Philadelphia
Who Should Pay for Parks?
Philadelphia spends $64 on parks and recreation facilities per resident, one of the lowest totals in the nation. Ryan Briggs uses the city as a lens to examine the growing impact of budget cuts to park systems on their surrounding communities.
How Light Helped Remake Downtown Philadelphia
Neal Peirce looks at how Philadelphia has used light to help transform the image, and fortunes, of Center City.
Kresge Pledges Additional $120 Million Toward Detroit Revitalization
Detroit has received a significant showing of confidence from its benefactor, The Kresge Foundation (based in Troy, MI) after it unveiled its new strategic plan known as Detroit Future City. As the city downsizes, the challenges are significant.
Swaying Jaywalkers with Humor
When it comes to enforcing laws like jaywalking, strictly imposed tickets and fines motivate people to change their behavior. John Cichowski discusses whether light-hearted, even humorous, suggestions can be as effective as heavy-handed prosecution.
Philly Establishes New Office for Civic Innovation
Following Boston's visionary lead, this week Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter formally created the city's Office of New Urban Mechanics, "a civic innovation tool for urban transformation.”
After Long Road, Bike-Share Gets Boost in Philly
The bike-share bandwagon is getting awfully full! On Friday came news that Mayor Nutter will ask Philadelphia's city council for $3 million to help fund a city-wide bike-share program that could hit the streets by early 2014.
Higher Home Values Preserved in Mixed-Income, Medium-Density Suburbs
A new study of the Philadelphia area commissioned by the Congress for New Urbanism “finds new urban characteristics play a role” in how households and neighborhoods weathered the recent economic downtown.
Radical University-Led Project Could Transform Philadelphia
Drexel University is proceeding with a study to determine the feasibility of capping and building over the Schuylkill Rail Yards, a transformational project that could unite West Philadelphia with the Center City, reports Susan Snyder.
Philadelphia Reconsiders Its Brand New Zoning Code
That didn't take long. A few short months after Philadelphia enacted the long-overdue replacement to its antiquated 1962 zoning code, the City Council is already considering changes to the document, including increasing parking requirements.
A Ride on the Rails Reveals America's Changing Economy
Adam Davidson reflects on the urban decay that can be glimpsed out the window of an Amtrak train traveling between New York and Washington D.C., and the forces transforming the nation's economy that cannot.
A Giant Leap Forward for Low-Income Housing in Philadelphia
Inga Saffron reviews a trio of environmentally friendly rowhouses built for low-income families in Philadelphia's Logan neighborhood, which she proclaims are "superior to anything Philadelphia has done in half a century."
Using an App to Shame Property Violators Into Repenting
In Philadelphia, resourceful City Councilman Bobby Henon has introduced a free app named CityHall, which has quickly become a weapon of choice for getting landlords and tenants who blight their blocks to clean up their acts, reports Dan Geringer.
Collaboration Breeds New Capabilities in Philadelphia
Alex Vuocolo reports on the new model of multi-stakeholder collaboration that is bringing acclaimed public spaces, and economic growth, to the city of Philadelphia.
Vacant Lots Ripe for Parks, and Legal Troubles
Nate Berg reports on the legal problems that can arise when a good Samaritan tries to create a park on a vacant lot.
Arts Compose a Healthy Economy in Philadelphia
Stephan Salisbury details how the cultural sector in Philadelphia has grown to support the region's economic vitality.
Safety in Numbers Leads to Less Bike Accidents in Philly
Despite more bicyclists on its streets, Philadelphia has seen a marked reduction in bike crashes and deaths. With double the amount of cyclists on downtown streets since 2002, the decline is being attributed to more visibility to motorists.
Philly Prioritizes Public Access with Hiring of Chief Data Officer
Self-described "civic hacking veteran" Mark Headd has joined Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter's administration as the city's first "chief data officer," with the mission of "improving public access to information the city collects."
Creative Placemaking Gets Infusion of New Funding
Creative placemaking, or investing in arts and culture as a way to improve quality of place and stimulate vibrancy, is getting a new boost as ArtPlace announces another round of funding.
America's Largest Cities Gamble on Casino-led Growth
An expanding number of cities across the U.S. are looking to attract urban casinos, with the hope that further development and money (tax revenues to fill drained city coffers) will follow.
Open Data Brings Power to the People
As the ways in which cities across the U.S. are utilizing the web continues to increase, open data is changing the way citizens interact with their government. Philadelphia is one city using information to level the power playing field.
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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.
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Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
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