Archives
Welcome to the archives of Better Cities & Towns, a publication founded by Robert Steuteville as New Urban News in 1996. This archive holds two decades of the best news and analysis on compact, mixed-use growth and development, from 1996 to 2015.
The town center of Baldwin Park, the redevelopment of a naval training center in Orlando, Florida, is successfully leasing out retail space. Developers expect the project to be 90 percent leased by the time it opens — an exceptionally brisk pace,...
CNU welcomes David Hudson and Steve Filmanowicz to the CNU staff in Chicago. David will become executive vice president, concentrating on CNU’s strategic direction, development efforts and business operations. Previously, David was public relations...
Norton Commons, a 594-acre TND near Louisville, Kentucky, is breaking ground as a result of the developer securing $10 million in financing. The first phase will involve 130 lots, some of which will be live/work, plus a 20,000 square foot commercial...
Also in the Madison area, plans have been withdrawn for Horub’s Corner, a TND that was first proposed more than two years ago. Developer Peter Frautschi of Community by Design says the plan was too ambitious, and “it became apparent that the village...
Entitlements are still difficult for new urban projects in many locations around the US, and the key issue is density. The latest project to go down in defeat is River Trails, designed by Calthorpe Associates, which would have been the first major...
In October, Randal O’Toole, organizer of a national campaign against smart growth and New Urbanism, began circulating a study from England that claims that new urban design techniques make communities more vulnerable to crimes such as burglary and...
California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has indicated that he will act to curb sprawl and promote redevelopment of cities. Both he and his staff are liberally using the phrase “smart growth,” yet it is unclear what policies will be adopted to support...
The August 2003 issue of the Journal of the American Planning Association included an article by Hollie Lund, called “Testing the Claims of New Urbanism: Local Access, Pedestrian Travel, and Neighboring Behaviors.” Lund surveys eight neighborhoods...
Traffic engineers Rick Chellman, Rick Hall, and Peter Swift are nearing completion of a book on Context Directed Design. Designed to appeal to local, regional, and state transportation officials, the book will cover the the techniques and principles...
The Board also authorized Board members Jim Murley and Stephanie Bothwell to refine the Draft Chapter Handbook with the goal of reducing financial and institutional barriers to chapter formation. Input from members involved in chapter organizing is...
The Baltimore Sun recently urged Baltimore County in Maryland to adopt “form-based zoning.” County Executive James T. Smith Jr. reportedly supports a switch to new urban codes to revitalize decaying commercial strips. “The County Council should...
Veridian Homes, Wisconsin’s largest builder, has broken ground on Cannery Square, the redevelopment of a historic cannery in Sun Prairie, Wisconsin. The project will include 23 buildings with 20,000 to 40,000 square feet of commercial space; 83...