Land Use
![](/images/made/images/posts/4544829228_17068cdb5a_b_480_320_90_c1.jpg)
Photo by jennifer yin licensed under Creative Commons
Greater Greater Washington writes about where we live, work, and play, why we make the location choices we do, and what forces shape these places.
Many people would like to live in safe, diverse, walkable neighborhoods with access to transit, stores, parks, good schools, and other amenities. While our region has more walkable urban places than most, the demand still exceeds available housing, making these places more expensive (and prices keep rising rapidly).
We must ensure that there are enough housing choices so everyone who wants to live in such a neighborhood can choose to do so. We should ensure that housing in desirable areas is available to people at many points along the income spectrum, and take action to fight segregation. And we can improve the vitality of all neighborhoods by encouraging new retail and amenities to improve the quality of life for all residents.
-
Film shows rural postal delivery in 1903
Here’s film that I came across in the Library of Congress’ archives. It was shot on August 8th, 1903 in rural Washington, DC. Keep reading…
-
Breakfast Links: Tall enough?
House talks height; Food trucks come to Takoma Junction; McMillan plan green enough?; Another development on 14th; Atlanta’s mass transit at risk; Houston goes green; And…. Keep reading…
-
What is a tech company? How do you build a tech sector?
How do you build a tech sector when there is no such thing as a tech company or tech sector anymore? That’s the challenge that DC faces as it seeks to support the recent rise of a tech sector in the District. There is unquestionably a cluster of related technology firms growing organically in the District. The challenge is to find ways to support them that are targeted… Keep reading…
-
Barbecue Battle fences cut the public off downtown
Most events on the National Mall or Pennsylvania Avenue have an open and inviting atmosphere, helping make DC a great place to live or visit. The annual Barbeque Battle, however, creates a fenced enclosure on Pennsylvania Avenue that makes downtown DC very difficult for pedestrians and cyclists to navigate. This year’s enclosure fenced off 5 blocks as well as side-streets,… Keep reading…
-
Southwest Ecodistrict would repair 1960s damage
One day, disjointed streets and lifeless blocks around L’Enfant Plaza could become a complete neighborhood with a connected street grid, park space, mixed-use buildings, a museum and more. That’s the vision of the Southwest Ecodistrict plan from the National Capital Planning Commission and a companion plan focusing on Maryland Avenue, SW by the DC Office of… Keep reading…
-
Breakfast links: Stops
Trains stop; Graham killed project; Cheaper Uber; Purple Line brings growth; Privately-developed maglev?; New pedestrian only avenue; And…. Keep reading…
-
Weekend links: Down, not out
Gray blasts critics; BRT decades away?; Height limit rising?; Thompson leaves his firm; New York goes further up; Council approves Walter Reed plan; Making a new Southwest; And…. Keep reading…
-
Amazing LEGO bridge
Artist Martin “Megx” Heuwold painted this bridge in Wuppertal, Germany to look like it’s made of LEGO bricks. It’s pretty realistic-looking (except LEGO bricks are not nearly that size!) Keep reading…
-
Breakfast links: Hot metal
Derecho caused chaos; It’s hot, slow down; More time for special elections; Reform outdated marriage laws; DC could have had small housing; No more going to the store?; Transpo bill looks even worse. Keep reading…
-
Inadequate transit, sprawl cut off workers from jobs
If there’s a problem connecting workers with workplaces, it stands to reason that there’s a problem connecting workplaces with workers. A new report from the Brookings Institution has teased out the subtleties of this side of the transit/jobs equation. Keep reading…