In a place as dynamic as New York City, balancing preservation with development pressure is no easy task.
"The battle lines were familiar. Churning out petitions and clamoring at hearings, hundreds of city residents had mobilized to protest a plan by St. Vincent's Hospital to replace nine buildings in the Greenwich Village Historic District with a 20-story medical center and condominiums.
On the other side were the Rudin Management Company, one of the city's largest developers, and St. Vincent's, which argued that a new building and income from the condo deal were vital to saving the hospital and meeting Manhattan's health needs.
In the middle, as usual, was the Landmarks Preservation Commission, which was struggling this year to make a judgment call under the klieg lights as city politicians took positions for and against.
Over a decade of whirlwind development, the Landmarks Preservation Commission has repeatedly played dance partner to a potent mix of preservationists, developers and city politicians. It must strike a balance between protecting architecture and accepting economic realities, between a responsibility to history and a knowledge that the city must evolve."
FULL STORY: Preservation and Development, Engaged in a Delicate Dance
Manhattan Preservation Groups Block New Development—On a ‘Historic’ Parking Lot
A judge ruled against a decision by the Landmarks Preservation Commission to approve a 324-tower in the South Street Seaport Historic District, highlighting the tensions in a city facing a dearth of affordable housing.
Historic Preservation Appeal Could Delay Penn Station Redevelopment
New York State's Historic Preservation Office has moved to place the notorious Penn Station on the National Register of Historic Places, potentially upending redevelopment plans.
The Urban Landscape New York City Lost in the 2010s
Over the last decade, many historic buildings and cultural institutions throughout New York City have disappeared. The result has been the transformation of neighborhoods and the city’s character.
Trump Administration Could Effectively End Housing Voucher Program
Federal officials are eyeing major cuts to the Section 8 program that helps millions of low-income households pay rent.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Ken Jennings Launches Transit Web Series
The Jeopardy champ wants you to ride public transit.
Rebuilding Smarter: How LA County Is Guiding Fire-Ravaged Communities Toward Resilience
Los Angeles County is leading a coordinated effort to help fire-impacted communities rebuild with resilience by providing recovery resources, promoting fire-wise design, and aligning reconstruction with broader sustainability and climate goals.
When Borders Blur: Regional Collaboration in Action
As regional challenges outgrow city boundaries, “When Borders Blur” explores how cross-jurisdictional collaboration can drive smarter, more resilient urban planning, sharing real-world lessons from thriving partnerships across North America.
Philadelphia Is Expanding its Network of Roundabouts
Roundabouts are widely shown to decrease traffic speed, reduce congestion, and improve efficiency.
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.
Ada County Highway District
Clanton & Associates, Inc.
Jessamine County Fiscal Court
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions
Salt Lake City
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service