A July 27 New York Times article has stimulated debate about whether the trend toward “retro” sports stadiums has begun to wane and, if so, whether this will be good or bad for cities. “For more than a decade, what’s new in sport design has been what’s old — or at least old-fashioned,” Christopher Hawthorne, a contributing editor at Metropolis magazine, wrote in the Times.

Participants at CNU conference in Chicago disagree on the wisdom of certifying practitioners and on giving a stamp of approval to developments. For more than two years, there have been quiet discussions about whether some form of certification would make new urbanists more successful and would boost the number and influence of new urban projects.