Design New Haven

Improving the Broadway and Whalley intersection in Downtown New Haven

noreply@blogger.com (Moderator) — Wed, 09 Jul 2014 14:21:00 +0000

Original post submitted by anonymous architect, July 9, 2014

The city blocks that surround the "spaghetti" intersection of Whalley, Howe, Goffe, Broadway, and Dixwell in Downtown New Haven have long been economically dormant, as multiple intersections and traffic islands tend to cause pedestrians to steer clear of the area.

Once a wealthy enclave of New Haven, the general area is now dominated by a gas station, UPS store, Popeye's drive through, a huge surface parking lot, and various abandoned or underutilized lots, even though a number of the lots in recent years have been purchased by Yale University, which sits directly adjacent to the site (panorama below).

With news of a major new hotel proposed for the corner of Elm & Howe Street, a 132-unit luxury housing complex under construction just south of that on Howe, various investments in the area by Yale University, and numerous proposals for new multi-family housing in the works, the potential value of this convergence of streets is beginning to change.

Fully capitalizing on the investments and new residents brought to this area will require a change to its underlying street infrastructure. Eliminating the "spaghetti intersection," and freeing up space for new land development could potentially add millions of dollars per year to the city's coffers, and/or hundreds of units of affordable housing.

The following drawings to show how Broadway could be reconfigured to capitalize on the new development. Future two-way streets are shown as a triple line, and one-way streets are shown as a double line.

Some potential variations: the new connection shown between Tower Parkway and Howe, both of which are proposed to eventually become two-way downtown streets, might function better (and be much narrower) as a one-way street, in which case traffic currently flowing north on Broadway would have to pass Lake Place before turning left to access Whalley Avenue. An additional alternative would involve converting the western half of Broadway into a two-way boulevard extending from York/Elm to Whalley, and then narrowing or even eliminating traffic on the other half of it (in front of the Yale Bookstore) so as to provide more pedestrian space and room for infill development; in this latter scenario, Dixwell could be brought across near the end of Tower Parkway to create an intersection with Howe. Proposals should also consider the integration of a future LRT, streetcar, or BRT system, as the need for higher-quality regional public transit will continue to grow dramatically over the next 20-30 years.

The very high level of vehicular traffic brought through this area, combined with nearby nodes of intense pedestrian activity along Broadway, mean that the potential for new development is very high as long as the public realm can be expanded, and traffic can be calmed and rationalized, through the removal of the existing "spaghetti" infrastructure.

Current conditions at the site look like this (courtesy Bing Maps). Note the "spaghetti intersection" at center.

Can New Haven's Renewal of Farnam Courts Help Reconnect Neighborhoods?

noreply@blogger.com (Moderator) — Thu, 18 Oct 2012 15:16:00 +0000

Update 10/18/12. Related to the below, here's what the site looked like in 1934 versus today, courtesy of UConn's new 1934-Present neighborhood change feature.

Original Post, 8/23/12. This week, the Housing Authority of New Haven (HANH) voted to hire Trinity Financial to redevelop Farnam Courts, a 240-unit public housing complex for families located about three-quarters of a mile to the east of Downtown New Haven. Trinity is a large urban development firm with many projects in Massachusetts, and recently completed the redevelopment of Quinnipiac Terrace, a large public housing project converted into mixed-income housing in the Fair Haven section of New Haven.

As usual, the New Haven Independent has detailed coverage of the project, and a proposed plan for redevelopment (image at left). Construction may begin soon.

Although design is still underway, the immediate reaction to HANH's site plan has been highly critical among many architects. But rather than site planning or architecture, the problem in this case may be in the site itself, which is adjacent to Interstate 91 and the main Northeast Corridor rail line.

As Gretchen Pritchard writes in the Independent comments, "There’s not much of any way to make that site attractive ever since the stupid highway projects in the 60s chopped it all up and turned the streets into dead ends."

To HANH's credit, the authority is planning to construct replacement units in other neighborhoods, rather than all concentrated at the current site. Although this plan should raise major red flags about social equity (e.g., the quality of schools and the broader neighborhood environment to which students moving to these areas will be exposed to), the new locations are probably superior to the existing site, which is a very high concentration of lower-income families that is somewhat isolated from the surrounding city fabric.

In order to permanently address this issue of social isolation, and ensure good quality neighborhoods and housing for all residents, we must turn to the topic of how I-91 and its adjacent rail corridor divide the city of New Haven.

Previously, a contributor to our site posted a sketch showing how the State of Connecticut's sale of a major parcel - a CT Transit facility - located adjacent to I-91 and the Northeast Corridor rail system may be a mistake, given the addition of high speed commuter rail service to this corridor in the near future (on August 15th, 2012, a major milestone was achieved allowing the NHHS project to move forward). The transfer of this site from public ownership represents a major loss to the public. Many years ago, the site had served as the key transfer station and area to repair the City's extensive fixed rail transportation system, which covered the entirety of New Haven plus many surrounding towns. In addition to addressing the issue of the facility site itself, this previous post on the loss of the CT Transit facility contains images and links to of boulevardization projects around the world. In many cases, highways are being reclaimed as local streets, similar to the West Side Highway in Manhattan (a wide boulevard lined with a popular biking and walking path along the Hudson River) or several boulevards in San Francisco that were urban highways at one point.

The image below is a sketch showing the City's current plan for "New Farnam Courts," and a comparison to what the area could look like if the highway was reclaimed to an urban scale and city neighborhoods were reconnected:

Such a project could create billions of dollars in economic, social and health benefits to New Haven. A train stop at the corner of the Boulevard and "New Avenue" (or near State Street and Humphrey) could dramatically increase the potential of surrounding land, from the site all the way over to the nearby Mill River Development Area, giving New Haven a straightforward path forward to retain good local jobs and boost tax revenue.

A wonderful new Citiwire column by Neil Pierce, describing a recent event at the Rockefeller Foundation, perhaps explains the above concept best. Excerpt below:

Imagine cities built for billions of people without a single freeway. No “flyovers.” No elevated roads or canyon-like depressed super-roads.

First, numbers. The task of creating livable environments for the newcomers [to cities] will be made even tougher by freeways that consume big chunks of cityscape, cut through and often isolate poor neighborhoods, and pollute prodigiously. Sold as congestion relief, urban freeways encourage more auto use and end up triggering some of the most massive traffic snarls known to humanity.

Second, and sadly, limited-access superroads, with extraordinarily high construction costs, soak up public revenue that could go into schools, housing, libraries and public health to improve the lives of millions of families scraping by at subsistence levels.

Cars – and significantly high numbers of them – can be accommodated on regular city streets. Broad boulevards around the world do this. Paris’ famed Champs Elysees, for example, isn’t thought of first as a roadway, but in fact has eight lanes of traffic.

Calthorpe, for example, suggests that freeway-free cities could be planned with a broad network of car-less avenues, each offering generous space for walking, biking and exclusive bus lanes, an environment perfect for apartments and shops. Each such avenue would be separated a few hundred yards in each direction from parallel one-way streets that accommodate cars and trucks.

Or as U.N.-Habitat Director Joan Clos said in closed-circuit remarks to the Bellagio conference, steps should be taken to prevent inefficient development along corridors, to create and protect public spaces, to put legal limits on what’s buildable and to create a logical street layout that may stay in place for 200 or 300 years. Without such controls, Peñalosa warns, land gets bought and developed in sprawl-like fashion and “the richest people – car owners, banks, big construction firms – get together to put freeways through a city.

This column makes it clearer than ever that we know what works in cities, and also what decisions have failed over the past 50 years.

Instead of creating what one commenter calls (with mild exaggeration) a "Pruitt Igoe for New Haven," it's time to tie the redevelopment of Farnam Courts to a larger vision that can reconnect our city and make it a healthier and more inclusive place to live. In the long-term, the retention of an elevated highway in this section of the city is impossible to justify economically. In dollar value, the most expensive service that New Haven currently provides is the land that it allows to be used for, and destroyed by, high speed through traffic. That traffic can easily be accommodated on an appropriately designed urban boulevard.

Update 11/26/12: The project did not receive a Choice Neighborhood grant - the New Haven Independent looks at next steps here, suggesting that demolition will move forward anyways.

91 Church Street Saved: 1.25 Acre Downtown Site Listed for $6 Million

noreply@blogger.com (Moderator) — Sun, 23 Sep 2012 19:00:00 +0000

Original Post, 4/14/08: The New Haven Register reports today on plans to resurrect the fire-damaged building at 91 Church Street.

The photos at left were taken December 17th, a few days after the fire ravaged the interior of the block (click on them for a close-up). For more information on potential ideas for how to rebuild that section, also see this New Haven Independent article on George Knight's presentation to Wine Dine Design.

Knight: Blaze New Street Through Ashes
"The plan for 91 Church St., only a portion of which escaped the wrecking ball following the Dec. 12 blaze, is in its formative stages, but owner Paul Denz has indicated he is committed to renovating what’s left."

"He has some rough architectural drawings to overhaul the space for two retail businesses, one at street level and the other in the basement, and about four apartments on the upper floors."

"Scott Healy, executive director of the New Haven Downtown [Town Green] Special Services District, which promotes the area’s image and business community, said that section of Church Street, with retail on both sides, is key to the city’s vitality."

Aside from its effect on retail continuity, retaining this building is important because it is a key part of the street wall along Church Street, which creates a sense of security and enclosure - an urban "living room." The Church Street corridor is a major gateway into Downtown New Haven.

The property, which prior to the fire contained a retail operation on the first floor and a beautiful abandoned ballroom on the second floor, is threatened not just because of the cost of renovation, but also because it would be a potentially convenient place to create an access lane for deliveries into the center of the block, which will most likely be rebuilt in the near future.

Update 3/10/09: The site owner is apparently preparing to rebuild the structure on Church Street, and convert part of the remainder of the site into a "temporary" parking lot. According to an article in the New Haven Register on February 16, a floor will be added to the top of the existing building at 91 Church:

Denz said architectural drawings are complete and ready for review by city departments. While permits for that phase of the project, which will cost about $1 million, have not been pulled yet, Denz does have a building permit to complete an initial phase — closing in the rear of the 91 Church St. building, the rear of which was ripped down during demolition. That work was expected to cost $175,000. Denz said that work should start in the next month or two.

As the presenters and attendees of last spring's Wine Dine Design presentation (linked to above) suggested, there would many concerns about converting the remainder of the land into a temporary parking lot. Any new curb cuts required for the interim lot could have a significant negative impact on a dense pedestrian district. Gap-toothed parking lots, which are already far too prevalent within Downtown New Haven, also tend to reduce land values, reduce 24-hour activity, have a negative impact on retail, increase area traffic speeds, and impact safety. Given current economic realities, the new lot may not get developed for a long period of time, even though it sits across from the 360 State Street development. According to the City's development czar, Kelly Murphy:

“The interim parking I hope is interim. In the short term, I understand. I hope in the long term, in the medium term, that it’s not going to be a parking lot forever. It’s not the best use for a downtown site, especially on a block so close to a major development project."

Update 6/17/2011: According to reporting in the New Haven Independent, the City and developer have settled legal issues related to the 91 Church Street structure. Preservation of the historic exterior, and interior development of apartments and commercial space will now begin.

The parking lot will remain as surface parking for the foreseeable future, opening possibilities that it can be partially converted into a new street (the yellow-shaded area in the aerial photo above shows where). Returning to the smaller blocks that were once prevalent in the area would dramatically raise real estate values and promote walkability.

Update 9/23/2012: The 1.25 acre property - including 91 Church Street, and the parcels discussed above - is now listed for sale at Loopnet, a real estate website. Text on the website reads:

"This development site presents the ideal configuration for mixed-use development of street level retail, with potential for office or residential above, and onsite parking. The existing portfolio consists of a multilevel parking garage, a retail store fronting onto Chapel Street, a surface parking lot spanning the block from Center Street to Chapel Street, and second level space. This property currently generates approximately $293,000 in gross income annually with approximately $110,000 in annual carrying costs, yielding an annual Net Operating Income of $183,000. Bound by three of downtown New Haven's main thoroughfares, Church Street, Chapel Street and Orange Street, the subject property is one of the most heavily traveled blocks in New Haven by both vehicles and pedestrians."

Update 9/27/12: According to Alexandra Saunders of the New Haven Register, the site is on the market for $6 million, and now includes the corner building at 808 Chapel Street:

"Marathas said the interest in developing the property has quadrupled because of new downtown projects like Gateway, and an increasing number of people are interested in the plot. He added that recently, they bought the building on the corner of Chapel and Orange streets — 808 Chapel — for $300,000 and that is now part of the plot that they are looking to develop. The building at 91 Church St., which has been designated as historic, may or may not be taken out of the mix when it comes to a sale or partnering with a developer, said Marathas. In terms of the overall development, he said that they have been talking to architects, developers and the city to figure out what is the most appropriate use for the property. We’ve had offers for (residential buildings) from 130 to 160 units on the site, and we are debating what we can fit there,” he said. One plan that has been discussed is building a four- or five-story housing development above one- or two-story underground parking with nearby pedestrian walkways."

State Plans Sale of CT Transit Building That May Represent Key To The Reconnection of Fair Haven and East Rock

noreply@blogger.com (Moderator) — Wed, 01 Aug 2012 16:46:00 +0000

The State of Connecticut is planning to sell the CT Transit garage at 470 James Street, a large brownfield site adjacent to Interstate 91 between Fair Haven and East Rock, to a private owner in the near future. Two reports this week in the New Haven Independent have highlighted some of the developers interested in the property.

Many residents have noted that the CT Transit property could be a key point of connection between the East Rock, Jocelyn Square, and Fair Haven neighborhoods. These three areas were originally developed as one integrated neighborhood, but were completely divided by railroad lines and then by Interstate 91 in the 1950s. Many residents in Fair Haven now complain about being unable to walk to amenities and schools in nearby East Rock, and vice versa. Some residents have begun to take steps to address this psychological divide.

A New Station

The CT Transit property could also be a perfect location for a small regional train station, geared towards commuters in the East Rock and Fair Haven neighborhoods who wish to access job centers in New York City, Fairfield County, Hartford, and Springfield. The site is adjacent to a rail line that will become a high-speed commuter rail between New Haven, Hartford, and Springfield in a few years.

Despite our State's many transportation assets, studies by the Connecticut Department of Labor still indicate that 68% of Jobs First Employment Services participants cite transportation as the most significant barrier to employment - indicating that among low income residents it is a bigger problem even than child care, lack of a high school diploma, and work history.

A new station might be similar to the small commuter station that serves Downtown New Haven, located to the north of our city's primary Union Station terminal. Even more than the State Street Station, a Fair Haven/East Rock station would also would make the surrounding properties, many of which are underutilized, far more valuable to the city's tax and employment base.

Addressing Interstate 91

In addition, New Haven is currently involved in international movement to turn elevated highways back into at-grade boulevards that better serve their surrounding communities. Boulevardizing some or all of Interstate 91, given that it passes through a dense urban area, is something that should be strongly considered for the long term. Traffic on the highway might actually be reduced if it were a boulevard, because there would be better connections to major streets such as State Street.

