A master plan for the redevelopment of Ford's former Twin Cities Assembly Plant, set on 122 acres along the Mississippi River in St. Paul, is challenged by controversy.
"The St. Paul City Council decided Wednesday to limit the maximum height of some buildings that could be erected on the Ford site, but the move failed to satisfy residents worried by the prospect of 7,000 people being added to a compact neighborhood," reports James Walsh.
"The changes, proposed by Council Member Chris Tolbert, scale down the heights of the tallest buildings that can go on the site from 110 feet to 75 feet — from 10 stories to six — unless the developer agrees to set aside even more green space in exchange," adds Walsh.
Opponents to the project, however, say Tolbert's plan doesn't achieve their goals of reducing the project's density.
Ford is expected to sell the property by the end of the year or early next year. Meanwhile the current master plan process moves forward, with a public hearing for the Ford Site Zoning and Public Realm Master Plan [pdf] scheduled for September 20.
FULL STORY: St. Paul shrinks building heights in proposed Ford site development plan

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