Weekend links: A city oozing like batter

Stretch taller strategically

If Washington is to grow taller, it needs to happen in areas where views are non-essential. This is the advice of a fascinating thesis out of MIT, which also finds that DC has as much floor space as similarly-sized cities. (City Paper)

Or maybe keep it on the DL

Delegate Holmes-Norton isn’t quite so keen to change the Height Act, after all, both because she finds value in the current state of affairs and because nobody has lobbied her to change it. (DCist)

Put some places first

To lower rates of crime, obesity, and other ills, Prince George’s County will target risky neighborhoods with any extra resources county departments have, from code enforcement to policing. (WAMU)

Biking costs cities less and more

When bicycling displaces driving, it’s a win for the city—except when it comes to gas tax revenue. Infrastructure for bikes is far cheaper than that for cars, but can mean less money in the long-term. (Treehugger, BikePortland)

Vegas markets places, not neighborhoods

Like DC, Las Vegas has trouble bringing tourists out of its most famous district and into the rest of the city. To draw them out, Vegas casually markets restaurants and shops outside the strip alongside more traditional offerings—a largely successful approach. (Atlantic Cities)

Seattle’s food forest

Plans are underway for a food forest in Seattle, with nut and fruit trees alongside herbs and spices all in a park-like setting and free for the taking. It faces challenges, but the city is excited about the possibilities. (Atlantic Cities)

And…

VRE raises fares by 3%. (Post) … As it turns out, the half-mile circle around transit stations may not be the best measure of accessibility. (Half-Mile Circles) … Vallejo, CA, will turn to the public for its budget process. (Times-Herald)