The Knight Foundation asked: "What’s your best idea to make cities more successful?" When it came time to pick the best ideas, design and planning ideas for places like Wichita, Biloxi, and Akron emerged.
Audrey Wachs reports on the winners of the 2017 Knight Cities Challenge—the third occasion the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation has awarded $5 million to projects that enhance public spaces.
"This year, 19 of the 26 cities are represented in 33 winning proposals the Knight Foundation selected from 144 finalists, which were in turn picked from more than 4,500 applications," according to Wachs. Planetizen picked up news of last year's competition as well, which focused on the potential for such projects to be duplicated in other cities.
Wachs also takes a tour of the winners, with representatives from locations both far-flung and underrepresented in the national planning and design discussion. Links to each of the projects are included.
Sal Pizarro picked up the news about the two proposals from San Jose, California awarded in the 2017 awards.
The Knight Foundation focuses its place-based investment in the 26 cities where the Knight brothers once published newspapers, "particularly mindful of the relationship our founders had with Akron, where they started out, and Miami, where they based their business and foundation," according to the Knight Foundation website.
FULL STORY: Urban beaches, ‘visionary’ architects, ice skating paths among winners of 2017 Knight Cities Challenge
Six Good, Duplicable Ideas for Cities
Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. Here's hoping these winning ideas for cities are exported around the country.
$160 Million in Bond Funding for Demolitions on the Ballot in Detroit
Proposal N, on the ballot for Detroit voters next week, will provide $160 million in bond funding for demolitions and $90 million to mothball homes for future rehab, but, according to this opinion, it won't solve the city's blight challenges.
Anti-Displacement Efforts and Green Infrastructure Signal Hope in Portland
The Living Cully coalition prioritizes the well-being of long term, lower-income residents with future-building revitalization projects.
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.
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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