Recent Streetsblog NYC posts about Development

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Nashville Mayor Megan Barry Just Unveiled Her Blueprint to Fast-Track People-Friendly Streets

By Stephen Miller | | No Comments
Nashville is known as the home of the country music industry -- and a fast-growing region of car-centric sprawl. But local leaders realize they can't accommodate more growth with an outdated, cars-first approach, so Mayor Megan Barry released an action plan yesterday that lays out an ambitious agenda to improve conditions for walking, bicycling, and transit.

East Harlem Rezoning Plan Scraps Parking Minimums to Build More Housing

By David Meyer | | 5 Comments
The Department of City Planning is preparing a major rezoning of East Harlem, and it calls for scrapping parking requirements along most of the avenues in the neighborhood. Earlier this year, City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito released the “East Harlem Neighborhood Plan” [PDF], a set of recommendations developed by her office, Community Board 11, Borough President […]
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The Feds’ Tentative Steps to Legalize Mixed-Use Housing Don’t Go Far Enough

By Angie Schmitt | | No Comments
For a long time, apartment buildings with ground-floor retail were the building blocks of America’s cities and towns. Combining housing and commercial uses is also essential for walkability and affordability, enabling people to travel shorter distances for their daily routines and get around without driving. But in most of the country today, it’s practically impossible to build or […]
STREETSBLOG USA

White House: Make Cities Affordable By Building for Walkability, Not Parking

By Angie Schmitt | | No Comments
The Obama administration is taking on the crisis of rising rents in American cities, releasing a series of recommendations today to spur the construction of more affordable housing. Among the many ideas the White House endorses: allowing more multi-family housing near transit and getting rid of parking minimums. Since 1960, the share of renters paying more […]
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When Cities Force Developers to Widen Roads, Everyone Loses

By Angie Schmitt | | No Comments
It’s a common practice for cities to make developers widen a street when they put up a new building. The thinking is that development creates car trips that must be accommodated with more asphalt. But new research suggests these policies don’t help anyone. The main effect is to increase the cost of building, making housing less affordable. “As traffic management […]
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