In addition to being more attractive as a locus for new building development, in the long-run, an at-grade roadway would be far more financially sustainable to maintain than the current system of elevated bridges with a few clogged and unattractive off-ramps. Job growth, reduced pollution, and financial sustainability are the main reasons why so many cities are participating in this movement.

Opportunity Mapping

The diagram below (click to enlarge) is a very quick sketch, showing the current conditions between Fair Haven and East Rock. The yellow areas are areas that are currently identified by the City of New Haven's Mill River Planning Initiative as building sites. Interstate 91 is shown in red. As you can see, the potentially-beautiful Mill River is currently completely cut off from surrounding neighborhoods and is currently seen as more of a liability than an asset to our city. Commuters to New Haven, Hartford, and Fairfield County have to take costly trips to Union Station in order to access train service.

Below is a very quick sketch of a plan that could reconnect surface streets between Fair Haven and East Rock, boulevardize Interstate 91, make development parcels in the Mill River area far more valuable, and turn the CT Transit garage property into a small train station that serves commuters in both neighborhoods. The white and yellow areas are building sites. Most importantly, the Mill River is opened up as an accessible park resource for all city residents. The area could also serve as a home for storing and repairing New Haven's proposed system of streetcars (in the most recent plan, a storage facility was proposed for the Hill area).

Moving Forward

These issues bring up the question of how public property - particularly valuable public property next to future high speed rail lines - is managed by our State. Is it being managed for the benefit of our residents' long term interests, or is it simply seen as an asset on a balance sheet?

The State DECD and City of New Haven should at least recognize, and better communicate to residents, about the fact that in some cases, long-term growth in economic development and the need to create a more walkable city should take preference to the need to rehabilitate properties in the short term.

Please comment below with your thoughts on this site, and recommendations for next steps. Or, just share this article with your local elected officials if you agree with any of its observations.

Additional Images of Boulevardization Projects

For more discussion and images of boulevardization projects, please see this post at the Tri-State Transportation Campaign.

Below is an image of a proposed highway-to-boulevard conversion in Syracuse, New York, and an image of Seoul, South Korea (a city as large as New York City) before and after the conversion of a major elevated highway into a boulevard with a park and river running down the middle.

Top 25 Most Influential Transportation Sources on Twitter

noreply@blogger.com (Moderator) — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 16:08:00 +0000

Thanks to Urban Land Institute for this post: http://urbanland.uli.org/Articles/2012/Jan/KruegerTwitterTrans

Stand in Support of Safe Streets: Board Committee Calls for Safer Streets at Route 34

noreply@blogger.com (Moderator) — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 20:37:00 +0000

Original Post, 10/12/11: Below are two urgent action items from David Streever regarding tomorrow's meeting of the City of New Haven Board of Aldermen. We apologize for any cross-postings. Link to the resolution under consideration: http://blog.tstc.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/route34resolution.pdf

1. Stand in support of safe streets!
5 pm, in front of city hall, this Thursday, October 13th. The Community Development Committee will meet tomorrow night at 5:30pm in City Hall (165 Church Street) to deliberate on the resolution asking the city to design the new Route 34 project to knit the city together and improve pedestrian and cyclist safety.

There will be NO testimony at the meeting. We would like to show up just to show support for the resolution. The meeting will be short, and we will simply be standing in the background (with signs) to show the committee how many citizens care about this. Please come to City Hall AT FIVE PM! on Thursday.

2. A 30 second phone call can shape history!
As soon as possible, please call the following alderpersons on the Community Development Committee to highlight how important it is to make the project more pedestrian and bicycle friendly: Marcus Paca: 203-507-7892, Greg Morehead: 203-507-7766, Arlene DePino: 203-467-9306

This project has the potential to completely reshape our city--for good or for ill--for the next 60 years. Not sure what to say? The crucial thing is to share your experiences with dangerous traffic, and how scary it can be to get from point A to B especially around Route 34. Remind them that the plan as stands calls for WIDENING the highway.

In spite of the advocacy of thousands of residents since 2006, this project may not be built in a way that is consistent with the city and state's award-winning 2008 and 2009 "complete streets" laws. For example, some pedestrian crossing distances may be significantly widened in areas that are already perceived by many local residents and workers as "death zones," and bicycle infrastructure may be limited or nonexistent in areas. According to the City, many if not most of the "Stage 2 bike/pedestrian" improvements are planned to be left to a future phase of work that is currently unfunded and may not happen.

Tell them that you agree with the spirit of the resolution, which makes no demands, but merely urges the city to design the road in a way that will increase safety. If you have extra time please also contact other local elected officials, work colleagues, or leaders within your community.

Background

Thursday's Board of Aldermen agenda: http://legsvcs.cityofnewhaven.com/meetings/2011/10/1553_A_Community_Development_Committee_11-10-13_Agenda.pdf

Some coverage of the resolution:
+ http://blog.tstc.org/2011/09/06/new-haveners-worry-route-34-removal-will-be-less-than-transformative/
+http://www.newhavenindependent.org/index.php/archives/entry/contentious_meeting/

--

Update 10/20/11: The resolution mentioned above passed the Board of Aldermen's Community Development Committee by a vote of 4-3, and now goes to the full board. Congratulations to the sponsors and everyone who lobbied for this! Whether or not the resolution in its current form passes the Board, a significant victory has been achieved and our coalitions have brought increased local and national attention to the project.

Press Coverage:
+ Atlantic Cities, October 20, 2011: In New Haven, Debating the Best Road Forward http://www.theatlanticcities.com/commute/2011/10/new-haven-debating-the-best-road-forward/328/
+ New Haven Register, October 14, 2011: New Haven aldermanic committee OKs Route 34 redevelopment resolution http://www.nhregister.com/articles/2011/10/14/news/new_haven/doc4e97a8ee5e411510221999.txt
+ New Haven Independent, October 14, 2011: Panel Urges Downtown Crossing Re-do http://www.newhavenindependent.org/index.php/archives/entry/split_panel_urges_downtown_crossing_re-do/
+ Yale Daily News, October 14, 2011: Pro-bike resolution passes http://www.yaledailynews.com/news/2011/oct/14/pro-bike-resolution-passes/
+ Congress for the New Urbanism, November 4, 2011: News from New Haven on the Oak Street Connector (Route 34) http://www.cnu.org/cnu-salons/2011/11/news-new-haven-oak-street-connector-route-34

Update 8/1/2012: The resolution mentioned above passed the full Board in fall 2011, by a unanimous 30-0 vote. However, as of January 2012, a new Board of Aldermen has been elected and the city continues to move forward with the plan. Some, but not all, of the suggested improvements to the plan have been made. See coverage in the New Haven Independent for the latest on the Route 34 project.

Message about tomorrow's New Haven Park(ing) Day

noreply@blogger.com (Moderator) — Thu, 15 Sep 2011 18:32:00 +0000

A message from Holly Parker regarding International Park[ing] Day:

Just in case you haven’t had enough socializing with sustainable transpo-fanatics by the end of tomorrow's bike breakfast (7:30AM to 9:30AM at Pitkin Plaza in downtown New Haven), extend your morning’s sojourn from productive work and visit some Parking Day installations!

Yale Transportation Options will have a space on Church Street in front of City Hall (living room in a parking space), and Architecture for Humanity will have a couple of spaces on Broadway near York where they will feature gardening and games, as well as advertising their design competition for a piece of park furniture with such functions as a picnic table, a trash/recycling receptacle, and a hopefully a bike rack.

We will be setting up between 9am and 10am and will be there until 4pm with coffee, juice, games, and a pleasant place to sit and think world-saving thoughts.

New Haven has in recent years had one of the highest numbers of parking day installations per capita in the world. The image above is from a 2009 park(ing) day in New Haven, which we featured in an article. The New Haven Independent highlighted New Haven's Park(ing) Day festivities in a 2008 story.

ParkFEST Design Competition Open

noreply@blogger.com (Moderator) — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 17:09:00 +0000

The goal of this competition, sponsored by Architecture for Humanity, is to design new prototypes for urban park furniture including a picnic table, trashcan, and bicycle rack that are either separate elements or a single hybrid design element. These prototypes are intended to be installed along the waterfront of Long Wharf Park in the City of New Haven, CT for use by persons patronizing the food trucks that frequent that park. The designs are considered a test for the city and if ultimately successful, could be built and used throughout the city park system. Designs shall be sustainable, affordable, durable, and easy to construct. See http://openarchitecturenetwork.org/projects/parkfest for details. Submissions are due October 8, 2011.

Update 12/5/2011: Winners have been announced and can be downloaded at http://openarchitecturenetwork.org/projects/parkfest.

First Prize: Sean Evelich & Josh Sikora, U. of Bridgeport, CT

Second Prize: Chung Raeha, U. of Bridgeport, CT

Commendation: Ted Esselstyn, Higganum, CT

Envisioning Downtown Crossing: A Community Conversation and Workshop, July 30-31

noreply@blogger.com (Moderator) — Thu, 28 Jul 2011 16:59:00 +0000

Mark your calendars!

Envisioning Downtown Crossing: A Community Conversation and Workshop
July 30 -31, 9AM - 5PM, at the Bourse, 839 Chapel Street

Who's invited?

Anyone who works in New Haven.
Anyone who lives in New Haven.
Anyone who works for New Haven.
Anyone who loves New Haven.

What will be discussed?

Neighborhoods, Downtown, Green space, Urban Design, Transportation & Traffic, Safe Streets, Bicycling, Air Quality, Housing, & Economic Development and Opportunity

The Downtown Crossing project presents profound opportunities to reshape the city and revitalize its economy. Its potential impact makes it the largest and most important project in the City in a generation. The opportunity to use $60 million in public funds to repair the damage done to the core of the city by an idealistic but misguided highway to nowhere has generated intense public interest and many proposals for its design. The project has also generated an vibrant community discussion about the direction of the current plan,* with many groups and individuals expressing strong interest in holding a community-based workshop to explore solutions to some of the issues that have been raised.

Here is your chance!

The New Haven Urban Design League, working with neighborhood groups, and members of the Yale Traffic Safety Group, the Downtown Wooster Square Management Team, the Environmental Justice Network, Elm City Cycling, the Congress for the New Urbanism, and others, is planning to hold a two-day discuss/design/sketch workshop on Downtown Crossing, which will be open to the public. The goal is to give a visual form to many of the ideas that have arisen during the City's public meetings to present their Downtown Crossing plans, and also to additional ideas that emerge from participants during the two-day workshop. We will also help the public visualize the effect of different ideas for Downtown Crossing on future downtown development, the surrounding neighborhoods, the planned development of Route 34 West, and connectivity to Union Station.

A nationally acclaimed team of urban planners, architects and transportation engineers -many of them living in, or near New Haven - are volunteering their time to work with all the Downtown Crossing stakeholders to explore ideas and create specific plans to strengthen the project's design, safety, environmental, and economic performance.

Your participation is essential.

By creating plans and ideas through an open, professionally-facilitated, consensus-driven process, the Workshop will produce insightful, serious and feasible concepts for the project, and increase the likelihood of a popular and successful project being built.

--

Louis Mangini, of Representative Rosa DeLauro's office, has kindly offered to give opening remarks at the workshop. We have had good discussions with him about ways to improve not only the plan, but also the planning process through design charrettes. This workshop will help us refresh our thinking on the city's future development, broaden our understanding of its possibilities, create new strategic partnerships, and enrich our civic structure.

Contact person:

Anstress Farwell, President
New Haven Urban Design League
129 Church Street Suite 419
New Haven, CT 06510

$20 Nonstop New Haven <--> Boston (and UCONN!) Bus Fares Now Available: Thanks SeeClickFix!

noreply@blogger.com (Moderator) — Fri, 15 Jul 2011 18:31:00 +0000

Original Post 10/1/09: Transport Azumah has released its preliminary schedule for the new direct bus service here, and it looks like tickets have already gone on sale. The service begins on Friday, November 20th, with a round-trip, 1-2 bus/day Friday through Sunday schedule that we think is likely to be expanded to meet demand. Tickets are generally $20 including all booking fees, but some may be found for as low as $1. The buses connect the Yale Campus and Downtown New Haven to Downtown Boston and vice versa.

For additional background on how the community rallied to bring new bus service to the city, see this post at Cap'n Transit and this post at the SeeClickFix Blog. The latter discusses how to effectively and immediately lobby for transportation improvements through social networking, community organizing, media and legislative strategies. If you can think of other things that can be "fixed," discuss here or simply head over to SeeClickFix and post them.

Click here for the original issue report on SCF, which was reported by Ben Berkowitz and promoted by TGWNN, Downtown-Wooster Square Community Management Team, Downtown Aldermanic candidate Mike Jones and Dixwell Alderman Greg Morehead, and others. Over 250 people voted to "fix" the issue. The Board of Aldermen passed unanimous legislation as a direct result and, according to officials within the Economic Development Office, the city then lobbied bus operators for a new service.

Unlike Amtrak and many other commercial bus services, these buses will allow bicycles to be taken aboard -- a key consideration for many New Haveners. According to Cap'n Transit:

Azumah writes, "We will be able to take unboxed bicycles as long as they are tagged with the owner's name and contact phone." That is a huge improvement over the current options for travel in this area.

They are also more affordable and faster than any of the current competitors. Click here for DNH's earlier thread on the "Bolt Bus Rally" which discusses the issue in more depth.

Update 10/5/09: Service will also connect from New Haven to Philadelphia. (Note: This service no longer seems to exist).

Update 12/22/09: Transport Azumah service seems to have been canceled, for no apparent reason.

Update 10/4/2010: According to Transport Azumah's post on SeeClickFix, service to Boston has been instituted again, on a trial basis. The bus runs on a Friday through Sunday schedule:

"Service began on the New Haven CT - Boston MA route on Friday, September 24, 2010. TransportAzumah carried 13 passengers this weekend on the service. The website to book seats is http://www.NewHavenToBostonBus.com. The vehicles used will be a bus or van, depending on the number of bookings. There are currently two stops available: New Haven-State Street Station and Elm Street just south of College Street at the bus shelters. The pickup in Boston is across the street from 290 Congress Street. The fare is $25 each way. More service will be added if the initial scheduled trip performs well."

Update 2/7/2011: According to a post on TransportAzumah's Facebook page, New Haven to Boston service resumed in February after a brief lull. A stop has been added at the University of Connecticut, at I-84 Exit 68. From there, UCONN students can easily get to Boston or New Haven. The latest schedule may be found on the NewHaventoBostonBus website.

Update 3/24/2011: According to a post on Facebook, New Haven to Boston service is "Suspended until September 2011."

Update 7/15/2011: This story continues to develop! Megabus recently announced a New Haven to Boston route, with many daily departures, beginning August 17th this year. See coverage in the New Haven Register and Hartford Courant. There's a promotional rate with free or low cost ($1) tickets to help kick off the new service. (8/17/11): The New Haven Independent covers the inaugural trip in an article, here: http://www.newhavenindependent.org/index.php/archives/entry/bus_service_begins/

Petition to Protect the Ninth Square; Building Rehabilitations Approved

noreply@blogger.com (Moderator) — Thu, 14 Jul 2011 18:43:00 +0000

Original Post 7/19/08: The online version of the petition may be viewed by clicking here. See here for a background post about the buildings, including multiple photographs. A rally at the site was held on Friday, July 18th, at which approximately 50 paper signatures were collected.

