Posts about Planning
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Why is Pennsylvania Avenue’s Freedom Plaza such a failure?
One of Freedom Plaza's designers, architect Denise Scott Brown, described the original design as “a lovely success” but said “I see the execution as a failure.” Keep reading…
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DC preservation officials: You don’t want a historic district? Too bad.
At their confirmation hearing last month, four Historic Preservation Review Board Commissioners confirmed that community opposition to a historic nomination does not play a role in their decision, and that they only evaluate applications based on whether or not a nominated building or district is historic. That stands in stark contrast to other city agencies that are mandated to incorporate community feedback. Keep reading…
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After 20 years of debate, it’s time to replace this Takoma Junction parking lot
People move to Takoma Park for its unique sense of place, which in turn contributes to the city’s rapidly increasing housing costs and displacement. Unfortunately, some local activists have seized on Takoma Junction — a modest development project on a city-owned parking lot — as a gentrification “proxy war.” Keep reading…
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The Green Line in northern Prince George’s is a huge missed opportunity
Northern Prince George’s County is lined with walkable downtowns. Imagine if the Green Line served them, instead of park-and-rides. Keep reading…
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Anti-development groups are asking DC to downzone swaths of the city on Monday
A proposed new zone is 20% less dense than the one it's replacing, and though it is being proposed for this particular circumstance, it would be available citywide. What is more, these groups are pushing to immediately implement the less-dense zone in many locations. Keep reading…
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New Google Earth images show the latest changes in the Washington region
This week, Google Earth added new aerial images of the Washington region from April 30 of this year. These images provide an updated view of some of the region’s latest infrastructure projects. Keep reading…
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No vacancy: some Northern Virginia communities are deciding they’re full
Northern Virginia held local elections this week, and population growth was foremost on the mind of many of those running. Some candidates even pondered whether or not there should be a population limit in various parts in the region. Keep reading…
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Urbanist from a young age? Join the club.
This question posted by Twitter user Mu got thousands of responses, including from urbanists: “What's the most On Brand™️ story you have from your early childhood?” Keep reading…
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What DC can learn from Minneapolis’s plan to allow fourplexes amid detached homes
Minneapolis may legalize construction of house-sized small apartment buildings — fourplexes — in its single-family detached neighborhoods. Their plan could become a nationwide model for solving the urban housing shortage. Keep reading…
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The National Zoo says visitors aren’t riding Metro so it needs more parking
This week, the National Zoo will be presenting plans to add more than 1,000 parking spaces and security checkpoints while closing some pedestrian entrances. Last week we published an article about the security measures, and this post from last year has more detail about the parking garage issue. Keep reading…