Brooklyn

Urban Planning Musical Takes the Stage in Brooklyn

A new musical comedy, "In the Footprint: The Battle Over Atlantic Yards," brings song and dance to the conflict over the redevelopment of the Atlantic Yards in Brooklyn. The NY Times reviews it as "fresh, inventive"...and "entertaining."

December 6, 2010 - The New York Times

Greening an Urban Highway

New York City presents three options for transforming the six-lane Brooklyn-Queens Expressway by covering it with vegetation and making streetscape improvements.

November 23, 2010 - The Architect's Newspaper

Invasion of the Chain Stores

As chain stores move into a Brooklyn neighborhood, some locals worry about the loss of local character and small businesses.

November 13, 2010 - The New York Times

NYC Building $80 M Recycling Center

The city recently broke ground on a new facility designed to collect all of the city's metal, glass, and plastic recyclables and reduce collection trucking by 260,000 miles each year.

November 1, 2010 - Inhabitat

Historic Streetcars Planned To Fill A Transit Gap In Brooklyn

New York City plans a new route to fill a void in rail coverage through south Brooklyn. But will the alignment of the tracks and the ancient cars planned to run on them maximise capacity?

September 17, 2010 - the transport politic

Stopping Development to Protect a View

A cemetery on a high hill in Brooklyn is hoping to convince the city of the importance of its views -- a move that could have a big impact on future large developments in the area.

September 15, 2010 - The Architect's Newspaper

Bike Storage is the New Hot Commodity

With bike riding and commuting soaring in NYC, the question of where to store bikes - at home, is becoming more important. Bike storage is now a hot amenity in many Brooklyn and Manhattan apartments - so much that monthly fees may apply.

September 13, 2010 - Crain's N.Y. Business.com

Park Smart Pilot Has Cut Traffic in Park Slope, DOT Finds

Higher parking meter prices have helped allow more people to park in the Brooklyn neighborhood even while easing congestion.

August 25, 2010 - Streetsblog

An Industrial Community Explosion in Brooklyn

The manufacturing industry is rapidly growing in Brooklyn. But unlike the black smokestacks of the past, this new industrial revolution is both green and high-tech.

July 9, 2010 - Metropolis

Illegal NYC Commuter Vans Could Become Legitimate

Private transit in the form of livery vans are now sanctioned as part of a year long pilot pushed by Mayor Bloomberg that will compete with public bus and taxi for areas not well-served by the city's extensive, but hard-hit transit network.

June 28, 2010 - The New York Times - N.Y. / Region

Behind the Design of the Brooklyn Bridge Park

The new Brooklyn Bridge Park in New York is opening bit by bit. Places talks with Matthew Urbanski, one of the principal designers behind the park about its design and impact.

June 22, 2010 - Places

Historic Homes May Be Too Damaged to Save in Brooklyn's Navy Yard

A historic Navy yard in Brooklyn has been crumbling for decades. Now a deal has been struck to redevelop part of the area. But even with preservation efforts, many of the area's historic homes may be too damaged to save.

May 18, 2010 - The New York Times

DIY Urbanism: One Block, One Shipping Pallet at a Time

Jim Kunstler once said that if the 20th Century was about getting around, the 21st Century is about staying in places worth staying in.

April 28, 2010 - Mike Lydon

Killing the Authenticity You Love

The search for authenticity lead Generation Xers to move into gritty, urban environments that their overwhelming numbers managed to kill, says Adam Mayer in a review of Sharon Zukin's book Naked City.

April 12, 2010 - New Geography

Gentrification Without Exodus in Bedford-Stuyvesant

The Brooklyn neighborhood of Bedford-Stuyvesant is coming up in the world but is managing to preserve its African-American culture throughout.

February 28, 2010 - The New York Times

Friday Funny: Gentrification, Coming to a Neighborhood Near You

A series of mock-advertisements herald the gentrification of Brooklyn.

January 29, 2010 - Flavorpill

The Country's Best Urban Bike Commute?

More than two years years ago I chronicled my daily bicycle commute in Miami. The 8-mile trip was as representative of Miami's built and socio-cultural landscape as it was harrowing. While that city has surely made progress in the pas two years, I'd be lying if I didn't disclose that I partially moved to New York City because of the progress being made in designing livable streets infrastructure. Quite simply, it feels good to be in a city that "gets it." 

January 18, 2010 - Mike Lydon

The Battle for Bedford Avenue

For a myriad of personal and professional reasons I moved to New York City this fall. Part of the reason I uprooted myself from the pastel, sun soaked streets of Miami Beach to the chaos of New York is because Gotham has made such incredible strides in becoming one of America's most bicycle-friendly cities. 

December 9, 2009 - Mike Lydon

Exercising Eminent Domain for Private Developers

A New York Court of Appeals ruled in favor of a private developer, who plans to build a basketball arena in Brooklyn, validating the state's use of eminent domain on his behalf. A local group says the fight is just beginning.

November 24, 2009 - The New York Times

Front Yards Are For Lawns, Not Cars, City Says

Queens and Brooklyn homeowners may soon be prohibited from converting front yards into parking pads if a set of regulations is approved. The loss of street parking from new curb cuts was cited as a reason, along with aesthetics.

November 23, 2009 - New York Times-N.Y./Region (blog)

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.

Top Books

An annual review of books related to planning.

Top Schools

The definitive ranking of graduate planning programs.

100 Most Influential Urbanists

The who's who of urbanism, according to Planetizen readers.

Urban Planning Creators You Should Know

A short list of voices on social, video, and podcasting platforms.