A splashy proposed park to replace Pier 54 in New York City, designed by a starchitect and proposed by a famous billionaire, couldn't weather the storm of controversy in New York City.
[Update: In October 2017, Media executive Barry Diller reversed course from the story reported below, and announced his intentions to move forward with the project.]
"After years of toe-to-toe battling with a small band of critics and a fellow billionaire, Barry Diller said Wednesday that he was pulling the plug on his family’s commitment to build and operate a $250 million performance center on an undulating pier 186 feet off the Hudson River shoreline," reports Charles V. Bagli.
"Mr. Diller’s decision about the project, called Pier 55, came amid settlement discussions between the Hudson River Park Trust, which was overseeing the project, and the plan’s opponents, a small civic group backed by Douglas Durst of the New York real estate family," adds Bagli.
Planetizen kept a close eye on this project throughout its life in the public eye, including when it suffered its conclusive setback in March 2017, and when it gained a premature "final approval" in April 2016.
FULL STORY: Billionaire Diller’s Plan for Elaborate Pier in the Hudson is Dead

Study: Maui’s Plan to Convert Vacation Rentals to Long-Term Housing Could Cause Nearly $1 Billion Economic Loss
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North Texas Transit Leaders Tout Benefits of TOD for Growing Region
At a summit focused on transit-oriented development, policymakers discussed how North Texas’ expanded light rail system can serve as a tool for economic growth.

Using Old Oil and Gas Wells for Green Energy Storage
Penn State researchers have found that repurposing abandoned oil and gas wells for geothermal-assisted compressed-air energy storage can boost efficiency, reduce environmental risks, and support clean energy and job transitions.

Santa Barbara Could Build Housing on County Land
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San Mateo Formally Opposes Freeway Project
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A Bronx Community Fights to Have its Voice Heard
After organizing and giving input for decades, the community around the Kingsbridge Armory might actually see it redeveloped — and they want to continue to have a say in how it goes.
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