Nate Berg reports on a plan by federal and city government officials in Moscow to decamp from the central city for offices in newly annexed outer regions, and to redevelop the former office buildings as housing and hotels.
Why would officials vacate the center of the 865-year-old city? According to mayor Sergei Sobyanin, it's a lack of parking.
In an odd bit of reasoning, Berg reports that officials cite the fact that, "many federal workers travel to work by car, but few apartment dwellers in the city have cars. Sobyanin thinks it simply makes sense to put more car-less people in a parking-deprived area and take those dependent on their cars to an area where more parking can be made available."
The move has been made possible by a recent annexation and expansion plan that will increase the size of Moscow by 2.3 times. To solve the notorious traffic problems in the city, officials envision turning Moscow from a unicentric city into a polycentric model with multiple job centers, reports Berg.
FULL STORY: Moscow Government Buildings to Be Converted to Housing
A New Suburban Rail System for Moscow
Two of a planned five new suburban rail routes, modeled on examples in Paris and Berlin, opened last week in Russia.
Muscovites Revolt Against Relocation Plan
Plans to decommission existing public housing blocks and replace them with newer high-rises has angered middle-class residents in Moscow who fear the loss of their homes and investments.
Moscow's Erratic Shift Towards a Walkable City
Moscow's Mayor has pushed an agenda to beautify the city, create social spaces, and make the city more walkable, but critics see the move towards walkability as more of a forced march.
Alabama: Trump Terminates Settlements for Black Communities Harmed By Raw Sewage
Trump deemed the landmark civil rights agreement “illegal DEI and environmental justice policy.”
Study: Maui’s Plan to Convert Vacation Rentals to Long-Term Housing Could Cause Nearly $1 Billion Economic Loss
The plan would reduce visitor accommodation by 25% resulting in 1,900 jobs lost.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Wind Energy on the Rise Despite Federal Policy Reversal
The Trump administration is revoking federal support for renewable energy, but demand for new projects continues unabated.
Passengers Flock to Caltrain After Electrification
The new electric trains are running faster and more reliably, leading to strong ridership growth on the Bay Area rail system.
Texas Churches Rally Behind ‘Yes in God’s Back Yard’ Legislation
Religious leaders want the state to reduce zoning regulations to streamline leasing church-owned land to housing developers.
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.
Caltrans
Smith Gee Studio
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