Jennifer Hurley Bringing Broad Community Engagement Expertise to PlaceMakers PlaceMakers is delighted to announce that, effective June 15, widely respected community engagement innovator Jennifer Hurley will make official our long-standing history of collaboration, becoming…

Jennifer Hurley is joining PlaceMakers. And not quietly.

She’s long been a leader in public engagement, and we’re excited to deepen and expand what that means—together.

The full story:

When Borders Blur: Regional collaboration in action There are regions in this country where collaboration is a baked-in part of the culture. Where the towns share water systems, school buses, housing plans — and maybe even optimism. And then there a…

Classic Yankee independence meets regional teamwork—turns out even proud New England towns see value in sharing housing and infrastructure solutions. Who knew stubbornness had a soft spot? Read more bit.ly/42HrXlw. Better yet, join us at CNU33. #CNU33 #RegionalPlanning @cnunewurbanism.bsky.social

NWA Council hires DPZ CoDesign to lead regional growth strategy efforts - Talk Business & Politics The Northwest Arkansas Council has hired DPZ CoDesign, a Miami-based urban planning and design firm, to lead the effort to develop a regional growth strategy, the council announced Monday (Jan....

Northwest Arkansas is growing fast. A two-county regional plan is in the works, and a $25M DOT grant for Highway 112’s expansion—bike lanes included—aims to keep up. The real challenge isn’t growth. It’s making sure growth works for the people who live here now, not just those moving in.

Traditional retail is hanging by a thread in the US. What now for city leaders and planners? Okay, I’ve seen enough vacant storefronts and closed stores. Is it time for city leaders and planners to adjust our expectations and planning precepts about traditional retail? What’s happening to …

Retail’s not dead. It just needs a better address. Instead of big boxes and endless parking, the future is in walkable, mixed-use neighborhoods where people live, work, and, yes, still shop. More in our latest post: bit.ly/3CQ5LNj

Death of a Legend: Donald Shoup, Parking Reformer - Streetsblog New York City The OG of understanding how "free parking" isn't free has died.

Donald Shoup changed the way we think about parking, cities, and, really, fairness. His work lives on in better places for people. We owe him.

In walkable areas, streets are public spaces that serve multiple social and economic functions while contributing to the beauty and character of a community. As more communities seek better balance between cars and people, context-based street design is making inroads. www.cnu.org/publicsquare...

From Plan to Place: Providence’s Downtown Renaissance Back in 2006, when the Congress for the New Urbanism held its 14th annual gathering in Providence, RI, I was one of those wandering the city’s streets, marveling at its potential. The historic arch…

Providence’s downtown didn’t fix itself. Smart policies, real investment, and a commitment to what makes places work turned ideas into action. The result? A walkable, thriving city core that didn’t rely on silver bullets. #Urbanism #Placemaking #Providence #CNU33 Here’s how they did it:

Twice As Many Small Towns Have Eliminated Parking Mandates As Large Cities Twice As Many Small Towns Have Eliminated Parking Mandates As Large Cities

For every big city dropping parking mandates, two small towns have done the same. They’re proving you don’t need to be Austin or Minneapolis to rethink how land is used.

Change isn’t just possible in small towns. It’s already happening. #parkingreform

This. Beauty elevates everyone and its possible to achieve it affordably, with care.

People who build suburban sprawl name it after the things that used to be there. People who build transit villages never do that. Apparently, "The Parking Lots" doesn't test well with focus groups.

The walkability of a city or town is often determined by how much parking dominates the public realm. New urbanists promote design solutions to reduce the impact of parking on public spaces and ideas like "park once" and shared parking to create better urban places.
www.cnu.org/publicsquare...

Los Angeles Needs to Fireproof Communities, Not Just Houses After the devastation of the Los Angeles fires, officials are ready to rebuild. But defending against future fires requires thinking about more than buildings.

“Sprawl meets smolder.” Los Angeles is addressing WUI fire risks with smarter, denser, fireproof neighborhoods. Less sprawl, more walkability. A necessary shift for resilience in fire-prone regions.

#UrbanResilience #FireproofCommunities

The Anti-Social Century Americans are now spending more time alone than ever. It’s changing our personalities, our politics, and even our relationship to reality.

Derek Thompson’s The Anti-Social Century shows how growing isolation reshapes our world. Public spaces—sidewalks, parks, plazas—can bridge this gap. Cities thrive when they connect us.

Thompson’s essay is a call to rethink how we design cities to bring us back together.

Why Do We Keep Widening Highways If It Doesn’t Reduce Traffic? Decades of research shows that expanding highways, despite its promise to reduce congestion, actually increases travel times.

Decades of research shows that expanding highways increases travel times. Some cities are reducing their highways in response.

Old walls, new homes Adaptive reuse as a solution for housing

Cities are grappling with housing shortages and the challenge of revitalizing underutilized spaces. Vacant malls, abandoned factories, and shuttered schools don’t have to remain relics of the past. Through adaptive reuse, we can transform them into much-needed housing and thriving economic hubs.

#LibrariesReinvented.
If there were NO public libraries, would cities build such amazing places today?

Can do at the library...
Get Married
Cook
Borrow a Guitar
Watch flicks
Meet Authors
Children's act.
Find a job
Go Digital
Read
Philadelphia's libraries
bit.ly/3DSyykn

Ugly buildings ‘make people lonely and miserable’ Report urges architects and planners to focus on community spirit, beauty and green spaces to help residents make meaningful connections

"Ugly buildings make people lonely and miserable.” Ouch. As architects and urbanists, we take that personally. Design isn’t just about looks; it’s about creating spaces where people feel they belong. Let’s talk about how thoughtful design can fight loneliness.

#Placemaking #UrbanDesign @CNU

Lost and Found: Fighting loneliness with parks and third places I was struck by a recent essay in Time about the growing epidemic of loneliness in America. It drew a clear correlation between isolation and the decline of real-life social connections, particular…

Loneliness isn’t just sad; it’s a design failure. Parks, plazas, and cafes can fight isolation.

How ? By designing for connection, not just convenience, one park bench at a time: bit.ly/4gRqtev

What’s the best third place you’ve been to? And no, your couch doesn’t count. #Loneliness #PublicHealth

Thanks for following! Always enjoy your feed @stevemouzon.bsky.social

Reaping the benefits of nature: A mountain to climb for cities More than half of humanity lives in cities, and the importance of nature has risen rapidly up the urban agenda in recent years, alongside awareness that green spaces can provide clean air, flood protection, cooling and mental health benefits.

Green spaces aren’t just for show—they’re vital. Cleaner air, cooler streets, and better mental health all come from integrating nature into our cities.

Freetown’s tree-planting and U.S. carbon credit initiatives are practical steps toward healthier communities.

Learn more:

I refuse to shut up about this: NYC started charging $9 to bring a car into our most transit-rich zone, the haters & trolls predicted doom, but traffic evaporated instantly and here’s Times Square tonite (even after the holiday tourists have left). For a better future, build transit & price driving!