Historic Districts
Philly Residents Push Back on New Historic Preservation District
Some residents of Philadelphia’s newly designated Washington Square West Historic District say the community was left out of the decision-making process that could impact housing costs and building requirements.
Seattle Historic District Could Remove Street Dining
Despite the popularity of Ballard Avenue’s outdoor dining pergolas, some district board members argue the patios don’t match the district’s historic character.
Proposed ‘Conservation Districts’ Could Change Preservation in Houston
The proposed model could be a new tool for preserving historic neighborhoods with more flexibility and with a focus on reducing displacement and addressing community concerns.
Denver Makes it Easier for Landowners to Oppose Landmark Designation
The balance of power in the historic preservation process shifted slightly toward the preferences of property owners in Denver.
‘Emergency’ Historic District Alters, But Does Not Prevent, Boise Condo Project
No historic buildings were harmed to create the Residences at 132 Main.
Homeowner Groups Find an Antidote to Zoning Reforms: National Register Historic Districts
Many neighborhoods are moving to create historic districts on the National Register of Historic Places in response to the growing number of states, cities, and neighborhoods loosening single-family residential zones.
How Historic Districts Supersede Local Zoning Regulations
How one historic district in a growing corner of Washington, D.C. is able to effect downzoning.
Opinion: Historic Preservation's Climate Problem Reveals its Class Problem
A strongly worded opinion piece calls out historic preservation as a tool of the affluent urban elite.
Riverfront Revitalization Takes Shape in Covington
A new private development project will add outdoor space and public programming to a revitalizing riverfront area in Covington, Kentucky, near Cincinnati.
Could Savannah Lose Historic District Designation?
The National Park Service (NPS) recently commissioned a study to assess the integrity and condition of the Savannah National Historic Landmark District. That report recommends the district be categorized as “threatened.”
Big Changes Coming to Denver's Downtown Historic District
A development proposal would add two new buildings in addition to major renovations in Larimer Square.
Is Washington D.C. Preserving Buildings or Hoarding Them?
A piecemeal, reactive approach to historic preservation in the capital may burden the future with too many buildings of "middling merit."
New York Moves Ahead on New Historic District
The new district may be both preservationist and political.
Preserving Las Vegas' Midcentury Residential Neighborhoods
In a region infamous for blowing everything up and starting over again, a growing constituency is interested in preserving the residential neighborhoods of yesteryear.
Technologies for Understanding Cities
Researchers are examining technologies that can aid in understanding many aspects of our cities, from how citizens interact in plan making, where residents use social media, and how to understand our changing communities.
On the Importance of the Human Scale in Walkable Cities
Instead of density for density's sake (or for smart growth's sake), F. Kaid Benfield argues that the human scale is the key to walkable smart growth.
Modernism-Hating Neighbor Sues to Halt Home Construction
Allison Arieff tells the sordid tale of a "modestly modernist" house in Oakwood, a historic district in Raleigh, North Carolina. Despite the fully permitted house being 85 percent complete, a lawsuit by a neighbor could force its demolition.
This Dubuque, Iowa Master Plan Is a Rust Belt Victory
The Historic Millwork District Master Plan, approved in 2009, provides exemplary solutions in historic preservation, parking requirements, and environmental standards, all now rewarding the city of Dubuque, Iowa with economic development.
Preservation Wars Heat Up in South Beach
Decades after preservationists helped usher in one of the country’s most successful urban revivals by protecting South Beach's Art Deco buildings, Miami Beach commissioners are considering whether to strengthen laws protecting residential properties.
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
