High rise apartment construction is set to take off again in Chicago, though it's unclear for how long and whether the resulting projects will have a positive lasting impact on the city.
"Nearly three years after the financial crisis froze the skyline in place and transformed the grandiose dream of the Chicago Spire into an embarrassing hole in the ground, the city is gearing up for a high-rise apartment building boom - or boomlet, depending how big this much-ballyhooed surge of construction really turns out to be.
The renewed activity is good news for the recession-battered building trades and a city whose books are splattered with red ink. But for the urban environment, the likely outcome has all the makings of a typical Chicago construction surge -- equal parts enthralling and exasperating."
Though some of the projects show promise, others suffer from the same design flaws and economic miscalculations that would repeat the mistakes of the recent past, according to this piece from the Chicago Tribune.
Chicago Towers Recommended for Adaptive Reuse
Once slated for demolition, two historic buildings owned by the federal government will be restored for new uses.
If Housing Affordability Is Top Concern, Let Metro Regions Sprawl
Research from BuildZoom, a San Francisco-based contractors' website, shows that housing affordability increases with a region's ability to build outwards, as opposed to upwards. Densification largely has not accompanied efforts to curb sprawl.
Details of Chicago's Vista Tower—Soon to Be the Tallest Building Designed by a Woman
The Vista Tower is expected for completion in 2020, when it will become the world's tallest tower designed by a woman.
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