Archives
Welcome to the archives of Better Cities & Towns, a publication founded by Robert Steuteville as New Urban News in 1996. This archive holds two decades of the best news and analysis on compact, mixed-use growth and development, from 1996 to 2015.
The Mansfield Downtown Partnership in November selected Storrs Center Alliance LLC as master developer for the planned commercial town center near the south end of the University of Connecticut campus in Storrs, Connecticut. The Storrs Center...
The Seaside Institute awarded the 2003 Seaside Prize in October to Giancarlo De Carlo and Donlyn Lyndon. The prize is awarded each year to the individuals or organizations making significant contributions to the quality and character of communities...
The City of Temple Terrace, near Tampa, Florida, is moving forward with its plans for a mixed-use new urban town center. The city is reportedly negotiating with Dover Kohl & Partners to put tegether a design charrette. With the recent purchase...
Professionals from many nations and disciplines gathered in Stockholm in early November to sign the Charter for European Urbanism. The signing officially forms the Council for European Urbanism (CEU). The event followed a spring council in Bruges...
In what may be a first, public officials in Lancaster, Texas, approved three new urban developments in one meeting in November. In October, officials approved a form-based code and street standards to govern development of the projects. Developers...
The Boston Area Chapter of the Next Generation of the New Urbanism — young professionals and students — plans to organize a workshop during the coming year on better development practices and to study the difficulties of building well-loved places...
The town center of Baldwin Park, the redevelopment of a naval training center in Orlando, Florida, is successfully leasing out retail space. Developers expect the project to be 90 percent leased by the time it opens — an exceptionally brisk pace,...
CNU welcomes David Hudson and Steve Filmanowicz to the CNU staff in Chicago. David will become executive vice president, concentrating on CNU’s strategic direction, development efforts and business operations. Previously, David was public relations...
Norton Commons, a 594-acre TND near Louisville, Kentucky, is breaking ground as a result of the developer securing $10 million in financing. The first phase will involve 130 lots, some of which will be live/work, plus a 20,000 square foot commercial...
Also in the Madison area, plans have been withdrawn for Horub’s Corner, a TND that was first proposed more than two years ago. Developer Peter Frautschi of Community by Design says the plan was too ambitious, and “it became apparent that the village...
Entitlements are still difficult for new urban projects in many locations around the US, and the key issue is density. The latest project to go down in defeat is River Trails, designed by Calthorpe Associates, which would have been the first major...
In October, Randal O’Toole, organizer of a national campaign against smart growth and New Urbanism, began circulating a study from England that claims that new urban design techniques make communities more vulnerable to crimes such as burglary and...