Downtowns
Pop-Up Shops are Reviving Dormant Downtowns
The future of downtown retail is uncertain. In the meantime, pop-ups fill the gaps and provide small businesses with unique opportunities to showcase their wares.
To Revitalize Downtowns, Cities Create Designated ‘Drinking Zones’
Mirroring New Orleans’ French Quarter or the Las Vegas Strip, some cities are experimenting with loosening open container laws in certain commercial areas.
How to Kickstart an Urban Resurgence
In the age of remote work, relying on major employers to boost a city’s economic fortunes may no longer be enough.
Ending Downtown San Francisco’s ‘Doom Loop’
A new public space project offers an ambitious vision—so why is the city implementing it at such a small scale?
Sioux Falls Downtown Plan Targets Mobility, Safety, Community
The South Dakota city is taking public input on its proposal for improving transportation, job opportunities, and culture downtown.
Salt Lake City Bucks Downtown Decline Trend
The city’s central business district is bustling with more activity than before the pandemic.
Reorienting Business Districts for Walkability
Traditionally car-friendly Business Improvement Districts are turning to walkability and bike infrastructure to replace the 9-to-5 crowd and boost local economies.
As Business Districts Continue to Falter, Mixed-Use Neighborhoods Flourish
While office vacancies remain high and foot traffic sparse in many U.S. downtowns, areas with housing and businesses are more vibrant and desirable than ever.
Opinion: Downtown D.C. Recovery Requires More Inclusive Planning
To meet its climate goals and revitalize its downtown core, the District must expand its transit and urban amenities to meet the needs of a wider variety of people.
Transforming Downtowns Into Functional Neighborhoods
Rather than ‘monofunctional’ business districts or urban playgrounds, American downtown districts could become multipurpose neighborhoods.
Proposal Focuses on Downtown Milwaukee Revitalization
A city plan calls for reimagining an elevated freeway that cuts through downtown communities and redeveloping public properties.
Seattle Downtown Plan Focuses on Public Safety, Programming
The mayor issued a 12-point plan for improving safety, developing services for people struggling with addiction, and revitalizing downtown spaces.
Report: American Downtowns Safer Than You Think
A Brookings Institution study reveals that crime rates in major cities have risen, but downtown districts account for a negligible part of the growth.
How Commute Times Impact Office Vacancy
Workplaces that employees can reach more quickly are less likely to have high office vacancy rates, a new analysis finds.
Comparing Downtown Recovery Across U.S. Cities
The Downtown Vitality Index measures how central cities are adjusting to post-pandemic conditions.
Planning Trends to Watch in 2023
The days and weeks since the arrival of Covid-19 have been filled with so much noise about the future, it’s been difficult to distinguish between big stories and frivolous distractions. Planetizen is here to help.
The Once-in-a-Generation Opportunity to Remake Downtown
Urban cores around the country were transforming into live, work, and play destinations before the pandemic. The pandemic was a setback for this transformation, but it could also be a rare opportunity. It’s up to city leadership to seize it.
Analysis of Downtown Recoveries Reveals Post-Pandemic Winners and Losers
The recovery of U.S. downtowns is happening at widely different paces depending on which city you consider.
Surveying the Rising Trend of Office-to-Residential Conversions
With office vacancies climbing and a stubborn supply crunch driving up the cost of housing, some downtowns have emerged at the forefront of a new wave of adaptive reuse.
Downtown San Francisco Still Looking for a Post-Pandemic Comeback
“Downtown on the Brink” reads the headline of a recent San Francisco Chronicle feature.
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.
Caltrans
Smith Gee Studio
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