Update 7/22/08: An article in today's New Haven Register claims that the current building owner, David Nyberg, has no plans to demolish the buildings, even though the structural engineer who analyzed them recommended tearing down a large rear section:

An engineer who analyzed the condition of historic industrial buildings on Crown Street six months ago recommended a rear portion be demolished, but the owner Monday said he has no intention of taking that action.... Nyberg owns the two structures and a third adjacent building on the Crown Street block that extends from State Street to Orange Street and has site plan approval to build 110-apartments in the three 19th and early-20th century buildings, plus one new building.

“I think there is a better way,” Nyberg said Monday.... “No question about it, we are not taking anything down.” Nyberg Monday said the building facades will be restored to their original condition, and he was more confident than ever that work can restart by Sept. 1.

Update 8/28/08: The petition has been delivered to City Hall with over 600 signatures (online and print).

Update 11/7/08: Two months have gone by and work has not yet started on the buildings. These historic treasures continue to sit vacant and exposed to the elements.

Update 12/8/08: According to the New Haven Register, renovation work on these critically important historic buildings will begin this week.

Update 5/2/09: Business New Haven reports that work on the buildings is continuing, under new ownership:

In late January PMC Property Group began about six months of structural reconstruction work on two historic buildings at 26-28 and 30-36 Crown. New floors, new beams, new columns and new stairways are being installed.PMC owns the buildings, has a permit for interior demolition at 40 Crown Street, and is working on final plans for the properties, according to city building official Andy Rizzo."David Nyberg is no longer associated with this project," Rizzo adds.

Update 12/16/10: The New Haven Independent reports that the city has approved the rehabilitation of these buildings into 65 new apartments. A large amount of work on the exterior and interior has already been completed over the past year. Excerpt:

The Crown Street buildings, which have stood vacant for years, are listed on the Connecticut Historical Commission’s Historic Resources Inventory, which describes one of them as “an important part of what remains of this late 19th-c. block of lower Crown St.” The earliest known tenants, according to the commission, include the Kahn, Wertheimer, and Smith Clothing Store and Tuttle Color Printing, both of which were in the building as of at least 1913.

Part of the building will return to commercial space as part of the revitalization, which is planned by PMC Property Management, a nationwide company based in Philadelphia. Doug Hitchner (at left in photo below), representing PMC, appeared before the BZA on Tuesday with local attorney Marjorie Shansky (at right). Local developer David Nyberg used to be associated with the team and the building, too.

That end of Crown Street has been reborn as a “new urbanist” jewel in recent years. Its landmarks, housed in preserved and retrofitted bulidings, include cafe nine, the Firehouse jazz club and studio and bar, Skappo Italian Wine Bar, Gray Organschi Architecture, and right across Orange Street, Artspace.

Update 7/14/11: The rehabilitated building has opened and is now leasing. The organizers of the initial petition drive to save the building held a rally yesterday to celebrate their success. See the New Haven Independent's story here for coverage and photographs of the rehabilitated interiors and exteriors.

A Critique and Alternate Proposal for Route 34

noreply@blogger.com (Jonathan Hopkins) — Mon, 23 May 2011 21:26:00 +0000

By Jonathan Hopkins, Contributing Writer

This special report reviews the history and origins of Route 34, an urban renewal-era highway project that divides the City of New Haven. We look at current proposals for its redevelopment and offer an alternative.

Click on the image above to enlarge it and view the alternate concept, which is described in detail below.

Cornerstone of Civic Improvement: History of Route 34

In the early 1900s in New Haven, George Dudley Seymour and other civic leaders commissioned a study on the problems and possible solutions for New Haven, at the time a rapidly-growing industrial powerhouse and largest city in Connecticut. Following the national City Beautiful Movement, a leading architect and landscape architect were selected to complete the report. In 1910, Frederick Law Olmsted and Cass Gilbert released the Report of the New Haven Civic Improvement Commission. The report was well received in the urban design community, but was mostly ignored under the Republican leadership in City Hall, though some provisions were eventually implemented.

The Report predicted increases in population and accompany traffic, which were fairly accurate considering the population growth that occurred in Greater New Haven over the next 50 years and the demand on city streets that resulted from that growth. The Report also contained nearly 100 suggestions for improvements, upgrades and projects for the city to pursue.

Among Olmsted and Gilbert's suggestions was a detailed plan for a boulevard and plazas connecting the Green to the Train Station through the Oak Street neighborhood - a plan that, in some ways, may be considered an early predecessor of the Route 34 project. The project would involve acquiring private land and demolishing properties for the creation of a wide public right-of-way that would be lined with high-value new properties. Other suggestions included expanded rail facilities, expanded trolley service and property line setback enforcement to allow for the widening of thoroughfares to meet future demand.

Without the implementation of these suggestions, rapid industrial growth continued and many of the problems outlined in the 1910 Report got worse, such as back alley tenements, traffic, and development of valuable open spaces. By the 1920s, traffic moving between Boston and New York was highly congested in the center of the city where old streets had great difficulty circulating large numbers of cars.

In 1937, a traffic study was released that showed traffic demand on various streets, most notably along Water Street and Tomlinson Bridge. Road building projects such as the Parkway system under the New Deal opened up rural land for large lot development of upper class housing, which further raised demand on city streets. With a clear pattern of automobile suburbs popping up, by the 40s it became obvious that the city streets - as they existed - would not work for a new living arrangement. Plans emerged for highways around the periphery of the city to supplement the parkway network, but with the election of Richard Lee into the Mayor's Office and the passing of the National Highway Act in 1956, those plans changed.

Following the Highway Act, work began on building two Interstate highways through the city to ease travel between Hartford, Boston and New York as well as induce suburban shoppers to come downtown. At the same time, another State funded highway was planned to connect the Naugatuck Valley to downtown New Haven - a highway that became known as Route 34. A housing study completed by HANH provided the excuse necessary to condemn vast swaths of homes and businesses for demolition and replacement. A large area of land was cleared for the highway, but only the eastern half, from I-95/I-91 up to York Street/Air Rights Garage, was actually built.

By the 1970s, funding for the Oak Street Connector had run dry after the neighborhood was demolished and the entire length of highway was never completed. In the 1980s North Frontage Road was extended to the Boulevard, which was simultaneously going under ConnDOT "improvement" projects that dramatically widened the road.

The construction of the Pfizer and Lot E buildings in the 2000s ensured that the highway could never be continued beyond the Air Rights Garage. By this point, and to this day, the City of New Haven has been looking into developing the western part of Route 34 with biomedical facilities and housing.

City Proposal for Route 34 East: "Downtown Crossing"

Rebuilding the eastern half of Route 34 has presented more challenges than the western half, not the least being the presence of an existing, "trenched" (below grade) highway segment that will have to be removed, covered or rebuilt. Following several failed attempts to "cover" the eastern half of the highway from Air Rights Garage to I-95 with buildings such as mega-shopping malls, City Hall has moved to create a more realistic development strategy for that area as well. The segment has been renamed "Downtown Crossing" in respect to its nature as a key crossing point between the Downtown core, the medical and hospital complex, and train station.

In 2007, the Future of Route 34 Corridor Study was released, which analyzed traffic and possible road configurations and development parcels for the area. The Study provided several alternative design possibilities for at-grade streets that could carry the highway traffic and also open up space for development lots (Future of Route 34, pgs.48-58).

The option that called for the widening of North and South Frontage Roads and the elimination of the suppressed highway (Future, pgs.66-68) was expanded on by the city and presented to the public through a series of meetings and presentations. The plan has remained quite similar over the years - from the 2008 New Haven Future Framework (pgs.13-21) document to the most recent public presentation on February 15, 2011.

While the city has not officially submitted a final design concept, the fact that the plan has changed so little since 2007 leads one to believe that the city prefers a certain plan. A more recent traffic study with future demand projections was recently completed and will be used by the city to determine the number of lanes required under typical traffic planning standards for their preferred design concept. An upcoming meeting in June 2011 will reveal the results of this new traffic study and the potential impact it will have to the previous designs that the city has presented to the public.

The plans thus far (left) have called for the replacement of the suppressed highway with underground parking access roads, widened North and South Frontage Roads, on-street bike lanes, convertible parking lanes, and large development blocks for medical-related facilities, office, retail and residential buildings, and perhaps facilities for the new Gateway Campus. Sections of the roadway may be as wide as 5 travel lanes going one-way and there will be no curb bump outs because there is no dedicated on street parking.

On-street bike lanes are unlikely to work on the proposed road system because it is generally very unpleasant for even experienced cyclists to travel with cars when there is more than one lane moving in the same direction. Therefore, it is difficult to imagine that less experienced or agile riders like children and the elderly will be able to use the street.

Another issue will be how entries and exits for the underground garages will be resolved. Gaps in the urban fabric can decrease pedestrian use and lead to low desirability for commercial retail thereby yielding lower revenue for the city. However, negative impacts of a continuous and active street facade can be mitigated by narrowing the entry and exit points.

The lack of dedicated on-street parking also brings high speed vehicles closer to pedestrians, which increases the sense of risk posed to pedestrians on the sidewalk. On-street parking also is conducive to spontaneous, opportunistic shopping while providing that necessary pedestrian and outdoor seating buffer. These problems can be addressed with changes like narrower travel lanes, wider sidewalks, cycle tracks, bus-only lanes, and design details that help orient people and create a sense of place.

If transit, biking and walking become more viable transportation options in the city, there is also a chance that travel lanes can be turned into dedicated parking spots with curb bump outs or sidewalks can be widened because there is a lot of flexibility with wide streets for later adaptation. Other public suggestions for "Downtown Crossing" have included continuing the highway under a decked-over development area, which would allow for narrower surface streets, but would also create undesirable conditions - worse than the garage exits and entrances - where the highway ramps surfaced.

Additional plans for narrower streets with parking and bike infrastructure have also been presented, but it is unclear whether or not a 2 or 3 lane street could carry the 3,000 vehicles per hour (Future, p.41) that travel on each of the North and South Frontage Roads at peak times. A vision like that could eventually be reality, but it seems that the traffic demand is too high currently; especially without adequate alternative transportation infrastructure in place to allow for the street grid to successfully absorb the spill-over traffic.

Fundamentally, short blocks in the downtown make sense and fit in with the circulation pattern that exists North of George Street. However, the largest problem with the City's current proposal is not in the Eastern section of the plan, but what occurs to the West of the Air Rights Garage.

Current City Plans for Route 34 West

South Frontage Road turns into Legion Avenue on the western section of Route 34, while South Frontage rips through the West River and Dwight neighborhoods by bisecting streets, and creating a dangerous speedway that is difficult to cross in order to access the open green space. The city's preferred MDP plan (at left, click to enlarge) for Route 34 west calls for two, one-way streets each with 2-3 travel lanes and turning lanes. Pedestrians will be expected to walk next to high-speed cars. This plan has been rejected by the public, and put on development hold for the time being.

An alternative plan, designed by Yale Urban Design Workshop (YUDW) has emerged from the community that calls for the creation of a two-way roadway for Legion Avenue so that the divided West River neighborhood can be sewn back together with itself and the Hill.

The plan, west of Orchard Street, is quite fitting for the neighborhood as it provides through traffic's needs without sacrificing a pleasant space for the residents. However, east of Orchard, the roadways must maneuver to create a two-way street by bisecting a long block. This is done because the plan assumes that North Frontage Road will continue past Howe Street.

Putting Civic Improvement First: A Proposal for a Stronger Urban Place

The multi-billion dollar investments for I-95 in New Haven raise serious questions as to whether or not the city and State can afford to continue a car-dependent pattern of suburban growth. It likely is not possible to continue widening roadways, especially in the downtown where property is very expensive. A new living arrangement must begin to emerge in order to allow the city's infrastructure to meet the diverse demands of the public. The era of demolishing large swaths of neighborhoods to be replaced with car infrastructure is over and our planning standards should begin to reflect this.

With that in mind, there is another option, which builds upon the idea of a two-way Legion Avenue that continues beyond Orchard Street to the east all the way to the highway bridge over State Street. Under this proposal, the Hill, West River and Dwight neighborhoods would once again be connected with ample new development lots lining Legion Avenue and many side streets. Near the existing Air Rights Garage, South Frontage Road (Oak Street) would also be widened to accommodate two-way travel and dedicated on-street parking with curb bump outs. A cycle track running parallel to these streets could be created on the sidewalks.

East of Howe, access lanes for parking, biking and local traffic would be created in order to allow a multiway boulevard. The advantages of a boulevard are that it separates local traffic from through traffic, while also not sacrificing the quality of the pedestrian realm or the functionality of the central roadway. A right of way of at least 70 feet is required for a 7 lane two-way street with a central median/turning lane. An additional 16 feet would allow for on-street parking, or 25 feet would allow for access lanes of a multiway boulevard.

Air Rights garage would need to be demolished in order to make this section of the proposed Avenue or Boulevard possible. The displaced parking spaces can be relocated largely underground throughout Route 34 west (a feature that the City has already included within its plan, in part due to the need to preserve an access route for trucks to reach the Hospital's loading docks without using surface streets). They can also be provided on-street, and in new developments that incorporate garage parking into mixed-use projects.

Temporarily, the proposed two-way road could split before Air Rights Garage and reconnect passed it until funding is secured for the demolition (see Route 34 Corridor Study p. 54 and the preferred neighborhood plan for Route 34 West by Yale Urban Design Workshop).

The structure for the underground parking garages can also extend beyond the building line to help support the sidewalk and roadway so that less dirt infill is required to make up for the larger right of way of South Frontage Road. In this scenario, it would also make sense for the the facade of buildings above the ground level to project over the sidewalk creating an arcade because trees would not be able to grow in the limited space provided if the underground parking extends under the sidewalk.

Legion Avenue would become a 5 lane two-way street with a central median/turning lane and on-street parking with the cycle track continuing to the Ella Grasso Boulevard. The Boulevard would benefit from a redesign that incorporates a central median, cycle track, narrower travel lanes and the removal of highway-grade geometries and metal guard rails.

North Frontage Road west of Howe can be removed and east of Howe, it can be turned into a narrow alley way for underground parking access and truck drop-offs. It is important that transit also be incorporated in to any plan that is accepted because of the enormous space-saving, traffic relief, health and storage benefits that result from transit use. Eventually travel lanes can be turned into bus-only or trolley lanes.

This new proposal also calls for the creation of usable public spaces in the form of a park and a square enclosed by mixed-use buildings and houses. It will also be important to incorporate civic buildings into the area for residents as well as public buildings for community meetings. The entry into the neighborhood from the west should be greeted with a large public or civic building - church, school, etc - surrounded by green space. This would bridge the naturalistic boulevard with the more urban neighborhoods.

Legion Avenue should be lined by residences as well as corner stores, and other shop fronts especially closer towards downtown. There should also be a job center in the neighborhood for existing residents as well as employment for future residents. The area east of Air Rights garage should be developed with courtyard buildings that incorporate offices, retail and various residential units in order to provide families with private open space while maintaining a downtown scale of street frontages.

