Progress Through Undevelopment

Today Streetsblog Network member blog Hub and Spokes picks up on an interesting story from the LA Times about how falling real estate values could mean an opportunity to develop more public spaces:

46320039.jpgAn abandoned apartment complex in Tampa, Florida, might become a park instead of luxury condos. Photo by Martha Rial/St. Petersburg Times.

With all the foreclosure and false starts on major housing development projects a new trend is developing: un-development. Land
that had been acquired for future development is now being targeted as land that can be returned to its original use or some type of green space.… I know we are in discussion in St. Paul exactly about this idea. A 3-acre site that was going to be developed into housing might now instead be turned into a community green space.

Anyone out there have other local examples?

Other news from around the network: California High Speed Rail Blog asks what the state should do next to get HSR rolling; the National Journal wonders what effect cap-and-trade legislation would have on transportation; and CTA Tattler passes along an amusing story of how a sweaty bus ride might convince Illinois legislators that transit needs a source of capital funding.

Want to feature a widget with headlines and action alerts from the Streetsblog Network on your own blog? Or maybe just a cool badge that lets the world know you support livable streets? Click here to check out what we’ve got for you.

ALSO ON STREETSBLOG

Bringing Farms to the Heartland — of Suburbia

By Sarah Goodyear |
Today on the Streetsblog Network, St. Louis Urban Workshop looks at the concept of "agriburbia" — a way to bring some meaningful food production to suburban sprawl: In St. Louis, some farming goes on right next to the airport. [It’s] basically the integration of agri-business and suburban development. The idea is introduced in three ways: […]

Friday Job Market

By Streetsblog |
Looking to hire a smart, qualified person for a position in transportation planning, engineering, IT, or advocacy? Post a listing on the Streetsblog Jobs Board and reach our national audience of dedicated readers. Looking for a job? Here are the current listings: Business Development Director, Via Transportation, NYC Via is on-demand transit on a mass scale. The Business […]
STREETSBLOG USA

In the Twin Cities, Population Still Clustered Where the Streetcar Went

By Angie Schmitt |
It’s been six decades since the Twin Cities’ streetcar era. But as demonstrated by the above map, making the rounds on Twitter, population density in Minneapolis and St. Paul still reflects the region’s historic streetcar routes. Bill Lindeke at Streets.mn considers the implications: It’s worth remembering that historic 1950 densities in Minneapolis and Saint Paul were […]