Warsaw, Indiana may not be the first place on most folks lists of planning trend setters across the nation, but in most any community one can find both good and bad lessons to learn from. This prosperous city along with … Continue reading
Personally, I’m sick and tired of noisy leaf blowers disturbing the enjoyment of beautiful days. It has gotten to the point where one cannot keep their windows open or sit on the deck without these infernal things droning on and … Continue reading
In recent years there has been an effort in some cities to mend some of the wounds of Interstate Highway era gashes that were savagely cut through American cities. A method for healing these scars has been to cap the … Continue reading
A housing trend I’ve noticed in Traverse City is homes being built that look more like an office building rather than a dwelling. I’m all for architectural freedom, but personally it’s not an appealing trend, at least in the manner … Continue reading
I have now had the pleasure of recently visiting two American cities with hugely successful pedestrian malls in their downtown core – St. Augustine, Florida and Boulder, Colorado. During the 1960s and 70s, pedestrian malls were seen as a possible … Continue reading
I have had the great pleasure of visiting many communities across America ranging in size from hamlet to town to major city. This includes visits to parts of 49 states. Until this past week’s visit to St. Augustine, Florida I … Continue reading
As an urban planner, I have seen some very well-written and thought-provoking master plans in the past 25+ years. But recently I stumbled across a specialized plan that I think may top them all – the Public Art Program … Continue reading
Similar to the image above, the vast majority of highway and railroad underpasses across the country are the epitome of sterile concrete and overgrown weeds. Left as underutilized vacant space, they hardly engender any sort of warmth or welcome, particularly … Continue reading
Until recently, I was unaware of the Peace Pagoda (or Shanti Stupa) program initially begun by the late Nichidatsu Fujii and is continued today by the Nipponzan Myohoji Buddhists. This awe-inspiring effort to promote peace throughout the world began in 1947 as … Continue reading
There really is no other street like in the United States. The Pearl Street Mall in downtown Boulder, Colorado is an iconic place; and urban planner’s dream come true of walkable, urban shopping and entertainment packed into four glorious blocks … Continue reading
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