Philadelphia
Philadelphia Sending More Money to Street Repair
Following a long winter, the Philadelphia Streets Department is on pace to break records for pothole repair, but that won’t be the only improvement paid for by a proposed 33 percent increase in funding to the Streets Department.
Oil Trains from North Dakota to the Rescue in Philadelphia
The hazards of shipping North Dakotan crude-by-rail have been well documented and are the focus of new DOT regulations due to its volatility, but there's a more positive side to this oil and the trains that deliver it, illustrated in Philadelphia.
This is Awkward—Highway Widening Projects Based on Obsolete Projections
Several highway-widening projects on the East Coast were approved under the pretense of expected growth in traffic totals. Now planners are scrambling to figure out the new normal.
Keys to a Successful Land Bank
Philadelphia recently became the largest U.S. city to create a “land bank.” As new land banks spring up across the country, it is important to take a close look at what needs to accompany them if we want to have real impact.
Historic Examples of 'Urbanism Without Government'
We’ve all heard the question “but who will build the roads?” put to libertarians. In a recent article, Emily Washington examines historic examples of urban settings that developed without the guidance of a government.
Calling for a 'Design Revolution' in Philadelphia
The recently rejected proposal for a new Museum of the American Revolution in Philadelphia failed to live up to the spirit of that seminal event, writes Nathaniel Popkin.
Philadelphia’s Middle Class—Down But Not Out
A new report by the Pew Charitable Trusts tracks the demographics of Philadelphia between 1970 and 2010. Overall, middle class residents left the city during those decades, but there are reasons for optimism regarding the prosperity of the city.
Bad Architecture, Good Urbanism in Philadelphia
The Mormon Church released renderings for development plans at 16th and Vine in Philadelphia. The plan's grab-bag of historic architecture styles succeeds in urbanism but roots the area in an unfortunate historicism, according to critic Inga Saffron.
New Proposal for Makeover of LOVE Park in Philadelphia
After months of back and forth, Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter and City Council President Darrell L. Clarke “reached an agreement that would allow the rehabilitation of John F. Kennedy Plaza and the sale of the garage beneath LOVE Park.”
Zoning Code Change Considered to Protect Philly’s Cornice Lines
To protect the character of city blocks, a Philadelphia councilwoman has proposed new restrictions on building heights on blocks with uniformly two-story buildings.
More Funding for Philly’s Urban Watershed Efforts
With the "Green City, Clean Waters" initiative already underway, a recent grant from the U.S. EPA will help Philadelphia evaluate best practices for building and maintaing its urban watershed.
Report: Millennials Only Have Conditional Love for Philly
Like many cities amidst an influx of Millennials, Philadelphia must solve problems with crime and eduction for the young generation to stay. A new report from Pew Charitable Trusts indicates many Millennials have no intentions of sticking around.
Boyd Theatre in Philadelphia Subject of Preservation Battle
Developers are seeking allowances to gut the historic Boyd Theatre in Philadelphia to build an eight-screen movie complex.
Philadelphia Skyscraper Rewrites the Corporate Headquarters Script
Comcast recently released designs for a $1.2 billion skyscraper in Downtown Philadelphia. The building’s potential starkly contrasts the suburban model of commercial office parks.
SEPTA Plans How to Spend Gas Tax Windfall
With a transformative transportation law now on the books, Pennsylvania's largest transit system has turned from planning for "doomsday" to "payday" as it decides how to allocate a twofold increase in capital spending.
What Could Philadelphia Teach Rome About Reducing Traffic?
Rome's new mayor spent two decades in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, and he's bringing lessons learned while living car-free in the United States to help solve Rome's traffic problems.
Could Vacant Schools Help Meet Philly's Affordable Housing Needs?
In Philadelphia, and other cities going through demographic changes, shuttered schools provide a challenge and opportunity for redevelopment and reuse. Two board members of the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency (PHFA) offer a creative solution.
Seeking an Automotive Balance in Philly
The city continues to grapple with the practical implications of local planning legend Edmund Bacon's prescriptions for carless streets.
Can a Land Bank Help Dispose of Philadelphia's 40,000 Vacant Properties?
Seeking to stabilize healthy neighborhoods and revitalize others, Philadelphia is planning to establish a land bank to "consolidate its inventory of distressed real estate," reports Jon Hurdle. The plan could become a national model.
Unusual Approach to Public Engagement Produces Exciting Results in Philadelphia
Rather than bringing a powerpoint presentation and ritzy renderings to a meeting with neighborhood residents, developer Omar Blaik brought blank sheets of paper. The result? A process devoid of the usual rancor and a denser design than zoning allows.
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.
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
City of Moreno Valley
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
Salt Lake City
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service
City of Cambridge, Maryland
