New York
Reflections on Towers in the Park, and the Limits of Architecture
Michael Kimmelman, after visiting the Penn South housing cooperative in Manhattan and reflecting on the new film "The Pruitt-Igoe Myth", questions the role that design has in determining success or failure for tower in the park housing type.
Converting Excess to Energy in NYC?
Jarrett Murphy writes of a single but significant line in Mayor Bloomberg's recent State of the City address which offers a potential solution to the city’s intertwined fiscal, garbage and energy problems.
Outdoor Markets Gain In Popularity
Holiday festival markets are flourishing in central city squares across America, following the model of the great Christmas markets of Germany and other European countries.
The Best Journalism About Cities in 2011
From Braddock, Pennsylvania to Beijing, Nate Berg offers his favorite articles about cities published in 2011.
First Look at Cornell's Winning $2 Billion Tech Campus
New details and a visualization from Cornell University's winning proposal to create a "game-changing" applied sciences and technology campus on New York's Roosevelt Island.
How Energy Efficient are the World's Tallest Buildings?
The Burj Khalifa in Dubai has one of the world's largest condensate recovery systems that diverts and reuses water from air conditioning. One World Trade Center in New York will use 30% less water and 20% less energy.
Ferry Service Worried About Losing Ridership
A ferry service across New York's East River that launched in June is worried about losing ridership as soon as winter begins. Summer usage was twice as many as planners had expected.
NYC Removes Trash Bins in Subway to Curtail Litter
Greenwich Village and Queens subway stations have had their trash bins removed for the past two weeks. This counterintuitive plan was initiated 3 months ago by officials due to an "epidemic of unsightliness and malodor," writes Michael Grynbaum.
The Mysterious Disappearing Transit
After nine years of public outreach and study, transit was abruptly and secretively dropped from plans for the new Tappan Zee Bridge. Now, neither New York Governor Andrew Cuomo nor the US Department of Transportation will say why.
Plan to Revitalize Public Housing Stymied by NYC Parking Requirements
New York City Housing Authority Chairman John Rhea says that the city's own parking minimums are making it difficult to make public housing sites more mixed-use, mixed-income and financially sustainable.
The Top 15 Most Stressful Cities
Forbes Magazine picks 15 of the most stressful cities in the United States. To come up with the data, "we analyzed quality-of-life data from the 40 largest metropolitan statistical areas," says Beth Greenfield.
For Two Days Only TWA Terminal Re-Opens Its Doors
In 2001, Eero Saarinen's famed TWA Terminal in John F. Kennedy International Airport closed after American Airlines bought the airline out. Completed in 1962, this terminal is now rarely accessible by the public.
Via Verde: Housing Project for All!
Via Verde is a rebirth to a area that has been suffering economically for decades. The planners chosen for this project are placing a great deal of importance on aesthetics and quality design, not seen in other projects.
Taking a Stroll With a Guide to Understanding Cities
In his critique of "Urban Code: 100 Lessons for Understanding the City," San Francisco Chronicle Columnist John King says how the book's formula for a city doesn't do justice to its authenticity.
Tear Down the Freeway, Or Not?
Using a federal grant, New York City is studying the effects of a highway teardown not just on transportation but on housing, jobs, park access and quality of life.
Reality Check for Affordable Housing in NYC
Tom Angotti writes that Mayor Bloomberg has ambitious goals for solving NYC's affordable housing problems, but they may not be in step with today's real estate market.
Separated Bike Lanes Will Get More Women on Bikes
Proportionally more women bike on New York City streets with protected bike lanes than not at all, and turning a painted lane into a protected one caused female ridership to soar.
Zoning Around Transit Stations in NYC Getting Downzoned, Study Shows
New York City's Dept. of City Planning says that it is committed to fostering transit-oriented development. But in neighborhood after neighborhood, the city is downzoning around the corner from the subway, argues Noah Kazis.
New Yorkers Get Daily Exercise Just By Getting Around
New Yorkers get most of their physical activity from walking to the subway or running errands, not jogging or going to the gym, says a new report from the New York Dept. of Health.
To Beat The Backlash, Expand The Bike Network, Say Planners
Bike lanes have become one of the most controversial topics in all of New York City. For cycling to take hold, the city needs to make sure all groups have equal access to cycling, say a team of Hunter College grad students.
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