In the 2007 Route 34 Corridor Study, a multiway boulevard was proposed (pgs.55-57) but it had an enormous scale that was unnecessary and the design of it was quite ineffective. A much smaller multiway boulevard or avenue would work well in this area of the city to move through traffic while not creating a hostile pedestrian environment.

Conclusion: Learning from San Francisco's Boulevardization Project

In the city's public presentations, an image of Octavio Boulevard in San Francisco has been used to show design inspiration. Octavio Boulevard is a multiway boulevard designed by Allan Jacobs to replace a torn-down elevated freeway. It has human-scale proportions and moves through traffic efficiently.

In The Boulevard Book, the author explains how the Jacobs design firm butted heads with the planning department of San Francisco who were weary of access lanes, narrow travel lanes, parking and the idea of not having a freeway (Boulevard Book, pgs.238-243). The public supported an at-grade design, which was able to incorporate new development lots left over from the unneeded width of the previous freeway right-of-way. Even against the opposition of conventional planning wisdom, the design for a modest, but authentic boulevard (images of which planners in New Haven have used in public presentations as examples of good design) was created with the support of an involved public and informed design team.

__________________________________________________
Bibliography

Cecil Group, Inc. Route 34 West Municipal Development Plan: Draft Plan Concept (March 5, 2008)

Clough Harbour & Associates LLP. Future of Route 34 Corridor Study (October, 2007)

Connecticut's Aerial Surveys. Connecticut State Library website

Dana, Arnold Guyot. New Haven's Problems: Whither the City? All Cities? (N.p. New Haven, 1937)
as sourced from...
Rae, Douglas. City: Urbanism and Its End (Yale University Press-New Haven, 2003)

Economic Development City of New Haven. Route 34 East New Haven Downtown Crossing Public Meeting (November 16, 2010)

Gilbert, Cass and Olmsted, Frederick Law. Report of the New Haven Civic Improvement Commission (New Haven, December, 1910)

Jacobs, Allan; MacDonald, Elizabeth; and Rofe, Yodan. The Boulevard Book: History, Evolution, Design of Mulitway Boulevards (MIT-Cambridge, 2002)

Langdon, Philip. 'Cycle tracks' in cities could save bicyclists lives New Urban News (May 4, 2011)

Lusk, Anne. Risk of injury for bicycling on cycle tracks versus in the street (February 9, 2011)

New Haven City Plan. Future Framework (September 25, 2008)

New Haven City Plan. Plans and Projects City of New Haven website

Redevelopment Agency City of New Haven. Dwight Renewal and Redevelopment Plan (August, 1966)

Route 34 East New Haven Downtown Crossing website

Final Plans Released for Yale's New $600 Million Residential Colleges

noreply@blogger.com (Moderator) — Sun, 22 May 2011 16:39:00 +0000

A PDF with RAMSA's detailed drawings and images is now available from Yale's New Residential Colleges website. Click here to download the file (please contact us if the link is broken).

An excerpted view of Prospect Street, the campus's main artery, is shown here. Yale's plans for this street appear to include some significant traffic calming measures. As New Haven Safe Streets has detailed to some extent, major concerns have been raised about the appropriateness of surrounding streets and sidewalks to handle even more pedestrian and bicycle traffic. The new Yale business school campus, under construction two blocks away, will also add traffic. A specific example of a street concern located directly in front of the new colleges is the issue, "Icy, poorly engineered Trumbull Street Bridge / Prospect Intersection will lead to numerous injuries and deaths." The types of improvements shown in RAMSA's drawings for Prospect Street, combined with improved access to the Farmington Canal Greenway (which runs from Northampton, Massachusetts, southbound all the way to this site and then creates a below-grade trench that crosses much of downtown New Haven and eventually leads to the waterfront) are a good first step at improving the livability and walkability of this area.

In addition to physical street improvements, future construction on the blocks surrounding the new residential colleges will hopefully provide additional mixed-use buildings that encourage pedestrian traffic at all hours. There are quite a few sites in the immediate area which Yale is reserving for other types of developments, including a large parcel at the corner of Prospect and Sachem where a historic home was demolished.

The College designs have already been approved by the City of New Haven. Once built, they will create millions of dollars in direct and indirect revenue to the city, as well as hundreds of new jobs. Click here for some background on the residential college system.

For extensive background on the development of this plan, and previous controversies related to it, please see Design New Haven's detailed blog posts here, here, and here.

Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station in New Haven Threatened with Closing

noreply@blogger.com (Moderator) — Thu, 12 May 2011 18:17:00 +0000

Today's New Haven Register carries an article on the State's proposal to close the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station, located in New Haven near Science Park.

According to local advocates, closing the Ag Station would be a real blow to public health and agricultural security, and to the state's economy as a whole. As Nancy Alderman of Environment and Human Health, Inc. writes:

The Ag Station is the only entity in the state that tests for West Nile Virus and all forms of mosquito bourne encephalitis diseases. They also do tick management - and heavens knows we are loaded with tick bourne diseases in this state.

They are the only entity that tests our imported food for levels of pesticides. The Ag Station found tooth paste laced with anti-freeze last year and sounded the alarm. They are the only inspectors and certifiers for farmers' produce -- and without them --- farmers will not be able to export their products out of state. That will cost the farmers and the state.

Shutting down the Ag Station will have serious ramifications for health in this state.

Here is what people can do:

Please consider writing to your representatives, the governor, and the Ben Barnes of the State Office of Planning and Management (OPM) who proposed closing the station:

Ben.Barnes@ct.gov.

governor.malloy@ct.gov

To find your Senator or Representative, see:

http://www.cga.ct.gov/asp/menu/CGAFindLeg.asp

Two documents which stress the accomplishments and value of the Experiment Station have been posted on the CT chapter of the Northeast Organic Farmer's Association. They can be found here and here. The Ag station is also an important part of New Haven's cultural landscape -- it is within the Ronan-Edgehill National Register District.

Serious Traffic Safety Issues Near Downtown New Haven and the Yale Campus

noreply@blogger.com (Moderator) — Fri, 01 Apr 2011 16:47:00 +0000

An update from New Haven Safe Streets on the status of traffic issues in Downtown New Haven:

"The reports below are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the many serious traffic safety concerns that have been documented near the Yale Campus and within Downtown New Haven. These ongoing problems would not be tolerated in other cities. Please vote on these and forward to other residents if you are concerned with them.

"If we all speak up about these issues, we can help make New Haven a healthier, safer and more economically vibrant place. Safer streets have been proven to support many times more more jobs and taxes, and encourage residents to rely on less costly forms of transportation like walking, biking and mass transit.

"Feel free to reply to this email and note other "problem" intersections around the city if you are aware of them. Please also consider working with your neighbors to submit a New Haven "complete streets" request form, available at http://www.cityofnewhaven.com/Engineering/completestreets.asp and make sure that your matter gets on the public record."

-----

Dangerous Crossing (Whitney & Audubon)
http://seeclickfix.com/issues/6884-dangerous-crossing

Drivers Ignoring the Crosswalk (Wall & College)
http://seeclickfix.com/issues/429-drivers-ignoring-the-crosswalk

Elm Street cycle track needed
http://seeclickfix.com/issues/15932-elm-street-cycle-track

In-road Pedestrian Sign Needed and Vehicles fail to stop for pedestrians in the crosswalk (Temple & Wall issues, 2)
http://seeclickfix.com/issues/7485-in-road-pedestrian-sign-needed
http://seeclickfix.com/issues/45646-vehicles-fail-to-stop-for-pedestrians-in-the-crosswalk

Speeding and red light running at rush hour: Redesign and enforcement needed (Park & Chapel)
http://www.seeclickfix.com/issues/25843

Mid Block Crosswalk (Elm Street near High)
http://seeclickfix.com/issues/1445-mid-block-crosswalk

Stop Sign Needed at Dangerous Crosswalk (Wall and York)
http://seeclickfix.com/issues/1648-stop-sign-needed-at-dangerous-crosswalk

Very Dangerous Intersection (Elm and York)
http://seeclickfix.com/issues/708-very-dangerous-intersection

Additional Stop Sign Needed (Sachem and Winchester)
http://seeclickfix.com/issues/2923-there-should-be-an-additional-stop-sign-here

Need Pedestrian Signals (Edwards and Prospect)
http://seeclickfix.com/issues/559-need-ped-signals-here

Speeding & Traffic Violations (Grove and Temple)
http://seeclickfix.com/issues/47667-speeding-and-traffic-violations

Need Pedestrian Signals (Sachem and Prospect)
http://seeclickfix.com/issues/2080-need-pedestrian-signals

Census 2010: New Haven Has Fastest Growth Rate Among Major Northeastern U.S. Cities (Updated)

noreply@blogger.com (Moderator) — Thu, 24 Mar 2011 19:45:00 +0000

Today, the Census Bureau began releasing local-level Connecticut data from the 2010 Census.

According to DataHaven, a group that compiles Connecticut data, New Haven's population increased by 5.0% between 2000 and 2010, a rate higher than that of the State of Connecticut, and higher than that of the state's five largest cities, including Stamford. In terms of overall numbers, New Haven added 6,153 persons, more than any other town or city within the State of Connecticut.

Additional information, and data visualizations, will be posted at DataHaven as they are released by the Census Bureau over the coming hours. DataHaven encourages organizations, agencies and citizens located within the Greater New Haven and Valley Region to contact them if they need assistance with using 2010 or other recent data from the Census Bureau.

Like the State of Connecticut and the nation as a whole, New Haven's growth was heavily the result of a large increase in the population of Hispanic/Latino origin - now representing 27% of the city's population, up from 21% in 2000. The New Haven Independent reports on the demographic changes in an article posted here.

Given that a number of other cities in the United States that are heavily dependent on the medical and educational sectors, such as St. Louis and Pittsburgh, have lost nearly 10% or more of their populations over the past 10 years (with Cleveland down 17%, and Detroit losing an astonishing 25% of its population), the relative stability of most parts of Connecticut's cities will likely be met with applause.

A presentation by the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston, which you can view here, recently discussed the lessons that cities such as Hartford and Springfield can learn from so-called "resurgent cities" such as New Haven, Grand Rapids and Jersey City. (There's also a podcast available from a similar talk by the FRB at Community Intersections).

Update 3/24/11: Census data released at 2 P.M. today reveals that, between 2000 and 2010, New Haven also had the highest growth rate among major Northeast cities (if defined as NY, NJ and New England).

Cities of over 100,000 population in the Northeast: Growth Rate, 2000 to 2010 Census

New Haven CT +5.0%

Worcester MA +4.9%

Boston MA +4.8%

Stamford CT +4.7%

Cambridge MA +3.8%

Elizabeth NJ +3.7%

Bridgeport CT +3.4%

Jersey City NJ +3.1%

Waterbury CT +2.9%

Hartford CT +2.6%

Manchester NH +2.4%

New York City NY +2.1%

Lowell MA +1.3%

Newark NJ +1.3%

Springfield MA +0.6%

Yonkers NY -0.1%

Syracuse NY -1.5%

Paterson NJ -2.0%

Rochester NY -4.2%

Buffalo NY -10.7%

Within the broader region, Allentown (population 118,032) is the only major city with a growth rate higher than New Haven's. Philadelphia grew by 0.6%, the first time that city has grown since 1950, while Pittsburgh declined by 8.6%. Baltimore declined in population by 4.6%. Regarding these figures, the Hartford Courant's Rick Green writes, "If the population doesn't grow, the economy won't come back."

Nationally, even as many cities continue to lose population as sprawl expands at the fastest rate in U.S. history, many downtowns have seen revitalization, according to a Transport Politic analysis. As expected, Washington DC was one of the fastest-growing major cities, up 5.2% (adding nearly 30,000 new residents). But Chicago dropped 6.9%, St. Louis dropped 8.3%, and, as mentioned above, cities such as Cleveland and Detroit saw precipitous declines that were almost unimaginable and will be challenged in court. On the West Coast, LA and San Francisco grew by 2.6% and 3.7%, respectively. Several of the largest cities in Texas and Florida saw double digit gains in population, but those cities are not necessarily as comparable because they cover much larger land areas, including most suburban districts.

Our Favorite Recent Articles & Websites About Cities, Urbanism, City Planning, Health Equity, Community Data & Governance/Government 2.0

noreply@blogger.com (Moderator) — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 17:56:00 +0000

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ArcGIS Server Blog : Experimenting with HTML5 and the ArcGIS API for JavaScript

RT @atogle: Very cool to see @esri experimenting with #HTML5. Check out the demos. http://t.co/i34LtOH #devsummit #GIS #esri

Citizensourcing smarter government in New York City - O'Reilly Radar

Citizensourcing smarter government in NYC @digiphile http://ow.ly/4enVf #open311 #gov20 #ogd #crowdsourcing via @civichack

The Open Intel Project

Open Intel Project: Where #OpenData Meets Business Intelligence http://bit.ly/gNZuE1 #ogov #econdev via @Jay_Nath @bentonreyn @livinglabs

Petition to Restore Library Hours in New Haven - Downtown, New Haven - SeeClickFix

RT @civichack: 100+ signatures & counting on petition to restore #library hours in New Haven @seeclickfix http://ow.ly/4ekE1 #NHV

The Fantastic Five GIS Tools for Nonprofits | NTEN

The "Fantastic Five" #GIS Tools for Nonprofits: http://bit.ly/esPt4Z #nptech #nonprofit #NNIP #datavis #cplan via @cpmadera @youcanhelp

Reminder: Webinar tomorrow @PublicHealth on HIAs in Transportation w/ @SanFranciscoDPH @groxie & HIP http://ow.ly/4ecLl #healthequity #cplan

Checking out Chicago data site Http://www.metropulsechicago.org/ #NNIP @Chicago_reader

America’s Smartest Regions For Transportation | Smarter Cities

RT @America2050: NY/NJ/CT is one smart region among US cities: America’s Smartest Regions For Transportation http://bit.ly/hO8ElT #NHV

NACTO Urban Bikeway Design Guide | NACTO

Brand-new NACTO Urban Bikeway Design Guide! State-of-art solutions for cities http://ow.ly/4c9t5 #cplan #cycling via @miabirk @transportdata

The Fukushima nuclear reactor disaster and its implications to public health — Risk Science Blog

Risk Science: #Fukushima nuclear reactor & implications to #publichealth http://t.co/q3gWIxU via @kristinalford @2020science @UMRSC @hiablog

The 12 States of America - The Atlantic

Fractured Nation - Fantastic interactive map @TheAtlantic http://bit.ly/gsH5uQ #demographics via @Richard_Florida

Why Colleges and Universities Matter

Speech by Richard Levin: "Why Colleges and Universities Matter." http://bit.ly/hAy6bJ #NHV #highered #innovation via @Yale @leecruz

Ow.ly - image uploaded by @urbandata

Gov. Malloy, Sen. Blumenthal, Rep DeLauro, @MayorDestefano just passed York at #NHV #stpatricksday parade http://ow.ly/i/97qJ #Connecticut

A/N Blog . A Pictorial Description of Broadway in 1899

Antique street view: Amazing sketches of length of NYC's Broadway in 1899 @archpaper: http://su.pr/17o4ip #archi #urbanism via @urbanmatt

