As they wait for construction materials to arrive, the race is on to see which of Chicago's two permitted parklets, which the CDOT calls "People Spots," will be the city's first to be completed.
The Lakeview and Andersonville neighborhoods will soon be blessed with Chicago's first foray into the growing nationwide trend in parklets, the quick and cheap repurposing of parking spots as small public spaces. "Their locations, inception stories, and designs differ," reports Steven Vance, "but the projects
have many similarities: local architecture firms are working pro bono
to design and obtain permitting; the respective Chambers of Commerce are
contributing construction funds."
Both teams of designers were careful to craft spaces that felt like miniature parks, rather than just extensions of neighboring eating establishments. Such was the motivation for Kevin Toukoumidis, the principal at dSPACE Studio, who designed the Lakeview parklet. "His intention was to activate a space
differently than a sidewalk cafe," writes Vance. "If people see just tables, they think
it's part of an establishment. This isn't," Toukoumidis said.
FULL STORY: Park Your Fanny!
Chicago Parklet Designed to Be Flexible and Cost Effective
A newly installed parklet in Chicago is part of a larger program to engage the city’s public spaces.
Demolition Starts for CTA's Controversial Flyover Project
The Chicago Transit Authority's Red-Purple Bypass Project will add an additional track to speed up trains passing through the Belmont Station. The project requires the demolition of several neighborhood buildings.
Cook County Property Taxes Cheat the Poor
In Cook County, which contains the city of Chicago and some of its suburbs, property values have been manipulated to disguise the value of homes, helping the rich at the expense of the poor (particularly poor minorities).
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.
Waymo Gets Permission to Map SF’s Market Street
If allowed to operate on the traffic-restricted street, Waymo’s autonomous taxis would have a leg up over ride-hailing competitors — and counter the city’s efforts to grow bike and pedestrian on the thoroughfare.
Parklet Symposium Highlights the Success of Shared Spaces
Parklets got a boost during the Covid-19 pandemic, when the concept was translated to outdoor dining programs that offered restaurants a lifeline during the shutdown.
Federal Homelessness Agency Places Entire Staff on Leave
The U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness is the only federal agency dedicated to preventing and ending homelessness.
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