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.
In several new urban communities, accessory dwelling units are strong sellers and offer benefits to both home owners and developers. Accessory dwelling units (ADUs) appear under many aliases — granny flats, garage apartments, carriage houses,...
Sarasota 2050 Plan, a ground-breaking regional analysis, calls for infill redevelopment, new villages, and open space preservation. Amajor regional plan nearing completion in Sarasota County, Florida, makes a fiscal case for the New Urbanism.
One of the basic tenets of new urbanist planning is to establish an open street grid that promotes the free flow of pedestrian and automobile traffic. But what if a closed street has become a haven for pedestrians? Should the need for...
Kevin Kelly, a developer who sold his share in Civano, a Tucson new urbanist project earlier this year, now has a new Arizona project north of Nogales, Arizona. Kelly was hired by developers Art Martori, Jerry Dixon and Al Wareing to revive a 5,200...
St. Joe Company broke ground in September on Southwood, a 3,200- acre traditional neighborhood development (TND) project near Tallahassee, Florida.
A $115 million federal Hope VI project , the New East Capitol, is moving forward in Washington, DC. The project will consist of the demolition of 1,100 public housing units and construction of a mixed-income community of 555 units, a neighborhood...
St. Claire County, Illinois, is preparing plans for seven transit-oriented developments (TODs) adjacent to new Metrolink rail stops east of St. Louis. The TOD plans, by Woolpert, a design and engineering firm based in Cincinnati, include both infill...
The US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has awarded another $400 million in Hope VI housing grants (a total of $4 billion has been awarded since 1993).
Top-notch jury, competitive field for top honor in New Urbanism.
Following the success of the 2001 Charter Awards, nominations are open for the highest honor in New Urbanism. Unlike traditional architecture awards, Charter Awards are given to...
The Realtor Association of Greater Miami and the Beaches is pushing for reforms to make land assembly easier in Florida — an issue the trade group considers to be crucial to smart growth movement. The major obstacle to infill development is the lack...
In its heyday, Longview Farm in Lee’s Summit, Missouri, about 20 miles from downtown Kansas City, was one of the premier horse farms in the country. Seventeen of the original 40 buildings remain — all are listed on the National Register of Historic...
Education, outreach, interdepartmental coordination, and charrette-based community planning are among Rick Bernhardt’s chief tools for transforming Nashville’s planning department.
Ayear after new urbanist planner Rick Bernhardt took over the...