Is NYC’s Bold Transportation Commissioner a Victim of Her Own Success? - Up Front Blog - Brookings Institution

Leinberger: NYC #transpo commissioner is example of an official who gets results http://brookin.gs/WuhC #cplan via @transbay @BrookingsMetro

ELSI - Elementary and Secondary Information System

New data tool @usedgov: ELSI. Fast, easy way to obtain basic statistical data on US #schools. http://nces.ed.gov/ccd/elsi/ #edpolicy #gov20

Unveiled> Toronto Steeles West Station - The Architect's Newspaper

RT @ttpolitic Really creative architecture planned for a new subway station in Toronto http://t.co/SuEISnM #cplan #archi #TOR

Health Impact of Transportation - Knowledge Center

@dianalindindex probably the one posted on this page from NBM: http://ctdatahaven.org/know/index.php/Health_Impact_of_Transportation

WHO + UN-HABITAT | Hidden Cities | Download the full report

Hidden Cities: 2010 UN Report on Overcoming Health Inequities in Urban Areas http://ow.ly/462Gn #healthequity #publichealth via @health_data

Progress on emergency response and street design | New Urban Network

Progress on emergency response & street design @NewUrbanNetwork: Fire depts see value of narrower streets http://ow.ly/1s9lXx #cplan #cities

The 400 Richest Americans Are Now Richer Than the Bottom 50 Percent Combined - Culture - GOOD

The 400 richest Americans now richer than bottom 50% combined @GOOD http://ow.ly/4cuen #inequality (& child #poverty rate US 25%, Sweden 3%)

We Love Data (and you should too) | Azavea Atlas

New @Azavea Atlas article: We love data (and you should too) http://bit.ly/fS1h9r #DataCampPhilly #ogov #viz via @geography76 @civichack

The Semantic Puzzle | Hjalmar Gislason: â€œWhat I call the emerging field of Data Market.â€

Hjalmar Gislason of @datamarket on the emerging marketplace for #opendata services @semwebcompany: http://ow.ly/49ILf #semweb #OGD #ogov

Go Viral to Improve Health: IOM-NAE Health Data Collegiate Challenge

Health 2.0 Developer Challenge: Unleash data to inspire action http://ow.ly/48E8a #publichealth #opendata #ogov via @ghideas

Photo Essay: Amazing Libraries Around the World

New life goal: see them all. RT @urbandata The World's 15 Most Amazing Libraries: http://ow.ly/4c41a #cities #library #archi via @Annaleen

More Latinos, Fewer Whites And Blacks | New Haven Independent

"More Latinos, Fewer Whites & Blacks in New Haven": Analysis of #Connecticut #2010Census http://ow.ly/4bVZF @ctdata #census #NNIP @annnyberg

Social Compact DrillDown | Data Driven Detroit

Finally getting around to reading the new Detroit "DrillDown" report @D3Detroit http://ow.ly/4bme0 #econdev #cplan #NNIP

The Benefits of Eating Insects - WSJ.com

WSJ.com - The Six-Legged Meat of the Future: http://on.wsj.com/e8ah7Y #insects #foodpolicy via @adrianfine

The Happiest Man in America - The Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index - NYTimes.com

Discovered: The Happiest Man in America (NYT) http://ow.ly/48CWr Map of Well-Being Index by District: http://ow.ly/48CXN #demographics

Mapping the Nation's Well-Being - The Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index - Interactive Map - NYTimes.com

Discovered: The Happiest Man in America (NYT) http://ow.ly/48CWr Map of Well-Being Index by District: http://ow.ly/48CXN #demographics

Click on the title of this post, or click here, to see more links.

File:CT Counties and Most Populous Cities, 2000-2010 Change.pdf - Knowledge Center

#NHV fastest growing large city, +5.0%! Counties & Most Populous #Cities in 2010 in #Connecticut: 2000 & 2010 http://ow.ly/4b69v #2010census

Study: Transit outperforms green buildings | New Urban Network

New EPA Study: Benefits from transit-oriented development greater than from "green" buildings/cars http://ow.ly/4aaCC #cplan via @LocalPlan

Copenhagen’s Potato Rows : Great City

#want RT @jhiskes: Gorgeous photos of Copenhagen's "potato rows." Strange name, awesome streets http://is.gd/xSwGoB #urbanism #cplan #CPH

Gentrification's Victims: Berlin Fears Rise of New Slums - SPIEGEL ONLINE - News - International

Fears in #Berlin as high-rise slums encircle city center (Spiegel) http://ow.ly/47YtJ #urbanism #gentrification #inequality via @kennethlo

Cellphone Networks and the Future of Traffic | Autopia | Wired.com

Cellphone networks as the future of traffic management @WiredAutopia http://t.co/LUf4KJz #cplan #opendata #Transpo via @bnmeeks @thenext50k

Petition to Restore Library Hours in New Haven - Downtown, New Haven - SeeClickFix

VOTE TO SAVE THE LIBRARIES, Check out issue Petition to Restore Library Hours in New Haven, http://bit.ly/efQRIx #downtown_new-haven!

Newsroom

2010 Census data for #Pennsylvania, #Connecticut & #Ohio expected tomorrow at 2 PM EST. http://go.usa.gov/4a0 #census via @ctdata

walkit.com — Spend on high streets according to travel mode

New #econdev research: Walkable streets create 40% more customers & fewer vacant shops http://ow.ly/4ajRZ #urbanism #cplan via @walkonomics

Infographic: A New Model for Government | Pascal Raabe - Multidisciplinary Design

Infographic illustration of "government as platform" @DelibThinks: http://ow.ly/4ae5x @timoreilly #gov20 #ogov #transpo via @ehooge

file.axd

Quality of Place: Essay on why growing firm may need to leave Detroit (PDF) http://ow.ly/4a9vg #placemaking #cplan #DTW via @StreetsblogNet

Building for the 21st Century: American support for sustainable communities | Smart Growth America

New poll by @smartgrowthUSA shows growing demand for smarter policies, homes in walkable communities: http://ow.ly/45MGE #smartgrowth #cplan

Obama calls for 77 percent rise in transit construction | New Urban Network

Obama calls for 77% increase in #transit construction @newurbannetwork http://ow.ly/47iJR #urbanpolicy #cplan via @transportdata

APHA: Webinar Series

Don't miss this webinar series @PublicHealth: What Healthy Communities Need from Transportation Networks http://ow.ly/49MJD #cplan #HIA

Mark Abraham's answer to Which municipalities best use technology to service its citizens? - Quora

My (cursory) answer on Quora to: Which municipalities best use technology to service its citizens? http://qr.ae/WegJ #opendata @seeclickfix

Portland State Population Research Center | Home

New: Research Assistant position at #PDX Portland State Population Research Center: http://ow.ly/49BxO #census #demographics #jobs #NNIP

SeeClickFix partners with Cityworks to connect citizens directly to city workers - SeeClickFix

News item: @SeeClickFix partners w/ @AztecaCityworks to connect citizens directly to city workers: http://ow.ly/47XUw #open311 #smartcities

Providence faces enormous deficit audit reveals / Video | Rhode Island news | projo.com | The Providence Journal

Providence RI faces huge budget shortfall in next 4 months, $110M deficit in FY2012: http://bit.ly/gZ71oG #cities #PVD via @hudsondemocracy

Planning Complete Streets for an Aging America

AARP #urbanpolicy institute reviews our urgent need for complete streets: http://t.co/knTxIld #cplan #cities via @svrdesign @transportdata

The Astonishing Stupidity of Not Raising Taxes on the Rich When Budgets Are Tight | | AlterNet

The Astonishing Stupidity of Not Raising Taxes on the Super-Rich When Budgets Are Tight http://bit.ly/h6r5Ax #inequality via @rochellesevier

PlanningTech@DUSP 2011

Registration open for #cplan & new tech conference at MIT DUSP 4/8/11 http://bit.ly/gOCRRz #gov20 #transpo #nptech via @samjwong @rgoodspeed

New report from Brookings Institution advocates for road repair and maintenance | Smart Growth America

New report from @BrookingsInst advocates for road repair and maintenance first: http://ow.ly/466fq #cplan #urbanpolicy via @smartgrowthusa

2011 CIC eConference

Speakers at 2011 @CommunityIC conference, including @uscensusbureau director, to address #healthequity & #opendata http://ow.ly/48DyL #NNIP

Alexander Howard: Transit data drives economic engine for open government

Coverage of @TranspoCamp by @digiphile: Transit data drives economic engine for open government http://t.co/0myRuNr #OpenGov #ogov #transpo

Beyond the Countdown Clock Design Competition

Future of realtime #transit apps = Transportation Camp design competition: http://t.co/NvSwgWk #transpo #ogov via @georgiamoon @jeffmaki

Spice Up Your City: Add OpenGov

Spice up your city: just add #opengov - slides by @ton_zylstra at #cocities http://ow.ly/44o76 #gov20 #ogov via @ehooge @civichack

02_young_leaders_singer.pdf

New Study @BrookingsInst on Next Gen Young Leaders http://bit.ly/f5b6nz #gov20 #demographics #millennials via @jschmeling @InesMergel

What Really Is Hurting Google: Social Search | Social Media Today

What Really Is Hurting Google? Social Search http://ow.ly/47pR7 #gov20 via @socialmedia2day @MindEdgeOnline @civichack

3-1-1 Meets Open Data: Open 311 Empowers Citizens and Extends Smart City Governance | Forrester Blogs

Article: Survey of 311 & #opendata movement by Forrester Research's @jenbelissent http://ow.ly/482Nl #open311 @seeclickfix via @jsullivanNYC

EPA: Smart Growth Developments Enjoy Stronger Resale Appreciation

EPA Study: #SmartGrowth Developments Enjoy Stronger Resale Appreciation @triplepundit http://ow.ly/47ixC #cplan #urbanism via @UrbanLandInst

Census 2010 News | Media Advisory — Census Bureau to Release Local 2010 Census Data for Arizona, California, Connecticut, Idaho, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin

RT @uscensusbureau: Next week's local #2010Census releases: Arizona, Calif., #Connecticut, Idaho, Ohio, PA, WI http://go.usa.gov/43m #census

Creating Local Online Hubs: Three Models for Action | KnightComm

Creating Local Online Hubs: Three Models for Action http://ow.ly/46Ixe #knightcomm #ogov #gov20 via @jeffcdi @ctdata

Every City Needs This: Mobile Public Art Finder

Every City Needs This: Portland's Mobile Public Art Finder http://ow.ly/45WIE #cities #publicart #gov20 #PDX via @marshallk @civichack

Perception of Open Government is Tied to Higher Levels of Community Satisfaction - Knight Foundation

New Research @KnightFdn: Open Government Tied to Higher Levels of Community Satisfaction http://ow.ly/46I4L #ogov via @hausladen @ctdata

Structural Unemployment: The Data Just Doesn't Match Up | CEPR Blog

Data Doesn't Support "Structural Unemployment" Hogwash. Moody's: #GOP cuts to kill 700K jobs. See @ceprdc http://bit.ly/dEHlSa #workforce

What Midtown Detroit can learn from West Philadelphia college district's renaissance | Detroit Free Press | freep.com

Detroit studies #Philly n'hood turnaround led by BID, school & #highered homebuying program http://bit.ly/hwWIKo #cplan #dtw via @OtisWhite

We Found the Money—and It's on Wall Street | The Nation

Money to Fix Crumbling US #Cities & Schools is on Wall Street, Not in Schoolteachers' Pockets http://bit.ly/hCxW3Y #inequality #Walker #MWSP

We're Hiring: Data Editor | FlowingData Forums

GOOD magazine is hiring a data editor http://datafl.ws/18i

Twitter / @urbandata/NNIP

25 organizations on the Twitter list for #NNIP @UrbanInstitute - who is missing? http://twitter.com/urbandata/nnip-21 #urbanpolicy #gov20

Welcome to One D Scorecard

Data Driven Detroit releases One D Scorecard 2010 http://bit.ly/gbflO7 Measures SE MI performance in over 120 social and econ. indicators.

Health Impact of Transportation - Knowledge Center

Resources on Transportation & Health Equity: Please suggest others http://ow.ly/45F1H #healthequity #publichealth @BikeWalk

How We're Doing Compared to the Rest of the World - Brookings Institution

Experts @BrookingsInst look at how U.S. is doing compared to rest of the world across range of measures: http://brookin.gs/Lm5U #econdev

It's the Inequality, Stupid | Mother Jones

Amazing new data crunches show gap between rich & poor has widened to a chasm http://ow.ly/43ZeN #inequality #infographic via @charityfocus

In the housing crisis,we all live under one roof

3/4 of poor families spend >50% income on rent. WaPo op-ed on US housing crisis: http://wapo.st/dTDS9J #homelessness #cplan via @PSCtweets

New Co-Working Option: The Bourse | New Haven Independent

Building owners help revitalize New Haven street w/ new #coworking loft, classes, salons, marketplace: http://ow.ly/44nZT #NHV via @ctdata

Regulation Lax as Gas Wells’ Tainted Water Hits Rivers - NYTimes.com

Regulation Lax as Gas Wells’ Tainted Water Hits Rivers (NYT) http://nyti.ms/gIcm36 #hydrofracking #upstateny

Sprawl Wallops St. Louis with 8% Population Loss | Rust Wire

Sprawl Wallops St. Louis with 8% Population Loss @rustwire http://t.co/JI7gtgm #STL #urbanpolicy #census #cplan via @johnvbriel

Shareable: The Evolution Will Be Socialized

"Content never king. Contact is." Evolution Will Be Socialized @rushkoff http://goo.gl/R8Z9l #contactcon #netneutrality #p2p via @danlatorre

Forgotten Cities | Gary, Indiana | ArchDaily

Forgotten #Cities - Gary, Indiana: http://bit.ly/eZMnMj #archi #urbex via @Urbanverse @health_data

More Sitephocus » Archive » Liveable Cities

Gehl on Livable #Cities: beautiful photos of #urbanism in NYC & #CPH http://t.co/0n76QDO #cplan #urbandesign via @CitiesMigration

Peter Calthorpe on why urbanism is the cheapest, smartest way to fight climate change | Grist

Calthorpe: #Urbanism is the smartest, cheapest way to fight climate change: http://ow.ly/3XFdR #cplan #ghg #cities via @Richard_Florida

New Haven, Connecticut | Smarter Cities

New Haven: Transportation & #SmartGrowth Paradise? (NRDC) http://ow.ly/1s4CGd @cnt_tweets #cplan #NHV via @ctdata

An animated map of Auckland’s public transport network | Seeing Data

Animated map of #Auckland public transport network http://bit.ly/hINRL2 #transit #gis #viz via @ilikedata @transportdata

Downtown Crossing Traffic Inspiration: Geneva | New Haven Independent

New Haven Downtown Crossing Traffic Inspiration: Geneva, Switzerland @newhavenindy http://ow.ly/3XEMV #NHV #cplan

Yelp Official Blog: The Most Romantic City on Yelp is...

