downtown revitalization
Pershing Square, Downtown L.A.’s ‘Forgotten Park,’ Begins Long Awaited Revamp
A makeover that began in 2015 is finally underway in 2023, but the process of reconstructing Pershing Square is expected to proceed incrementally.
New Plan Aims to Revive Downtown San Francisco
The proposal focuses on placemaking and street activation as tools for economic development.
Salt Lake City Bucks Downtown Decline Trend
The city’s central business district is bustling with more activity than before the pandemic.
Opinion: Lower Rents Will Give Downtown Spaces Back to the ‘Weirdos’
Introducing the “CBGB theory of city planning.”
Downtown Omaha Planning for its Post-One-Way-Streets Era
The Omaha City Council has decided to reverse the transportation model adopted in the city in the 1950s, for the benefit of traffic safety and local retail activity.
East Lansing Parking Plan Aims for Walkability
East Lansing wants to ditch some of its surface parking to encourage economic activity and walkability.
11,000 Housing Units Possible with S.F. Office Conversions, Study Says
A new study by SPUR and the Urban Land Institute’s San Francisco chapter estimates a specific number of apartment units that could be built from vacant office units in the city.
The Once-in-a-Generation Opportunity to Remake Downtown
Urban cores around the country were transforming into live, work, and play destinations before the pandemic. The pandemic was a setback for this transformation, but it could also be a rare opportunity. It’s up to city leadership to seize it.
Renting on the Rise, With Consequences for Neighborhoods
A higher share of Americans are renters than at any point in decades. Neighborhoods all over the country, especially in downtowns, have many more renters than they did in 2010.
Massive Empire State Complex Gains Key Political Support
New York Governor Kathy Hochul is backing one of the largest real estate development projects in U.S. history—larger even than the nearby Hudson Yards project.
A ‘Public Realm Action Plan’ Charts San Francisco’s Post-Covid Comeback
A nonprofit business group released a plan to trigger the post-pandemic revitalization of Downtown San Francisco by reclaiming public space for human scale activity. But is an improved public realm sufficient to meet the challenge?
An Ambitious Revitalization Agenda for Downtown Anchorage
A new mayoral administration in Anchorage has its sights set on a revitalized urban core, but one local researcher has suggestions for how to expand that vision.
Project Team for Milwaukee's New Downtown Area Plan Takes Shape
A new plan for Milwaukee's downtown will build on a "major renaissance" in the area since the approval of the last version of the plan in 2010.
Proposed Megaproject the Latest to Redefine Los Angeles' Core
A proposed $2 billion megaproject would expand the footprint of the ongoing reinvention of Downtown Los Angeles and its surrounding neighborhoods.
Downtown Milwaukee Area Plan Update Kicks Off
Billions of dollars in investment and thousands of new residential units later, Milwaukee is ready to update the plan for its downtown.
Tony Hsieh's Legacy in Las Vegas
Tony Hsieh, who achieved international fame as head both of Zappos and the Downtown Project in Las Vegas, died in November. Several articles made an account of the Downtown Project's track record.
Debating Public Incentives for Private Developments
A debate common in growing cities around the country is taking place in Atlanta in answer to the question of how much support private developers need from the public.
Detroit Developers Scaling Back Ambitions
The market and construction costs are taking a toll on development ambitions in Detroit.
Six Big Projects to Watch in Detroit
A new chapter of Detroit's development history is ready to begin, as six iconic projects head toward the finish line.
The Dark Side of the Rust Belt Revival
Cities in flyover country are facing new redevelopment challenges as companies relocate from costly coastal cities. In St. Louis, downtown revitalization has also brought plans to tackle blight, and the consequences for residents could be immense.
Placer County
City of Morganton
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Dongguan Binhaiwan Bay Area Management Committee
City of Waukesha, WI
Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority
Indiana Borough
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.
