Parks

An Ambitious Revitalization Partnership in Detroit
Bringing together the city, developers, and philanthropic support, Fitz Forward aims to redevelop 300 parcels. Backers hope it will serve as a model for other neighborhoods.

Renovated Park Space Open to the Public Beneath the St. Louis Gateway Arch
Little by little, the grounds, facilities, and amenities of the St. Louis Gateway Arch are reopening to the public. Expect work on this $380 million project to conclude later this year.

Sent A Strong Message, Los Angeles Leaders Respond With Planning Reforms
In the aftermath of the Measure S vote, members of the Los Angeles City Council have responded by pushing for expediting community plan updates and finding a sustainable source of funding for updating the region's plans.
Never Built New York: The Pier 55 Park Project for the Hudson River
The Pier 55 proposal made a big splash in New York when it was proposed in 2014, but now it appears headed for the trash bin of history.

Islands of the World Get Their Own Smart Congress
After six years of successful Smart City Expo World Congresses in Barcelona, the island of Majorca will host one that focuses exclusively on islands. It will focus on technology and innovation, and address unique challenges islands face.

Proposal: Bury a Section of Chicago's Lake Shore Drive
In an ambitious plan dating back to the early 20th century, some Chicagoans want to build out park space over Lake Shore Drive's Oak Street S-bend. The project wouldn't be a straightforward one.

Los Angeles Takes On Equity and Resilience With New Parks Funding
City and county leaders shared their plans for millions in new annual revenue at the 2017 VerdeXchange Conference.

Dallas Skaters Hope for a New Park
Texas cities are home to many half pipes and grind rails, but Dallas lags behind other cities in the region.

We Don't Play in Public Like We Used To
As more and more children are kept in homes and yards, Joe Cortright worries about the effects of private play on American culture and public spaces.

Gary, Indiana May Allow Unneeded Park Space to Revert to Nature
With a shrinking population, Gary, Indiana is faced with the prospect of having more park space than it knows what to do with.

Coming Soon: A Transformative Idea for Cleveland's Irishtown Bend
A new design process will take an initial step toward unleashing the unrealized potential of Irishtown Bend—located along the Cuyahoga River in the heart of Cleveland.

The Trifecta: Urbanism, Architecture, and Nature
Susan Henderson shares some thoughts about the alignment of issues contributing to well-being in cities.

Should Risky Playgrounds Make a Comeback?
From the mid-19th century to the early 1980s, playgrounds were designed public spaces that would likely horrify parents today. Swiss urban planner Gabriela Burkhalter has studied how these public spaces have evolved over the years.
San Antonians Angry About Huts, Google Fiber's Fast Internet Plan Hits a Speedbump
Some in Texas are worried about the structures that house Google's Fiberoptic Cables, complaining that the huts are ugly and take up too much park space.

How to Rebuild Dallas’s Fair Park
An editorial in the Dallas Morning News argues that Fair Park could be a vibrant part of the city if it were restored, and that the restoration could be financed in part by revenue generated from the park itself.

Sitting on the Walls Prohibited in Philadelphia's Rittenhouse Square
The list of prohibitions for the use of public spaces grows—this time to the seemingly innocuous and park-perfect activity of sitting.

$3.5 Million Awarded to Further the Demise of the Robert Moses Parkway
The state of New York this week took another step toward removing two miles of the Niagara Scenic Parkway (formerly known as the Robert Moses Parkway).

Downtown Edmonton Hopes to Flip Parking to Parks
The Canadian city is working to take 18 downtown lots and convert them from surface parking to green space.

The Country's Largest Urban Park—Coming Soon to Dallas
A Dallas News op-ed argues for a repackaging of the Dallas' ongoing open space and park investments to properly acknowledge the scale of the city's accomplishments.

Adventure Playgrounds Set the Children Free
An exploration of how adventure playgrounds enable freedom for children living in a world full of helicopter parents.
Pagination
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.
Clanton & Associates, Inc.
Jessamine County Fiscal Court
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