Most romantic #cities according to #Yelp are #Tacoma, Los Angeles, Santa Cruz, and New Haven! @Yelp http://ow.ly/3YokS #NHV #LAX

Pratt Takes Interest in Making a Better Myrtle Avenue - NYTimes.com

Pratt featured in @NYTimes: @PrattInstitute Takes Interest in Making a Neighborhood Nicer http://nyti.ms/eL3on8 #cplan #econdev #highered

BBC News - Residential areas 'must have mandatory 20mph limit'

Study: All UK residential areas should have mandatory 20mph speed limit (BBC) http://ow.ly/3YVuR #ece #cplan via @BWDDPH @transportdata

Is Your Neighborhood Making You Unhealthy? @ClevelandClinic http://ow.ly/3OsDh #publichealth #obesity via @preventioninst @ctdata

Cleveland's Group Plan Commission calls for big changes around Public Square and the Mall | cleveland.com

Downtown Cleveland #CPlan recommendations mark new #placemaking focus: http://j.mp/gy5xia #cities via @davidjurca @ksucudc @transportdata

GOOD.is | America's Absurdly High Incarceration Rate (Raw Image)

'Incarceration Nation': Great #infographic via @GOOD http://ow.ly/3UHNe #inequality @JusticeReform #dataviz via @AHDP

Cities Destroyed for Cash (Then) Blame The Architect « Strange Harvest

New film: #Cities Destroyed for Cash + Blame The Architect http://bit.ly/elJf34 #archi #smartgrowth via @anothersam @dpr_Barcelona

Malcolm Gladwell On Why Income Inequality is the Next Big Issue Facing America - Eva Pereira - Econoclast - Forbes

Malcolm Gladwell: Why Income #Inequality is the Next Big Issue Facing America: http://bit.ly/hfkHoO #healthequity @CTVoices via @EvaNPereira

The Bikeway Network Recipe |

Should you start w/ bike lanes, cycle tracks, blvds or sharrows? Magic Bikeway Network Recipe @miabirk http://ow.ly/3OulI #cplan #bikenyc

Midtown laneway proposal | globizen.

Creating Laneway (Alley) Houses: Affordable Housing in #TOR & #YVR @Globizen http://ow.ly/3LBoJ #archi #cplan via @PPS_Placemaking

Moving on Upstream: The Role of Health Departments in Addressing Socioecologic Determinants of Disease - RWJF

Moving Upstream: Role of #PublicHealth Departments in Addressing Socioecologic Determinants of Disease http://ow.ly/3X4W0 #SDOH via @JBP_EH

Multiplying impact of regional economic development marketing w/ intuitive content mgmt systems @YfactorInc http://ow.ly/3Svv7 #CMS #econdev

Urban life: A tale of many cities | The Economist

Positive review of new E.Glaeser book on #cities @TheEconomist http://econ.st/i16jEV via @mariadantz

Census: Most Chicago neighborhoods lost population - chicagotribune.com

Chicago loses residents in outlying neighborhoods, as areas near the Loop grow: http://bit.ly/gO8S9H #census #cplan via @OtisWhite

EUKN - ‘Open Cities’ promotes open innovation within governments

‘Open Cities’ promotes open innovation within local EU governments http://ow.ly/3TVcN #ogov #gov20 via @manufernandez @ehooge @civichack

Cyclists shouldn’t ‘share the road,’ they should have their own | Grist

Cyclists shouldn’t ‘share the road,’ they should have their own. Article by @ellyblue: http://ow.ly/3WW80 #cplan #bikenyc via @transportdata

A close call on health inequalities | Society | The Guardian

UK: Men in Jordanhill live avg of 80 yrs; mile away in Parkhead, only live to 59 http://ow.ly/3Z6Gh #healthequity #SDOH via @HealthyPolicies

the Daily Pothole

Daily Pothole: 3,859 potholes fixed in NYC the other day. Photos. Maps. Compelling. http://bit.ly/egiR5E #gov20 #ogov via @urbnscl

Smarter_City_Cost_of_Car_Ownership.jpg

If your city reduced car ownership by 15,000 cars (like DC), $127M could stay in the local economy: http://ow.ly/3Z7Dr #infographic #econdev

CDBG Action Center: Find Your CDBG Allocation and Proposed Cuts

Check out the new #cdbg data center @USMayors: http://t.co/knRohUd #urbanpolicy #cplan #POTUS @LeagueOfCities @BrookingsInst

America's trade deficit: Oil and the current account | The Economist

$300B+ left US economy in 2010. Chinese revaluation would make minor dent in trade deficit. Bigger problem=oil dependence http://ow.ly/3NwVV

Ow.ly - image uploaded by @ctdata

Route 34 boulevardization: Temple Street in #NHV will be reconnected across this yawning urban gap: http://ow.ly/i/8hqY #cplan via @ctdata

Google Public Data Explorer: Is it the first step toward a universal data format? - By Chris Wilson - Slate Magazine

Google launches their own public data explorer -- the rise of open data continues: http://slate.me/dP2Y03

Ronald Ferguson Works to Close Educational Achievement Gap - NYTimes.com

Article @nytimes highlights power of data & research in addressing Achievement Gap http://ow.ly/3W2qT #edreform #edgap via @WK_Kellogg_Fdn

60% of poorest children fail to reach good level of behaviour, says study | Society | guardian.co.uk

Stark #inequality in children's development between poor & rich in UK: http://t.co/sLGqPXM #SDOH #ece #earlyed via @hiablog @healthypolicies

Per-Capita CO2 Emissions Higher in Small Cities - The Daily Stat - February 15, 2011 - Harvard Business Review

The Daily Stat @HarvardBiz: Per-Capita CO2 Emissions Higher in Small Cities http://s.hbr.org/fBFcjl #ghg #cplan via @city_viewer

2012_2013_budget_powerpoint_final.pdf

PowerPoint presentation on #CTBudget by #Malloy budget director Ben Barnes: http://bit.ly/g3j91H #ctgov #Connecticut @ct94dem via @CTVoices

Will It Be Apple? | New Haven Independent

Apple Store finally coming to #NHV? Article @newhavenindy http://ow.ly/3XLUc Issue @seeclickfix http://ow.ly/3XLWt #apple #ipod #Connecticut

Apple Store Desperately Needed - Dixwell, New Haven - SeeClickFix

Apple Store finally coming to #NHV? Article @newhavenindy http://ow.ly/3XLUc Issue @seeclickfix http://ow.ly/3XLWt #apple #ipod #Connecticut

American FactFinder Help

Help with using that pesky new American #factfinder http://bit.ly/fJxjAP #census #cplan #data

The Map Room: Mapping Central Park's 19,630 Trees

Lovely and amazing: #Mapping Central Park's 19,630 Trees http://is.gd/1D2MP8 #urbanism #bikenyc #GIS via @mrsmissan @geography76 @ctdata

How Open Data Initiatives Can Improve City Life

How #OpenData Initiatives Can Improve City Life http://ow.ly/3XxGV #gov20 #ogov #cplan via @juliogatx @ctdata

Connected Conversations | the new economics foundation

Meeting big challenges w/ small conversations. New pamphlet on deliberation & democracy @theneweconomics http://bit.ly/gxIiXe #socent #cplan

Verdant Nation: Sustainable community design and obesity prevention: Implications for increasing safety

Sustainable community design & obesity prevention: Implications for increasing safety @PhDPopHealth http://ow.ly/3XxoW #cplan via @ctdata

Larger cities drive growing wage gap between the rich and the poor, study shows

New study: Larger #cities, specialization drives growing wage gap between rich & poor http://ow.ly/3UkL0 #inequality (many q's unanswered)

Home prices fell in almost half of U.S. cities in fourth quarter, Realtors say

Home prices still falling in nearly half of US metros (WaPo) http://wapo.st/gR3Y3C #cities via @richard_florida

DOT Cutting Speed Limit to 20 MPH in 75 New Zones: Gothamist

News: @NYC_DOT to cut speed limits to 20MPH in 75 neighborhoods: http://ow.ly/3U1Sm #cplan #urbanism #publichealth via @Gothamist @richmintz

Education and Poverty - Statistical Modeling, Causal Inference, and Social Science

Blog: #Poverty-education correlation (lots of interesting links here) http://is.gd/6esNHj #edgap #edreform #PISA via @eduphilia

what_do_the_worlds_most_romant_1.html

What the world's most romantic #cities have in common: Conduciveness to human spirit @Kaid_at_NRDC http://ow.ly/3W4FZ #urbanism #cplan

Malloy to propose income and sales tax hikes, fewer exemptions | The Connecticut Mirror

Nice summary @CTMirror: #Malloy proposes $1.5 billion in tax increases http://ow.ly/3WiRV #ctbudget #Connecticut @CTVoices via @newhavenindy

Cities Give President's Budget a Mixed Review -- WASHINGTON, Feb. 14, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ --

@TransportNation #CDBG imp't for transportation, too. RT @LeagueOfCities #Cities give #POTUS budget mixed reviews: http://ow.ly/3WgTE #cplan

A Better Way To Measure Walkability — Sightline Daily - Northwest News that Matters

New "street smart" @walkscore program offers a much better way to measure walkability: http://ow.ly/3LAT7 #cplan #urbanism via @atogle

BBC News - Poorest in England 'live seven years less on average'

New Marmot report on health #inequality (BBC) http://tinyurl.com/ygkjhzu UK Poor 'live seven yrs less on average' #feb25 via @ProfKEPickett

Radical Rutgers Professor Maps Toxic Ads, Then Buys Billboards to Publish... - StumbleUpon

Professor maps toxic ads, buys billboards to publish results on the street: http://ow.ly/3Ryfe #CBPR #SDOH via @richard_florida @ehooge

8 Spruce Street by the Architect Frank Gehry - Review - NYTimes.com

NYT: #Gehry tower w/ 450SF studio apartments at $3K/mo, is the finest skyscraper built in NYC since "Black Rock": http://ow.ly/3U0Od #archi

Washington Beats New York as Job Growth Boosts Office Prices - Bloomberg

Not surprising RT @BarbiReuter - DC commercial property value gains top NYC & other cities- Bloomberg - http://bloom.bg/h8Aec1

Social Psychologists Detect Liberal Bias Within - NYTimes.com

NYT: Social Scientist Sees Bias Within Profession http://ow.ly/3SCoM & Guardian: Are they needed? http://ow.ly/3SCsn #socsci #highered

Social scientists explain many things – but can they explain themselves? | Kate Roach | Comment is free | guardian.co.uk

NYT: Social Scientist Sees Bias Within Profession http://ow.ly/3SCoM & Guardian: Are they needed? http://ow.ly/3SCsn #socsci #highered

Map of scientific collaboration between researchers

Very impressive map of scientific collaboration between researchers http://ow.ly/3UNUF (via @manuel_boutet @gehan)

Risk of injury for bicycling on cycle tracks versus in the street -- Lusk et al. -- Injury Prevention

New @HarvardHSPH study shows cycle tracks safer than riding on street: Contradicts @aashtospeaks guidance http://ow.ly/3UO0Q #publichealth

Investing in Arts Development

Artists as economic engines: Why #cities prosper when they invest in arts @UrbanLandInst http://ow.ly/3U1ki #cplan via @kathy_moore @ctdata

Malloy reaffirms pledge to spare education grants from the budget axe | The Connecticut Mirror

CT Budget "Shell Game"? RT @CTMirror: Malloy reaffirms pledge to spare education grants from budget axe http://tinyurl.com/6hz2k63 #edpolicy

Why the Rich Pay Fewer Taxes - New Haven Advocate

Why the Rich Pay Fewer Taxes: http://ow.ly/1s20yu #Connecticut #taxpolicy #inequality via @johnastoehr

If you love nature, move to the city - The Boston Globe

Having great trees & parks w/in #cities very hard, but not impossible. RT @UrbanLandInst If You Love Nature Move to City: http://ow.ly/3Ubh2

Kristin Kirkpatrick, M.S., R.D., L.D.: Is Your Neighborhood Making You Fat?

Is Your Neighborhood Making You Unhealthy? @ClevelandClinic http://ow.ly/3OsDh #publichealth #obesity via @preventioninst @ctdata

Innovative car bonnet could reduce injuries by 60%

Car bonnet w/ #aluminium absorber grid could reduce #pedestrian injuries by 60% http://ow.ly/3U5JZ #publichealth @RayLaHood via @walkonomics

Boston.com

New Street Bump app automatically reports potholes to #cities by sensing when cars hit them: http://ow.ly/1s223s #gov20 #cplan @SeeClickFix

How Skyscrapers Can Save the City - Magazine - The Atlantic

In Defense of Skyscrapers: How they can foster healthier #cities (Atlantic) http://bit.ly/fb9YBV #urbanism #cplan via @gaWC @urbanophile

BBC News - Street-level crime maps launched online

UK Police Street-level crime map launched http://ow.ly/3RyIZ #mapping #GIS #gov20 via @hoddergeography @civichack

Russia in color, a century ago - The Big Picture - Boston.com

New color photographs at @librarycongress show Russian people and landscapes 100 years ago (Globe): http://ow.ly/3TcSm #Russia #Dagestan

Data and Cities Conference

Nice @stamen conference on data visualization. http://www.citytracking.org/

Cities of Migration » The New Haven Promise: Mayor DeStefano Strikes Again

Article @CitiesMigration: The New Haven Promise: Mayor DeStefano Strikes Again http://ow.ly/3TrEs #cities #dreamact #NHV via @ctdata

Paris Catacombs - National Geographic Magazine

Under Paris, spaces of all kinds: canals & reservoirs, crypts & bank vaults (Nat'l Geo) http://bit.ly/haYNag #cities #urbex via @PD_Smith

TRNEquityFull.pdf

Excellent #CPlan review: Maintaining Diversity In Transit-Rich Neighborhoods: Tools for Equitable N'hood Change (PDF) http://ow.ly/3On2q

Report shows picture of Conn. homelessness (video, document)- The New Haven Register - Serving New Haven, Connecticut

New Report @CCEH shows picture of #homelessness in #Connecticut. Article: http://ow.ly/3TdmI Report: http://ow.ly/3Tetl via @ctdata

File:CCEH Homelessness Portraits 2011 Report.pdf - Knowledge Center

New Report @CCEH shows picture of #homelessness in #Connecticut. Article: http://ow.ly/3TdmI Report: http://ow.ly/3Tetl via @ctdata

Istanbul trembles at pace of change | Society | Guardian Weekly

Istanbul trembles at pace of change: Guardian UK on city's rapid growth http://bit.ly/e8COF3 #cities #urbanism #cplan #IST via @crevilles

Mayor orders city to post data trove online - Baltimore Sun

Impressive. RT @OtisWhite "Us nerds are really excited": Baltimore's huge data dump of city statistics: http://bit.ly/el9Y27 #ogov #gov20

Census 2010 News | Media Advisory — Census Bureau Launches Interactive Map Showing Local 2010 Census Data

State data coming out this wk: VT, AR, IN, IA & MD. Follow @uscensusbureau for updates, view interactive map: http://go.usa.gov/Ysd #Census

Most New York Graduates Are Ill Prepared, Data Show - NYTimes.com

State Study: Only 23% of school graduates in NYC, & 5% in #Rochester, are prepared for college & careers http://ow.ly/3SsOM #edreform #edgap

