CNU Salons
EMERGING: Local Government Initiative
Submitted by Caitlin Ghoshal on Fri, 06/15/2012 - 11:41amOn Thursday, May 10, a group of CNU 20 attendees gathered to discuss the topic, “Local Government and New Urbanism.” The group responded to Peter Katz's call for greater congruence between local government planning departments and the New Urbanism. Katz related his own past frustration as a New Urbanist inside local planning departments, which gave lip service to New Urbanism's physically-based approach, but for the most part, defaulted to more abstract, use-based policy recommendations.
Help Students for New Urbanism with Interview Series!
Submitted by Bryant Au on Thu, 06/14/2012 - 3:44pmJust a quick reminder that CNU is working on creating a Students for New Urbanism primer! We're creating a start up kit for university chapters that will include a video interview series that they can use to guide their meetings. Check out the original blog post here.
We'll be hosting a conference call Wednesday, June 27 at noon central time. If you'd like to get involved, email bau(at)mail.edu for details.
Thanks!
Saving Walkable, Bikeable Streets
Submitted by Ben Schulman on Thu, 06/14/2012 - 11:54amOur friends at Smart Growth America have launched a campaign to "Stop the House Assault on Walkable Neighborhoods."
In an email, SGA's Online Communications Director Alex Dodds writes:
"Planning in America: Perceptions and Priorities"
Submitted by Ben Schulman on Thu, 06/14/2012 - 11:25am
"Not only do Americans strongly believe community planning is critical to jump starting our nation's economy, but a majority want to be personally involved with community planning efforts, whether they live in a city, a suburb, a small town, or rural America," says APA Chief Executive Officer Paul Farmer, FAICP, in a press release issued today for the release of the report, "Planning in America: Perceptions and Priorities."
National Stakeholder Call on Nation Prevention Council Action Plan
Submitted by kapoppel on Tue, 06/12/2012 - 1:32pmJoin interested citizens across the nation on Wednesday, June 13th to learn more about The National Prevention Council Action Plan. The plan, compiled by the National Prevention, Health Promotion, and Public Health Council, aims to shift the national focus to prevention and wellness via pulic, private, and non-profit partners working together. National Prevention Council Representatives will be speaking on the call, including Dr. Regina M. Benjamin, U.S. Surgeon General.
The Conservative Case for Cities
Submitted by Ben Schulman on Tue, 06/12/2012 - 10:52amCiting conservative writer James Bacon's appearance at CNU 20, the Wall Street Journal asks readers to respond to the question, "Do you think there’s anything inherently conservative or liberal about living in cities or walkable neighborhoods?"
Comment direct on the WSJ site by clicking here.
Sheridan Expressway Removal Faces Obstacles
Submitted by Caitlin Ghoshal on Mon, 06/11/2012 - 1:47pmAs of May 2012, New York City has officially taken the Sheridan Expressway removal option off the table from its TIGER II funded study. The Sheridan-Hunts Point Land Use and Transportation Study, embraced by community stakeholders and residents, aimed to weigh the benefits of replacing the aging expressway with mixed-use development and parks or expressway reconstruction.
Highway Spotlight: Minhocão - São Paulo's "Big Worm"
Submitted by Bryant Au on Thu, 06/07/2012 - 2:55pmMinhocão (“The Big Worm”) is an elevated highway running through the heart of São Paulo, Brazil – the largest city in one of the fastest growing countries in the world. Officially Via Elevada Presidente Artur da Costa E Silva, after Brazil's second president, the Minhocão was built in 1971 as a solution to São Paulo's rapid population swell that brought the city from a population of about two million in 1950, to nearly eleven million today.
Impact Innovation: The Economic Spin on Cultural Tourism in Chicago
Submitted by kapoppel on Thu, 06/07/2012 - 1:14pmMitch Nichols, President of the Nichols Tourism Group, spoke to a packed room of Chicago tourism supporters on Tuesday.
The Nichols Group just completed a yearlong study on the cultural tourism of Chicago. Nichols presented four ‘key lessons’ of his study and highlighted numerous statistics to the audience. The first lesson reviewed the impact the Chicago Office of Tourism and Culture on visitors. COTC is proud of their service before and during visitors' stay.
Can 'New Urbanism' Bring Health to Your Neighborhood?
Submitted by Ben Schulman on Thu, 06/07/2012 - 11:26am"...it's about living amid convenient goods and services and the intangible spirit of a vibrant community. At the forefront of the movement is the Congress for New Urbanism, a nonprofit organization that promotes restoring cities and reworking suburbs into walkable and sustainable communities. But the desire for these places is largely driven by two burgeoning populations—Millenials and baby boomers."