• A former industrial site pumps life into the city

    One of Buffalo's brightest spots of resurgence, Larkin Square combines adaptive reuse, restoration, and new buildings and public spaces that complement the old.
    Over the past decade and a half, the Larkin District in Buffalo, New York, has evolved from an abandoned industrial site to a thriving, mixed-use urban district that is spurring revitalization for blocks in every direction. Anchored by the headquarters of the First Niagara Bank, more than 2,000...Read more

  • Postwar neighborhoods are revitalization opportunities

    The nation has a large supply of mid-century neighborhoods that are ripe for changes that will make them more walkable and appealing to new generations of residents.
    World War II has long been considered the watershed for automobile-oriented development. Suburbs were built prior to the war, but largely were mixed-use, walkable towns and neighborhoods of the “streetcar suburb” variety. After 1945, development shifted radically — to automobile-oriented housing...Read more

  • Transforming a commercial strip corridor

    A CNU "Legacy Project" explores how to initiate suburban retrofit in the diverse Seattle suburb of Tukwila.
    How can a complete community be built around a late 20th Century commercial strip corridor? That's a key question in fragmented American suburbs coast to coast. Tukwila, Washington, aims to transform a mile-long stretch of Tukwila International Boulevard (TIB)—a vision explored in a three-day "...Read more

  • Great idea: Tactical urbanism

    The latest trend in urban design and planning gets them off of the paper and out of a big room, testing ideas in the real world. It is fun and hands-on, and making many converts.
    In celebration of the upcoming CNU 25.Seattle , Public Square is running the series 25 Great Ideas of the New Urbanism. These ideas have been shaped by new urbanists and continue to influence cities, towns, and suburbs. The series is meant to inspire and challenge those working toward complete...Read more