Vice President Biden Announces Six Year Plan to Build National High-Speed Rail Network | The White House

Major, $53 Billion high-speed rail announcement @WhiteHouse & @RayLaHood: Jobs focus=insufficient nod to social equity? http://bit.ly/fZooa1

The Splendor of Cities - NYTimes.com

Nice David Brooks Op-Ed on the Splendor of Cities (NYT) http://nyti.ms/iffLp3 #cities #econdev #urbanism via @LeagueOfCities @UrbanLandInst

Cities can be considered “flows of information, vehicles and people” (Sheller... -

Animated portrait of London bus routes: http://bit.ly/h4QKq2 #urbanism #opendata #cities via @urbanlabs @dominiccampbell @cataspanglish

Looking for Bold Ideas to Fix the City, New York Turns to Crowd Sourcing | Co.Design

Looking for bold planning ideas, NYC turns to crowdsourcing: http://bit.ly/exEacz @FoundationRock #cplan #urbanism #gov20 via @ccoletta

Traffic Deaths Up Slightly in NYC, But Still Lowest In Nation | Transportation Nation

NYC traffic deaths are up, but still safest big city in US in per-capita traffic fatalities. @transportnation http://ow.ly/3Siyk #bikenyc

its_in_the_data_sprawl_begets.html

Why focus on site-level impact is too narrow: RT @NRDCSwitchboard Data: #Sprawl begets sprawl http://bit.ly/hO6Ryd #cplan via @coseenergy

Growing Wealthier - Home Page

New report @CleanAirPolicy: "Growing Wealthier: #SmartGrowth, Climate Change & Prosperity" http://ow.ly/3JpoM #ghg #cplan via @SmartGrowthMD

Building better streets saves time, lives, and money | Congress for the New Urbanism

@marcscribner Except for fact that building better streets saves time, lives, and money, making it a no-brainer: http://ow.ly/3RVxK #cplan

Streetfilms | Snowy Neckdowns Redux: Winter Traffic Calming

Snow proves much of the urban space dedicated to roads is wasted. #Snomg as traffic calming: http://bit.ly/g6ik5x #cplan via @tomvanderbilt

How States Can Tackle Budget Deficits - Brookings Institution

New @brookingsmetro op-ed urges deficit-burdened states to break from biz-as-usual, better share data: http://brookin.gs/K7CZ #ogov #gov20

Geoffrey Anderson: A Sputnik Moment for Smart Growth

This is Our "Sputnik Moment" for Infrastructure & Smart Growth: Op-ed @smartgrowthusa http://ow.ly/3LWLy #cplan #smartgrowth #SOTU

We're hiring! Want to work with us? - SeeClickFix

SeeClickFix is hiring a community manager, too: http://ow.ly/3RCEQ (see prev. tweet for #ruby & mobile job postings). #NHV #ror #opengov

Stimulus Watch: States that Spent on Public Transportation Created More Jobs - Culture - GOOD

Connecticut #1 in the study. RT @GOOD: #ARRA watch: States that spent more on public transit created more jobs http://su.pr/2x0nrB #cplan

YouTube - Chrysler Eminem Super Bowl Commercial - Imported From Detroit

Nice work. RT @Eminem Imported from Detroit: Chrysler ad http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SKL254Y_jtc #cities #placemaking #DTW via @ccoletta

For Bikesharing, Forget Stations; All You Need Is a Phone | TheCityFix.com

Experimental cycle hire systems use mobile phone technology instead of docking stations: http://bit.ly/gjDO59 #cycling #cplan #bikenyc

Visualizar'11: Comprender las infraestructuras. Convocatoria abierta - Medialab-Prado Madrid

Visualizar'11 call for projects and papers: Understanding Infrastructures @MediaLabPrado http://ow.ly/3QtNs #urbanism via @gemmagaldon

RT @seeclickfix: Here are the two #ruby & mobile hires we are looking to make: http://bit.ly/h2RT4b & http://bit.ly/eOrp0n #ror #opengov

Time to Recharge the Batteries

Big Dig mandates are bringing #transit to Boston's inner-ring suburbs @APA_Planning: http://ow.ly/3NCdu #cplan #cities via @transportdata

The_Lost_Decade_for_Teen_and_Young_Adult_Employment_in_Illinois.pdf

"Teen employment fell 20%, 20-24 y/o by 13%" PDF: Lost Decade 4 Teen & Young Adult Employment in Illinois http://ow.ly/3PVod @Chicago_Reader

Pathways_to_Prosperity_Feb2011.pdf

PtP: % of US teens (16-19) who were employed fell from 45.2% in 2000 to 28.6% in June 2010 (PDF) http://ow.ly/3PTNQ #workforce via @ctdata

A talk with economist Edward Glaeser: Why America needs to love its cities more | Grist

Glaeser: Why America needs to love cities more @grist http://bit.ly/esv8WZ #cities #urbanpolicy via @ccoletta

DSpace@MIT : The return of streetcars to western American cities : reintroducing streetcars in Denver's historic streetcar neighborhoods

Excellent review & case studies of streetcar planning @MITdusp http://ow.ly/3MUfN #transit #cplan #PDX via @transportdata

Next American City » Buzz » What Do Planners Learn?

Article @NextAmCity: What Do City Planners Learn? http://ow.ly/3K6nV #CPlan #highered via @alixfellman

The 2010 Census: How Is America Changing?

2010 Census: How is America Changing? Good overview @UrbanLandInst http://ow.ly/3NwbR #demographics #Census via @ctdata

Discovering Urbanism: Michael Sandel on public places

Michael Sandel philosophizes on public places & civic engagement: http://ow.ly/3NC74 @APA_Planning #cplan via @health_impact @civichack

What Matters: What is the city of the future?

McKinsey Quarterly: What is the city of the future? @McKQuarterly http://ow.ly/3OqiI @SaskiaSassen #urbanism #cities via @Richard_Florida

Harder Times for Single Mothers and Their Children – Poverty Insights

Hard times for single-mother families (1 in 4 US fams) since recession @PovertyInsights http://bit.ly/dEdGwW #poverty via @WK_Kellogg_Fdn

Environmental Health | Full text | Knowns and unknowns on burden of disease due to chemicals: a systematic review

New review article: Knowns and unknowns on burden of disease due to chemicals http://ow.ly/3HKDW #publichealth via @biomedcentral @hiablog

Bring back a full-service supermarket to New Haven - Dwight, New Haven - SeeClickFix

"Bring Back A Full Service Grocery Store to New Haven" - Fixed, with 410 Votes! @seeclickfix http://ow.ly/3OoUR #gov20 #fooddesert

The Bright Side of Blight - NYTimes.com

Great NYT op-ed by @NextAmCity editor @dianalindindex on negative impacts of n'hood blight: http://ow.ly/3K5NC #cplan #urbanism @seeclickfix

Stop & Shop confirms it will open store at former Shaw's site in New Haven (video)- The New Haven Register - Serving New Haven, Connecticut

Stop & Shop confirms that it will open store at former Shaw's site in New Haven http://ow.ly/3OjFY #NHV #econdev @dwscmt @elmcitycoop

Red-light cameras save lives, study says

Definitive New Study Shows Intersection Safety Cameras Save Lives (WaPo article) http://ow.ly/3Ojl8 #publichealth #cities via @gcpvd @ctdata

The Interventionist's Toolkit: Places: Design Observer

The Urban Interventionist's DIY Toolkit: @PlacesJournal essay by @loudpaper http://ow.ly/3Oj7q #detournement #parkingday #urbanism

Connecticut Data Blog » Nine Connecticut Technology Companies (Six in New Haven Region) Receive Venture Capital in 4Q 2010; Concerns Over Continued Growth

9 #Connecticut Tech Companies, 6 in #NHV, Get Venture Capital in 4Q'10; Concern Over Cont'd Growth http://ow.ly/3NG92 @CTTech @seeclickfix

Newsroom: 2010 Census: Media Advisory — Census Bureau to Hold Web Conference on Release of Local 2010 Census Data

Join us @ 1 PM EST for a live webinar on the latest #2010Census data release - local-level state data. http://go.usa.gov/Y50

Newsroom: 2010 Census: Media Advisory — Census Bureau to Release Local 2010 Census Data for Louisiana, Mississippi, New Jersey and Virginia

First local-level data release planned for 4 states this week! LA, MS, NJ & VA @uscensusbureau: http://go.usa.gov/Y59 #census #2010Census

libraries_as_green_community_a.html

Libraries as green community & neighborhood anchors @kaid_at_nrdc http://bit.ly/h8WCzO #Cplan #library #placemaking

Next American City » Buzz » Planning 2.0: A Collaborative Platform for Actionable Intelligence

Article by @ESRI at @NextAmCity shows application of Planning 2.0: http://bit.ly/dE1RRN #GIS #gov20 #cplan #cities via @cpmadera @lindahecht

Social data and geospatial mapping join the crisis response toolset - O'Reilly Radar

Social media + @Ushahidi + @ESRI mapping = crisis response 2.0 http://oreil.ly/i2YpQ8 #gov20 #OGov #GIS via @LiberationTech @digiphile

The Case for Streetcars | TheCityFix.com

Article @thecityfix: The Case for Streetcars in DC: http://ow.ly/3LAyt #cplan #cities via @GoodyClancyPlan @transportdata

Davos Diary - Welcome to the urban century

Welcome to the Urban Century (WaPo) http://wapo.st/ewyrCD #urbanism #econdev #davos via @juliaklaiber

Start-ups keep real estate steady- The New Haven Register - Serving New Haven, Connecticut

Start-ups help keep New Haven real estate market steady: http://bit.ly/euRqGU #econdev #CRE #NHV via @matthewbrowning

What your state is the worst at – United States of shame

United States of Shame: What is your state is the worst at? (and best at?) http://datafl.ws/16z #p2 #viz via @flowingdata

Migration at 20-year high

Tale of 2 countries? US mobility falls to record lows, Canada's surges to record highs: http://bit.ly/f3EXHU #statscan via @Richard_Florida

About · Renew Newcastle

Renew Newcastle project offers short & medium term uses for vacant buildings http://ow.ly/3Lt49 #cplan #publicart via @manufernandez @ehooge

The Shoshin Project

Mitchell Moss explains why we need to get creative on #cities and transit funding: http://ow.ly/3Mic2 #cplan #urbanpolicy via @nyuwagner

When coworking comes to town | New Urban Network

The significance of #coworking spaces on Bootstrap #Urbanism: Article @NewUrbanNetwork http://bit.ly/f1H90I #NHV #econdev via @DFANewHaven

High-End Miami Beach Parking Garage Evokes Awe and Admiration - NYTimes.com

Designing a parking garage that can be used for wedding receptions (NYT) http://ow.ly/3J3Zo #MIA #archi #urbanism

Enterprise Community Partners - Training & Events - Introduction

Upcoming webinar 2/10 @EnterpriseNow: Using Local Market Data to Support Neighborhood Stabilization http://ow.ly/3LB26 #cplan via @ctdata

Chicago for Rahm Emanuel | Crime

New crime prevention plan by Chicago's @RahmEmanuel contains several innovative programs & policies http://ow.ly/3LrKX #rahm #publichealth

Urbanization as an economic development strategy: Spatial pitfalls (Cluster): http://ow.ly/3LqFC #econdev #urbanism via @ehooge

20 questions to guide the delivery of a great neighborhood | Sustainable Cities Collective

20 questions to guide the development of great neighborhoods http://goo.gl/fb/BUhij #urbanism #cplan via @CDhubPgh

Vision: The 5 Smartest Policies Enacted by American Cities in 2010 | | AlterNet

The 5 Smartest Policies Enacted by American #Cities in 2010 @AlterNet http://t.co/ZkHnsGQ #urbanpolicy #ATX via @nadinebctf @ctdata

workforcedata_guide.pdf

Warning: Dry reading RT @katenesse Guide to State & Local #Workforce Data: For Analysis & Informed Decision Making http://ow.ly/3Jpey #cplan

A MORE PERFECT UNION

W/in US dating profiles, words "Paris" "Finance" "Exec" & "Opera" are used most often on #UES of Manhattan: http://ow.ly/3K9rc #demographics

Move over New York High Line, here comes the new floating London river park | Andrew BoraineAndrew Boraine

Intriguing plans for a floating park in London @andrewboraine http://ow.ly/1s03Lz #archi @gensleroncities #cplan via @remmid @jtinks

Making Room for a Planet of Cities

RT @gosner: new report from Lincoln Inst-Making Room for a Planet of #Cities, via @anthonyflint http://ow.ly/3JvPr [free d/l]

When Main Street is a State Highway

What do you do if your town's Main Street is a state highway? Excellent guide from @MDSHA http://ow.ly/3JoGY #cplan #econdev @SmartGrowthMD

The city gets a chief digital officer: Rachel Sterne | Capital New York

Congrats! @RachelSterne becomes NYC Chief Digital Officer http://jr.ly/6nf9 #gov20 #ogov via @dominiccampbell @capitalnewyork @jayrosen_nyu

Connecticut Data Blog » New Reports Highlight Potential Policy Solutions to Connecticut Achievement Gap

On the Data Blog: New Reports Highlight Potential Solutions to #Connecticut Achievement Gap http://ow.ly/3J4kz #edgap #edreform #NHV

China to create largest mega city in the world with 42 million people - Telegraph

Chinese #cplan experts work on creating mega #cities that can hold up to 260 million people: http://t.co/8kouuXj #urbanism via @seanmaynard

Let's talk, stranger: Why our subways should have conversation cars - New York Daily News

"Why Subways Should Have Conversation Cars" (Alex Marshall) http://nydn.us/guKoHP #transit #MTA #nyct via @governing @transportdata

Park Panacea over BQE Trench - The Architect's Newspaper

This would be amazing: @van_alen trustee talks about #cplan for new park over BQE highway trench @archpaper http://ow.ly/3IpdL #cities #NYC

Streetsblog.net » The Maddening Wrongness of TTI’s Annual Urban Mobility Rankings

The Maddening Wrongness of TTI’s Urban Mobility Rankings @ggwash @streetsblog http://ow.ly/3HZQ4 #cplan #urbanpolicy via @transportdata

Martin Schifino looks at new anthologies of the writing of Jorge Luis Borges – TLS

Review: The unknown Jorge Luis #Borges (UK Times LS) http://bit.ly/e92vdY via @EliseBlackwell @hollmanlozano @asteger @bjacobson @IanWardle

Mayors See No End to Hard Choices for Cities - NYTimes.com

Mayors See No End to Hard Choices for Major #Cities (NYT) http://nyti.ms/gY12J5 via @urbanophile @ctdata

polis: The Use of Old Buildings, 50 Years Later

Jane Jacobs and the use of old buildings, 50 years later @thepolisblog http://t.co/l7EjKdJ #urbanism #JaneJacobs #econdev

The Dig Will Never End — The Pop-Up City

Exploring subways in Berlin, New York and Paris @popupcity http://ow.ly/3Du8p #urbex #cities via @transportdata

The Big Obscenity: A Trillion Dollars a Year to the Richest 1% | Common Dreams

If US productivity gains since 1980 were shared evenly, middle class would make $13K more: http://bit.ly/f4bOos #inequality via @micheleqj

Shareable: Share Your Car: Join the New Economy

Peer-to-peer #carsharing apps like @Getaround foster community & sustainability @ShareableDesign: http://ow.ly/3FWph #gov20 via @civichack

As Incomes Gap Widens, New York Grows Apart (Gotham Gazette, Jan 2011)

Analysis @gothamgazette: NYC is experiencing historic concentrations of income in top 1%. http://bit.ly/gRLeH6 #inequality via @OtisWhite

The Poverty of Ownership — Sightline Daily - Northwest News that Matters

New #poverty measure shows fewer renters, more home owners in poverty @sightline http://bit.ly/f0ipqp #census #demographics via @jhiskes

As Washington goes … | New Urban Network

Urban resurgence: Most expensive housing in 2000 was suburban Great Falls, VA. Now it's Dupont Circle townhouses http://is.gd/baVyf5

New data adds job creation to the many benefits of bicycle infrastructure - Welcome to the FastLane: The Official Blog of the U.S. Secretary of Transportation

USDOT: New data adds jobs creation to the many benefits of bicycle infrastructure http://ow.ly/3DsaV #cplan via @RayLaHood @transportdata

Goodspeed Update » Blog Archive » Which Crowdsourcing?

