• South Main gets the recognition it deserves

    The unique Colorado mountain community has had its difficulties, including an attack from an online magazine, but the latest recognition highlights how much the designers and developers have gotten right.
    The Urban Guild announced its 2022 design awards , including one for Excellence to the Surf Hotel in South Main, Bueva Vista, Colorado, designed by Craft Design Studio. I first reported on South Main in Buena Vista, Colorado, 18 years ago—when a young brother and sister duo set out to build a...Read more

  • Citywide parking reform enables reuse of vacant buildings

    While some cities opt for a targeted approach to parking reform, Fayetteville, Arkansas, finds that a citywide policy change is transforming buildings that were long-vacant.
    On the edge of downtown Fayetteville, Arkansas, a building that had stood vacant for nearly 40 years now houses a local restaurant with a rooftop patio. Down the road, a formerly abandoned gas station is back in use as retail space. The reuse of these once-forgotten properties was made possible...Read more

  • Building a community on wheels, one party at a time

    DC Bike Party helps build a community through its monthly celebration of the bicycle and by being a positive ambassador for cycling.
    With biking there is safety in numbers by making other road users aware of bikers and their right to the road. There is also safety in bikers feeling confident and comfortable with a city’s bike infrastructure. And what better way to increase visibility and inspire confidence than by throwing a...Read more

  • From slogan to substance, planning the 15-minute city

    Too often, the “15-minute city” is just a slogan. A better understanding of the 15-minute city, with its walking and bicycling sheds, is critical to achieving the benefits of placing human access at the heart of community planning.
    Chances are you have heard of the 15-minute city—which has become a common marketing slogan in urban planning and development in the last two years. The 15-minute city is important because it places human-powered access to goods and services at the heart of community planning. Hence, the 15-minute...Read more