenn.edu/news/News_Releases/2011/11/more-green-crime/">crime statistics</a>. </p> <p> The training did not, however, cover what we were supposed to do when we heard gunshots ring out. That we had to improvise. </p>

November 30 - Jeffrey Barg

Architect David Heymann says that a lot of architects claim to use the specifics of a site's natural features to inspire their design, but most end up with designs that are aggressive to the landscape - and to people.

November 30 - Design Observer

Landowners with fewer apartments units are starting to use software similar for pricing airline tickets and hotel vacancies to determine rental rates for their properties, reports Matt Hudgins for The New York Times.

November 30 - The New York Times

North Bethesda's White Flint Mall is your standard 850,000 sq. ft. mall surrounded by parking structures. The developer has announced it will be replacing the whole thing with a 5 million sq. ft. collection of apartments, offices and shops.

November 30 - The Gazette (Maryland)

Florida's five largest cities ended up in the top 20 of Men's Health list of saddest cities in the U.S. St. Petersberg took the top spot as saddest city.

November 30 - Mens Health

It's 1900 all over again - more Californians are born here than come from other states or countries. The recession and high housing costs have continued the outflow from the state meaning that growth is dependent largely on offspring of immigrants.

November 30 - Los Angeles Times

In the summer of 2010, London launched a new program that had established bright blue bike lanes known as 'Cycle Superhighways' alongside main roads. These initiatives are intended to provide the quickest routes into the city centre.

November 30 - This Big City

BLOG POST

<p> After reading <a href="http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/ct-met-rta-surveys-riders-20111129,0,908396.story">this story</a> about a transit agency surveying their customers, I thought to myself: do riders really want another survey asking whether they are satisfied or how clean the stations are?  Although clean stations are certainly better than unclean stations, I suspect that these are not transit riders&#39; major priorities.  (And when I say &quot;transit riders&quot; I really of course mean &quot;myself&quot;). </p>

November 30 - Michael Lewyn

In urban street design, a new movement known as 'shared spaces' has been emerging. This new movement "aims to reduce the dominance of cars by getting people and vehicles to share the road space," according to Walkonomics.

November 30 - This Big City

In Chicago, the Regional Transportation Authority (RTA) is willing to spend $500,000 to survey their riders to see how the public feels about the bus and train services.

November 30 - Chicago Tribune

Pending government approval, state housing department plans to grant all slum-dwelling families in Mumbai houses may become reality. The houses are free for families settled prior to 1995.

November 30 - The Times Of India

This blog post showcases the "backhouses" in and around Greenwich Village. The small residential structures behind other buildings can range from carriage houses for elegant rowhouses to those of tenements.

November 30 - Off the Grid

In San Francisco, almost one out of every six acres is slated to become parkland in the new urban infill projects in Mission Bay.

November 29 - City Parks Blog

According to Yonah Freemark, the FTA announced that with a "New Starts grant," the 9.4-mile bus rapid transit line that has been under consideration since the late 90's, has finally secured funds to complete the project.

November 29 - the transport politic

Sri Lanka, an island nation of 20 million people, has just completed its first express highway, which, as Toll Roads News is quick to point out, is financed through a toll system.

November 29 - TOLLROADSnews

Critic Blair Kamin speaks out against Mayor Emmanuel's decision to allow advertising on Chicago's iconic bridges to make up a budget shortfall. Kamin calls the move "the uglification of the City Beautiful."

November 29 - The Chicago Tribune