Urban Planning
Streetsblog Basics
Why It Can Be More Affordable to Live in an “Expensive” City
So, how did Washington, D.C. -- widely perceived as one of the most expensive cities in the country -- end up topping a “most affordable” housing list?
October 19, 2012
Raleigh’s Smart Plan to Grow Inward
Growing Sun Belt cities aren't generally known for their sustainable urban form. But Raleigh, North Carolina is putting the finishing touches on a plan that could break the mold.
October 18, 2012
Arizona DOT Study: Compact, Mixed-Use Development Leads to Less Traffic
Does walkable development really lead to worse traffic congestion? Opponents of urbanism often say so, citing impending traffic disaster to rally people against, say, a new mixed-use project proposed in their backyards. But new research provides some excellent evidence to counter those claims.
May 18, 2012
Can Staten Island’s North Shore Become NYC’s Next Great Neighborhood?
Staten Island's North Shore is one of the city's great sites of opportunity. The neighborhoods along the Kill Van Kull are twice as dense as the rest of Staten Island, but lack any transit option beyond the bus. There are historic town centers at St. George and Port Richmond, but car-centric planning deadens street life. The waterfront, much of which still hosts a vibrant maritime industry, is only accessible to the public at three locations in six miles.
March 9, 2012
LOS and Travel Projections: The Wrong Tools for Planning Our Streets
Gary Toth is director of transportation initiatives at Project for Public Spaces. This post first appeared on PPS's Placemaking Blog.
February 7, 2012
The Upside of Cuomo’s Convention Center Plan: Urbanism on the West Side
After Andrew Cuomo's State of the State address last week, Streetsblog looked a little closer at the governor's plan to build the nation's largest convention center at the Aqueduct racino in Ozone Park, Queens. Counting on a huge convention center near JFK airport to deliver economic development seemed like a dubious proposition, but the other side of the plan -- converting the Javits Center site on the West Side of Manhattan into a mixed-use neighborhood -- has a lot to recommend it.
January 9, 2012
When “Old and Blighted” Development Beats “Shiny and New” Suburbanism
There are plenty of hidden costs to auto-oriented development: increased levels of air and water pollution, safety risks posed to pedestrians and cyclists. But as Strong Towns Blog points out, some costs are hardly hidden at all.
January 3, 2012
HUD Awards Bring “Bittersweet” End to Sustainability Program
Just days after the interagency Partnership for Sustainable Communities was issued a death blow by having its funding axed in the FY2012 transportation budget, which President Obama signed into law Friday, HUD issued a reminder of just how sad that loss is: The agency released its list of 2011 award grantees -- communities embarking on visionary projects that, with this assistance, will enable them to plan for the future holistically.
November 23, 2011
Planning Experts Call for an Overhaul of NYC Zoning Rules
New York City's zoning regulation turns 50 this year. Though the zoning ordinance has been amended extensively over the last half-century, land use in New York is still governed under a basic framework established under Mayor Robert Wagner. In a panel discussion held last Friday by the Municipal Art Society, experts put forward a vision for a brand new planning paradigm for New York City. The panelists called for fewer restrictions on how buildings are used, a merging of the city's various land use codes, and a shift toward strategic planning.
October 18, 2011