Restaurants
Covid-19 Outdoor Dining Rules Could Last Through 2021 in Philadelphia
Emergency outdoor dining regulations approved in June and set to expired in December could now be extended through the coming year.
New York Outdoor Dining, Open Streets Programs Now Permanent
New York City will now be measurably less car-centric for the indefinite future.
A 'Dining Revolution' Comes Home
A California bill approved in 2018 legalized restaurants to locate in homes, setting the foundation for a new restaurant economy just when communities needed it most.
The Disconnect Between Virus Prevalence and Local Business Climate
Public health experts assert that to safely reopen the economy, the coronavirus needs to be contained. In Manhattan, where the virus is largely controlled, chain restaurants are closing while their sister stores in Florida are expanding.
Pandemic's New Phase: Spreading to Rural and Urban Areas Alike
A top public health expert in the Trump administration warned that the U.S. is in a "new phase" of the pandemic, different from March and April when the coronavirus largely affected a few big cities. Now urban and rural areas alike are vulnerable.
California Rolls Back
The nation's most significant rollback to date of a state reopening plan occurred Monday when California Gov. Gavin Newsom closed seven categories of indoor businesses statewide and an additional six categories of indoor operations in 31 counties.
Bars or Schools? Governors Need to Decide
In a frank assessment of the reopening choices confronting the nation's governors, Harvard's global health expert, Ashish Jha, asserts that the opening of bars and some other indoor businesses jeopardizes the opening of schools in the fall.
Uncertain Futures for U.S. Restaurants Raise Larger Concerns About City Vitality
In many American cities, restaurants are beacons of economic revitalization and social vibrancy. Calculations are still being made to determine the toll taken on the nation's eateries, and in turn, the urban economies they serve.
Berkeley Could Redefine the Al Fresco Streets Movement
The city of Berkeley is pursuing an aggressive plan to open the streets for outdoor dining as an economic development tool for local commercial businesses.
Another City Opens Street Space for Restaurants—This Time in Suburban Chicago
Tampa, Brookhaven, Vilnius, Hinsdale. These cities will be the answer to a COVID-themed trivia night some time soon.
Tampa Closes Streets to Open Outdoor Space to Restaurants
A pilot project in Tampa is closing select streets to cars to allow more space for dine-in restaurant service.
Hoboken First U.S. City to Shut Down Restaurants and Bars and Issue Curfew
Restaurants and bars shut down on Sunday due to the coronavirus. On Monday, a 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. curfew becomes effective. According to a Harvard University public health expert, "Hoboken probably is the model we all need to move towards now."
No Late-Night Tacos in My Backyard
Neighborhood veto power can conflict with citywide goals to provide a 24-7 urban experience, as a case study from Boston shows.
D.C.'s Food Hall Boom Going Strong
Food halls continue to be popular additions to the restaurant scene in Washington, D.C.
Role of S.F. Parklets as Public Space Not Always Clear
Parklets in San Francisco are available for public use, but often they serve as extensions of the dining rooms of eateries.
Minneapolis Liquor License Restriction Lifted
The city’s "7-acre rule" limited liquor licenses to restaurants in a commercial zone, but a repeal of the ordinance last year means that restaurants across the city can now apply to serve liquor.
New York City Polystyrene Ban Took Effect New Year's Day
Thanks to two recent New York State court rulings, disposable food and beverage containers will no longer be made from polystyrene in the nation's largest city. The ban was originally proposed by Mayor Michael Bloomberg in February 2013.
The U.S. Cities With the Most Restaurants Per Capita
Metropolitan areas with many options for places to eat offers many quality of life benefits to residents.
Corporate Cafeterias Survive Proposed Legislation to Zone Them Out of Existence
San Francisco's Planning Commission rejected a bill that would have made it illegal to open new office cafeterias, recommending that legislation be crafted to allow these eateries to be open to the public instead.
Balloons and Straws: Where's the Connection?
Think "The Graduate," but now the emphasis in the future of plastics may be on restrictions. California may become the first state to restrict access to plastic straws, and balloons could be next due to the harm they cause the marine environment.
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.
Caltrans
Smith Gee Studio
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
