Los Angeles

Tech-Buses Driving South into Los Angeles

In a new coming-of-age sign for the technology industry in Los Angeles, the San Francisco based start-up RidePal unveiled its first private shuttle bus partnership in LA this week.

October 24, 2014 - Los Angeles Times

Los Angeles Embraces Urban Agriculture

A motion passed earlier this month calls for landowners to receive tax breaks for leasing vacant property for agriculture and farming.

October 23, 2014 - The Los Angeles Times

Relaxation

Eight Ways Planners Can Rest and Rejuvenate

Few people escape on-the-job stress, but LA County Planner Clement Lau has some tips for his cohorts designed to help them recover from the pressures of work.

October 20, 2014 - UrbDeZine

Transit Oriented Development

The New Transit User Fee: Real Estate Rent

Driven by a need to meet growing costs amid unstable federal subsidies, metropolitan transit agencies are eying their properties, particularly parking lots, as money makers from new residential and commercial development.

October 20, 2014 - The Wall Street Journal

Another Call for the Legalization of Los Angeles Street Vendors

Mark Vallianatos outlines the legal history and vehemently supports Los Angeles' estimated 10,000 street vendors selling everything from fruits to frozen treats.

October 16, 2014 - The Los Angeles Times

Star Apartments Offer Starchitect Treatment for L.A.'s Skid Row Homeless

The new 100-unit, $40-million Star Apartments opened in Skid Row earlier this week is part of Los Angeles County’s Housing for Health initiative to house 10,000 of the most vulnerable homeless people.

October 11, 2014 - Los Angeles Times

California Refineries Prepare to Receive Cheaper Crude-by-Rail

The surge in oil production has not benefited California, but that's about to change. Shale oil from North Dakota and other states costs $15 less than imported oil. After transportation costs, California refineries would save $3 per barrel.

October 10, 2014 - The Wall Street Journal

Los Angeles Breathing Easier Due to Reductions in Airborne Toxins

The improvement in air quality comes from reductions in toxic emissions from autos, trucks, and ships. Enjoying the cleaner air were tens of thousands of Angelenos riding on miles of streets closed to auto traffic for the 10th CicLAvia event.

October 8, 2014 - Take Part

TOD Sign

Report: Transit Oriented Development Leads the Market in Major Metros

A report released last week by Cushman & Wakefield has won a lot of attention from media outlets covering large-scale development market trends. Among the report's findings: growing cities need to better support transit-oriented development.

October 8, 2014 - Globe St.

LADOT Releases 'Great Streets for Los Angeles' Strategic Plan, Sets Vision Zero Goal

Following a year when 80 pedestrians were killed by cars in the city, the Los Angeles Department of Transportation has proposed a new strategic plan that sets Vision Zero goals for pedestrian fatalities and reflects new priorities for the city.

October 2, 2014 - Los Angeles Daily News

Flat Tops No Longer Required for Los Angeles Skyscrapers

Emily Alpert Reyes reports that Los Angeles has overturned a long-standing requirement for its skyscrapers to have flat roofs to accommodate the fire department's helicopters in the event of an emergency.

October 1, 2014 - Los Angeles Times

A Call to Protect Cultural Institutions from Urban Renewal

While considering plans for a large urban renewal project in Hollywood, Los Angeles struggles to avoid throwing out the baby with the bathwater—that is, saving a place for small cultural institutions when redeveloping neighborhoods.

September 29, 2014 - The Architect's Newspaper

Critic's Review: Los Angeles Union Station Master Plan

Christopher Hawthorne details the finalized master plan for Los Angeles' remodel of its historic Union Station, saying the master plan positions the station to be a hub of activity in a remade city.

September 29, 2014 - Los Angeles Times

Friday Funny: Missed Opportunities—The Getty Villa Volcano

From the never built files (except this time for good reason): A proposal not endorsed during a 19070s expansion plan for the Getty Villa in the Pacific Palisades was a recreation of Mount Vesuvius.

September 26, 2014 - ARTINFO

Ciclavia

CicLAvia: Reclaiming Streets in the Car Capital of America

The second in a series profiling grassroots activism to increase biking among the diverse populations of Los Angeles County. In this installment, Planetizen spoke with Robert Gard, director of communications for CicLAvia.

September 25, 2014 - Maayan Dembo

Los Angeles Downtown Historic Core

On the Los Angeles Urbanism Boom

Urban planner and researcher, C.J. Gabbe, shares insights from his past two years living in Los Angeles, including surprising innovations in planning and development.

September 24, 2014 - Community Builders Blog

'Droughtshaming' and the Death of Fun

Laura Bliss provides a summary of the controversy surrounding plans to bring the "Slide the City" event to Temple Avenue in Downtown Los Angeles.

September 22, 2014 - CityLab

Los Angeles' Historic Pershing Square to Receive Family-Friendly Makeover

Los Angeles' Pershing Square, a five-acre park initially opened in 1866, will undergo major transformations to accommodate the increase of families with children living in Downtown Los Angeles.

September 20, 2014 - LA Downtown News

How LEDs Re-Illuminate the Urban Night Sky

Forbes Magazine reflects on the importance and impacts of light-emitting diode (LED) lights as more cities replace their traditional streetlamps with LEDs.

September 19, 2014 - Forbes Magazine

Ovarian Psycos

Women on a Mission: The Ovarian Psycos Ride for the Health of their Communities

The first in a series profiling grassroots activism to increase biking among the diverse populations of Los Angeles County. In this installment, we spoke with Karen Díaz, a core member of the Ovarian Psycos bicycle brigade.

September 18, 2014 - Maayan Dembo

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.