• The toughest transformation

    Crosstown Concourse reused a massive blight in the midst of disinvested Memphis neighborhoods.
    For two decades, the 1.3-million-square-foot former Sears distribution center sat empty in the midst of disinvested Memphis neighborhoods—a symbol of urban blight. The building was too big to redevelop and too expensive to demolish, many thought. Now Crosstown Concourse represents the best kind of...Read more

  • New urban revival in flyover country

    Two journalists travel America in a Cirrus plane, reporting on public-private partnerships, "walkable manufacturing," and what makes second-tier cities succeed.
    Successful small-to-mid-sized cities cities have revitalized downtowns, brewpubs, and big plans, according to James and Deborah Fallows, authors of Our Towns: A 100,000-mile Journey into the Heart of America. . They add a tongue-in-cheek rule: “The mark of a successful city is having a river walk,...Read more

  • Walkable and drivable development

    These two revealing photos show "walkable urban" and "drivable suburban" development near downtown Cincinnati, from a recent report called Catalytic Development: (Re)creating walkable urban places . Amazingly, these photos are taken from a similar distance above the ground. The photo on the left...Read more

  • Learning from the past, planning for the future

    Research presented at CNU focused on transportation and architecture, with an eye toward inequality, social justice, and climate resilience.
    During any CNU Congress, its impossible to hear all the information provided or meet all the people who attend. Over several months, Public Square is highlighting people and ideas that CNU 26.Savannah attendees may have missed. The three hundred years of history were evident everywhere you looked...Read more