Not everybody has the same definition of vibrant, but Atlanta recently chose the way of Times Square and the Sunset Strip.
"[T]he Atlanta City Council voted to ease restrictions on downtown signage, clearing the way for billboard companies and downtown businesses to put up more of the digital displays," reports Justin Wilfon.
The likely arrival of new billboards is a controversial proposition, notes Wilfon. Central Atlanta Progress is the group behind the new approach to billboards, and the idea obviously has effective political support. According to a separate article by Rachel Dovey, Central Atlanta Progress is a private nonprofit with ties to the Atlanta Downtown Improvement District.
"The digital signs are for advertising, but revenue is slated to go toward funding public art and entertainment, WABE reports. The Atlanta Downtown Improvement District will manage them," adds Dovey.
According to an in-depth article by Stephannie Stokes, the City Council has approved a plan to "create a new Arts and Entertainment District that would allow dynamic, LED signs downtown — similar to those in New York City’s Times Square or Denver’s Theatre District." The plan's backers hope the new district will contribute a sense of vibrancy perceived as lacking from Downtown Atlanta.
FULL STORY: Atlanta Group Pitches Digital Signs To Liven Up Downtown
Debating Public Incentives for Private Developments
A debate common in growing cities around the country is taking place in Atlanta in answer to the question of how much support private developers need from the public.
Mark Your Calendars: Draft of Downtown Atlanta Master Plan Coming Soon
A draft of the Downtown Atlanta Master Plan will be made public on September 13, 2017. The plan focuses on revitalizing the city's urban core.
12 Strategies for Revitalizing Downtowns
Even cities without an official program for revitalizing their downtowns can take steps to transform their urban cores into a collection of vibrant places. The urbanSCALE website has collected a list of such strategies.
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.
Why Should We Subsidize Public Transportation?
Many public transit agencies face financial stress due to rising costs, declining fare revenue, and declining subsidies. Transit advocates must provide a strong business case for increasing public transit funding.
Paris Bike Boom Leads to Steep Drop in Air Pollution
The French city’s air quality has improved dramatically in the past 20 years, coinciding with a growth in cycling.
Why Housing Costs More to Build in California Than in Texas
Hard costs like labor and materials combined with ‘soft’ costs such as permitting make building in the San Francisco Bay Area almost three times as costly as in Texas cities.
San Diego County Sees a Rise in Urban Coyotes
San Diego County experiences a rise in urban coyotes, as sightings become prevalent throughout its urban neighbourhoods and surrounding areas.
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.
Smith Gee Studio
Alamo Area Metropolitan Planning Organization
City of Santa Clarita
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