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PlaceMakers @placemakersllc.bsky.social · 22/04/2025

Classic Yankee independence meets regional teamwork—turns out even proud New England towns see value in sharing housing and infrastructure solutions. Who knew stubbornness had a soft spot? Read more bit.ly/42HrXlw. Better yet, join us at CNU33. #CNU33 #RegionalPlanning @cnunewurbanism.bsky.social

bit.ly

When Borders Blur: Regional collaboration in action

There are regions in this country where collaboration is a baked-in part of the culture. Where the towns share water systems, school buses, housing plans — and maybe even optimism. And then there a…

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PlaceMakers @placemakersllc.bsky.social · 19/02/2025

Northwest Arkansas is growing fast. A two-county regional plan is in the works, and a $25M DOT grant for Highway 112’s expansion—bike lanes included—aims to keep up. The real challenge isn’t growth. It’s making sure growth works for the people who live here now, not just those moving in.

bit.ly

NWA Council hires DPZ CoDesign to lead regional growth strategy efforts - Talk Business & Politics

The Northwest Arkansas Council has hired DPZ CoDesign, a Miami-based urban planning and design firm, to lead the effort to develop a regional growth strategy, the council announced Monday (Jan....

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PlaceMakers @placemakersllc.bsky.social · 08/02/2025

Donald Shoup changed the way we think about parking, cities, and, really, fairness. His work lives on in better places for people. We owe him.

nyc.streetsblog.org

Death of a Legend: Donald Shoup, Parking Reformer - Streetsblog New York City

The OG of understanding how "free parking" isn't free has died.

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Congress for the New Urbanism @cnunewurbanism.bsky.social · 06/02/2025

In walkable areas, streets are public spaces that serve multiple social and economic functions while contributing to the beauty and character of a community. As more communities seek better balance between cars and people, context-based street design is making inroads. www.cnu.org/publicsquare...

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PlaceMakers @placemakersllc.bsky.social · 03/02/2025

Providence’s downtown didn’t fix itself. Smart policies, real investment, and a commitment to what makes places work turned ideas into action. The result? A walkable, thriving city core that didn’t rely on silver bullets. #Urbanism #Placemaking #Providence #CNU33 Here’s how they did it:

bit.ly

From Plan to Place: Providence’s Downtown Renaissance

Back in 2006, when the Congress for the New Urbanism held its 14th annual gathering in Providence, RI, I was one of those wandering the city’s streets, marveling at its potential. The historic arch…

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PlaceMakers @placemakersllc.bsky.social · 01/02/2025

For every big city dropping parking mandates, two small towns have done the same. They’re proving you don’t need to be Austin or Minneapolis to rethink how land is used. Change isn’t just possible in small towns. It’s already happening. #parkingreform

sightline.org

Twice As Many Small Towns Have Eliminated Parking Mandates As Large Cities

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Patrick Siegman @siegman.biz · 16/01/2025

People who build suburban sprawl name it after the things that used to be there. People who build transit villages never do that. Apparently, "The Parking Lots" doesn't test well with focus groups.

An aerial photograph of downtown South Pasadena, California. At the center of the photo, a large parking lot at the corner of Mission and Meridian streets is visible.

A photograph of a light rail train passing in front of a cluster of red brick and stucco buildings, ranging in height from 2 to 3 stories, at the corner of Mission and Meridian in South Pasadena.

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Congress for the New Urbanism @cnunewurbanism.bsky.social · 16/01/2025

The walkability of a city or town is often determined by how much parking dominates the public realm. New urbanists promote design solutions to reduce the impact of parking on public spaces and ideas like "park once" and shared parking to create better urban places. www.cnu.org/publicsquare...

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PlaceMakers @placemakersllc.bsky.social · 15/01/2025

Derek Thompson’s The Anti-Social Century shows how growing isolation reshapes our world. Public spaces—sidewalks, parks, plazas—can bridge this gap. Cities thrive when they connect us. Thompson’s essay is a call to rethink how we design cities to bring us back together.

theatlantic.com

The Anti-Social Century

Americans are now spending more time alone than ever. It’s changing our personalities, our politics, and even our relationship to reality.

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Congress for the New Urbanism @cnunewurbanism.bsky.social · 13/01/2025

Cities are grappling with housing shortages and the challenge of revitalizing underutilized spaces. Vacant malls, abandoned factories, and shuttered schools don’t have to remain relics of the past. Through adaptive reuse, we can transform them into much-needed housing and thriving economic hubs.

cnu.org

Old walls, new homes

Adaptive reuse as a solution for housing

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Gil Penalosa @penalosag.bsky.social · 12/01/2025

#LibrariesReinvented. If there were NO public libraries, would cities build such amazing places today? Can do at the library... Get Married Cook Borrow a Guitar Watch flicks Meet Authors Children's act. Find a job Go Digital Read Philadelphia's libraries bit.ly/3DSyykn

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PlaceMakers @placemakersllc.bsky.social · 13/01/2025

"Ugly buildings make people lonely and miserable.” Ouch. As architects and urbanists, we take that personally. Design isn’t just about looks; it’s about creating spaces where people feel they belong. Let’s talk about how thoughtful design can fight loneliness. #Placemaking #UrbanDesign @CNU

thetimes.com

Ugly buildings ‘make people lonely and miserable’

Report urges architects and planners to focus on community spirit, beauty and green spaces to help residents make meaningful connections

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PlaceMakers @placemakersllc.bsky.social · 13/01/2025

Loneliness isn’t just sad; it’s a design failure. Parks, plazas, and cafes can fight isolation. How ? By designing for connection, not just convenience, one park bench at a time: bit.ly/4gRqtev What’s the best third place you’ve been to? And no, your couch doesn’t count. #Loneliness #PublicHealth

bit.ly

Lost and Found: Fighting loneliness with parks and third places

I was struck by a recent essay in Time about the growing epidemic of loneliness in America. It drew a clear correlation between isolation and the decline of real-life social connections, particular…

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PlaceMakers @placemakersllc.bsky.social · 12/01/2025

Green spaces aren’t just for show—they’re vital. Cleaner air, cooler streets, and better mental health all come from integrating nature into our cities. Freetown’s tree-planting and U.S. carbon credit initiatives are practical steps toward healthier communities. Learn more:

reuters.com

Reaping the benefits of nature: A mountain to climb for cities

More than half of humanity lives in cities, and the importance of nature has risen rapidly up the urban agenda in recent years, alongside awareness that green spaces can provide clean air, flood protection, cooling and mental health benefits.

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Travis R. Eby @travis-robert.bsky.social · 11/01/2025

I refuse to shut up about this: NYC started charging $9 to bring a car into our most transit-rich zone, the haters & trolls predicted doom, but traffic evaporated instantly and here’s Times Square tonite (even after the holiday tourists have left). For a better future, build transit & price driving!

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