• New urban design in the post-pandemic era

    Cities and towns are facing a new reality, according to one of the founders of CNU. This calls for new designs that violate some of the long-held design doctrines of New Urbanism—but have the same social intention.
    The pandemic jeopardizes many of the core concepts of New Urbanism, according to architect and urbanist Andres Duany. People are now suspicious of density, transit, face-to-face retail, social “third places,” open communities, and in-person community engagement, says Duany, who spoke in CNU’s...Read more

  • Dallas trail system; infrastructure for health

    Dallas is implementing a trail system that could make a big difference in the quality of life and health in this major city. The Loop Trail is a 50-mile trail system that is nearly half built, and the rest is funded or planned, creating a loop around Dallas. The system was first conceived in 2014,...Read more

  • Actions for rebuilding health and opportunity

    A Pandemic Toolkit describes 22 actions that local governments can take to safely jumpstart their economies.
    In the last seven months, many of us have turned our attention to cataloguing and collecting planning practices of how cities, towns, and suburbs are responding to COVID-19 in an attempt to rebuild health and opportunity. Thanks to those of you who contributed to the PlaceMakers Pandemic Response...Read more

  • Is HOD the next TOD?

    Hospital-oriented development, with parallels to transit-oriented development, should be the next big thing.
    Compact, mixed-use, walkable communities have been revolutionizing the land use and real estate development paradigm in the Unites States over the past 30-years. Transit-oriented development, innovation districts, university town centers, main street retail, “healthy communities,” and revitalized...Read more