Public Sector Crowdsourcing: @RGoodspeed analyzes four types we might consider: http://bit.ly/hjRzna #civichacking #cities #cplan #gov20

Census shows minorities moving outward, whites closer to Loop - Chicago Sun-Times

Chicago: still segregated, but boundaries are shifting http://bit.ly/gkTY7B Map: http://bit.ly/fQNwst #census #chi #demographics via @jtinks

Interactive map: Racial and ethnic breakdowns -

Chicago: still segregated, but boundaries are shifting http://bit.ly/gkTY7B Map: http://bit.ly/fQNwst #census #chi #demographics via @jtinks

Tech-savvy parking meters | Yale Daily News

RT @ctdata Dynamic parking meters come to downtown New Haven. Thanks @DonaldShoup! @yaledailynews: http://ow.ly/3GHfj #cplan #NHV @dwscmt

10_steps_to_a_slow_home_for_mo.html

Slow home initiative promotes smaller, greener, more urban living @Kaid_at_NRDC http://bit.ly/g3sOVP #cplan #archi #urbanism via @Judy_GVV

growing_wealthier_report_shows.html

New report connects #smartgrowth land use planning to economic prosperity: NRDC http://bit.ly/hqFgFx #CPlan via @hillsboroughMPO @ctdata

What Matters: Let’s build cities for people (not cars)

McKinsey article: Why future #cities should be built high-density for pedestrians: http://bit.ly/gs4kic #urbanism #cplan via @rafay_alam

Sunderland City Council : Local Public Data

More #cities should open up their public convenience location data like this http://bit.ly/h5Nrwa #opendata #gov20 via @civichack @iamdanw

LISC: Our Work: National Programs: Community Safety Initiative: MetLife Foundation Awards Program

Do you have an innovative community-police safety program? @LISC_HQ is accepting proposals http://fb.me/P3XCqWUE #nonprofit #criminaljustice

Health Impact Assessment: A Tool That Can Build A Healthier America | The Health Care Blog

Health Impact Assessment to evaluate highways, Medicare, etc can improve public health: http://bit.ly/fKPoFM #Cplan via @hiablog @LaurelYama

Urban Informatics » Pre-publication announcement: From Social Butterfly to Engaged Citizen (MIT Press 2012)

New MIT book: #UrbanInformatics, Social Media, Mobile Tech & Citizen Engagement http://bit.ly/gFnKGY #gov20 via @stephaniewojcik @ctdata

WalkingTheWalk_CEOsforCities.pdf

How #Walkability Raises Home Values in #Cities- @CEOsforCities report w/ @walkscore: http://bit.ly/2MZ7vN #econdev #cplan via @enablingcity

The Grass Is Fake, but the Splendor Real - NYTimes.com

Downtown NYC now has another fake, indoor, private park @NYTimes http://ow.ly/3FlON #urbanism via @van_alen

WAMU 88.5 FM American University Radio - News Features for Monday January 10, 2011

45% Decline in Crashes after Distracted Driving Crackdown in Virginia: http://ow.ly/3B5tf #dwd #cities via @TransportNation @transportdata

New York's transportation chief is a latter-day Robin Hood | Environment | guardian.co.uk

Guardian: New York's transportation chief is a latter-day Robin Hood http://ow.ly/3CUUc #cplan #bikeNYC via @lloydalter @YuriArtibise

Trend 2: Bloggers Are The New City-Branders — The Pop-Up City

Bloggers Are The New City-Branders: http://ht.ly/3AmPR #econdev #gov20 #cities via @YuriArtibise @civichack

Digital Urban: Data Mash-Ups and the Future of Mapping: JISC Report

Report: Data mashups and the future of #mapping @JISC http://ow.ly/3ykap #GIS #gov20 via @digitalurban @civichack

LISC: Resources: New Approaches to Comprehensive Neighborhood Change: Replicating and Adapting LISC’s Building Sustainable Communities Program

New Approaches to Comprehensive Neighborhood Change: @LISC_HQ Building Sustainable Communities Program http://ow.ly/3CV5L #cplan

SeeClickFix iPhone app 2.0 Released - SeeClickFix

New @seeclickfix app released: http://bit.ly/i0pQiE #gov20 #opengov #open311 via @benberkowitz

Video - Pothole Reporting App SeeClickFix Raises $1.5 Million And Helps You Be A Squeakier Wheel - WSJ.com

SeeClickFix raises $1.5 million - video interview @WSJ http://ow.ly/3DZZR #gov20 #opengov #ogov via @benberkowitz

First "Cycling Superhighways" in London result in 100% YOY increase in peak hour bike trips @TfLofficial http://ow.ly/3E9aW #cplan via @GOOD

Local Coders Help Improve Government Functions

Local Software Coders Help Improve Government Functions @GOVERNING http://ow.ly/3zEno #gov20 #civichacking #ogov

No McMansions for Millennials - Developments - WSJ

WSJ: Why 88% of millenials want to live in an urban setting. http://on.wsj.com/e4FP2u #cre #urbanism #cities via @jtinks @johnvbriel

Otis White

New piece @otiswhite ponders how #cities create citizens: http://otiswhite.com/ #urbanism #econdev via @ctdata

High-Speed Rail in America - America 2050

Impt new study by @America2050 IDs most promising #HSR corridors based on density, transit: http://bit.ly/eMqWYL #cplan #rail #urbanpolicy

Housing bust creates new kind of declining city - Los Angeles Times

LAT Study: #Cities where home prices have fallen most could deteriorate similar to Rust Belt http://lat.ms/hLFkj2 #cplan via @urbanbydesign

Makeshift Metropolis: Ideas about Cities, by Witold Rybczynski - The Globe and Mail

Book Review @globeandmail: Makeshift Metropolis: Ideas about #Cities http://t.co/nQbnjtI #cplan #urbanism via @pier8group @UrbnDsgn

BioMed Central Blog : Sharing research data to improve public health

Sharing research data to improve #publichealth: New agreements: http://bit.ly/h9Wimv #opendata @gatesfoundation via @mirnacvijic @hiablog

Pruned: Giant Urban Swings

Giant urban swings: Article @pruned http://ow.ly/3zr4E #urbanism via @ehooge

Health Matters! New Haven

Visions of Healthier New Haven seeks to make #NHV healthiest city in US: Film trailer here: http://ow.ly/3CEJl #healthequity via @ctdata

Digital Urban: High on London: Tilt-Shift City

High on London: Tilt-Shift City (New Video) http://t.co/Bm9Bj3h #urbanism #lon via @digitalurban @NextAmCity

Making StatsCan Data Free: Assessing the Cost | eaves.ca

Assessing the Cost of Making StatsCan Free: http://bit.ly/e3fHPa #gov20 #opendata #cdnpoli via @daeaves @OpenDataLondon @civichack

An Assault on Everyone’s Safety - NYTimes.com

NYTimes op-ed on gun control: With expiration of gun laws, anyone can buy a 33-bullet Glock & gun down entire classroom. http://ow.ly/3BZnn

Doctoral degrees: The disposable academic | The Economist

2005-09 US: 100,000+ doctoral degrees, 16,000 new professorships. The Disposable Academic: http://ow.ly/3yhki #highered via @shannonekeating

SeeClickFix Gets Seen, Clicked And Funded (By Omidyar Network And O’Reilly)

Funding for SeeClickFix: RT @dsalinas3030 Good for #nhv RT @petesena Congrats @benberkowitz &SCF crew http://ow.ly/1rZxU8 @timoreilly #ogov

W. K. Kellogg Foundation - Creating Spaces for Change

Report @WK_Kellogg_Fdn: Creating Spaces for Citizen Engagement and Civic Change http://ow.ly/3yhC1 #cplan #gov20

Jerry Brown to live in walkable neighborhood for his new stint as California governor | Grist

Fmr CA Gov Schwarzenegger: Charter jet back to LA every day. Gov Brown: Walks to urban loft by Capitol http://ow.ly/3yi0X via @transportdata

Presentation%20Chamber%2011-22-10%20grey.pdf

Presentation on how #NHV will use TIGER funds to tear out & redevelop an outmoded highway (PDF): http://ow.ly/3BnPY #cities via @ctdata

How the Child Welfare System Works

Brief, easy to understand info about how US child welfare system works (CWIG): http://bit.ly/gO8rwl #ece via @AllianceNews @health_data

Arts Post - Where is Washington's great public square?

WaPo: Washington #DC lacks a great public square. Where would you put one? http://wapo.st/dHCDI4 #cities #urbanism #cplan via @wharchitects

v15_a6.pdf

Policy Analysis: Municipal Residency Requirements For First Responders: http://ow.ly/3A2Xv #localgov #urbanpolicy

Paying For Rain: The Details | New Haven Independent

More U.S. #cities explore ways to tax #nonprofit orgs, levy fines on stormwater. #NHV example: http://ow.ly/3zpWl #cplan #localgov

New streetcar brings gentrification fears to Lego City - Greater Greater Washington

New streetcars raise fear of gentrification in #Lego City: http://ow.ly/3xYXt #transit #urbanism via @stickbook @woonerf @PlanningJournal

Birth to Thrive Online

New legislatures in WI, IA & GA train sights on cutting #ece education http://bit.ly/gkccVe #earlyed via @psnwire @TAXJUSTICE @truemajority

Why Chinese Mothers Are Superior - WSJ.com

Amy Chua of #NHV has a thought-provoking essay in the WSJ today, "Why Chinese Mothers are Superior" http://ow.ly/3AySq #parenting #edgap

New Opportunities But Little Recovery :: DesignIntelligence

25 trends that will impact #architecture & urban design over the next 4 years @dinet: http://ow.ly/3yFGU #archi #cre

Feature: Is West Philly the Next Center City? - Philadelphia Magazine - phillymag.com

Philadelphia Magazine: Is West Philly the next Center City? http://bit.ly/fPcLSr #highered #econdev via @LauraDuran

The Rockefeller Foundation on “the future of crowdsourced cities” | Urbanscale

Article by @urbanscale on future of crowdsourced #cities & civic participation http://ht.ly/3wGyN #urbanism #cplan #gov20 via @YuriArtibise

here_are_some_stories_that.html

Six key stories that will shape the future of US #cities in 2011 @Kaid_at_NRDC: http://ow.ly/3waHZ #urbanism #urbanpolicy #cplan

Interactive | State of Working America

1928-1977: Richest 10% got 24% of #income growth; bottom 90% got 76%. Since '77, rich got 100% of growth: http://ow.ly/3A5Cd via @jeffcdi

gordon2010_augdelib.pdf

Augmented deliberation: physical+virtual interaction to engage communities in #cplan http://ow.ly/3xhqF #AR via @stephaniewojcik @ehooge

The Rise of the New Global Elite - Magazine - The Atlantic

The Rise of the New Global Elite @TheAtlantic http://ow.ly/3yEYA #inequality via @urbanophile

YouTube - Designing for Active Living

New video by @landarchitects shows how #cities can create healthy, vibrant neighborhoods: http://ow.ly/3zrSk #archi #cplan via @ctdata

the_messy_issue_of_design_in_s.html

Excellent essay by @Kaid_at_NRDC on the impact of design on smart growth: http://bit.ly/gerxDD #Cplan #Urbanism #archi via @landreader

Red Hook’s Zoning Battle: Housing versus Industry | Local Brooklyn News and Features | The Brooklyn Ink

Article at @TheBrooklynInk about a zoning battle in Brooklyn's rapidly-changing #RedHook neighborhood: http://ht.ly/3vTmU #cplan via @IfUD

Half in Ten

How Much Do You Really Know About #Poverty? Great Quiz @HalfInTen: http://ow.ly/3yUVt #demographics #census via @9to5colorado @ctdata

Census Bureau releases alternative measures of poverty

Alt measures of #poverty from @uscensusbureau revise 1960s formula. Btwn 39M-53M Americans in poverty http://wapo.st/gVqK94 #securefamilies

Messiness At Scale | Stowe Boyd

Messiness at Scale: Open web, data portability & superlinearity of #cities @stoweboyd http://t.co/OeaWYRD #urbanism via @neilperkin @BBHLabs

Jobs at New Haven Promise - A component fund of the Community Foundation for Greater New Haven - GNH Community

The New Haven Promise #edreform program is hiring several new staff. Check out the postings: http://ow.ly/3yGbs #NHV #jobs via @leecruz

Detroit in Ruins « How to be a Retronaut

Detroit: City in Ruins @theretronaut: http://ow.ly/3x45V & Other side of the story @urbanophile: http://ow.ly/3x45D #urbanism #cities #DTW

The Urbanophile » Blog Archive » The Other Side of Detroit

Detroit: City in Ruins @theretronaut: http://ow.ly/3x45V & Other side of the story @urbanophile: http://ow.ly/3x45D #urbanism #cities #DTW

Sarah Walzer: Why Can't We Bridge the Achievement Gap? Maybe We Are Not Looking in the Right Place

By kindergarten, average low-income child hears 15M words. Middle-income child hears 55M. http://ow.ly/3vMYg #edgap via @thinkchildcare

Coming soon: Parking rates that go up at busiest times | Seattle Times Mobile

Variable parking rates coming to Seattle. Smart, but will lower income drivers find them fair? http://ow.ly/3yBCp #cplan via @donaldshoup

'Crash taxes' are growing in popularity among cash-strapped California cities - Los Angeles Times

Cause car crash, get billed for it by your town? 'Crash taxes' grow in popularity in some #cities: http://ow.ly/3y4Ir #localgov #taxpolicy

Advocacy - San Francisco Urban Agriculture Alliance

SF amends zoning to allow food production & sales in the city: http://bit.ly/g3sFYw #urbanag #foodpolicy #cplan via @upcycledlove

RT @ctdata Proposal: Assessing Reliability of #FedGov Data-Based Visualizations & Applications http://www.datastandards.org/ #opengov #gov20

YouTube - FIETSENZWERMEN.mov

DIY parking: Dutch artist fascinated by bike parking patterns: http://bit.ly/eUaiUv #publicart #urbanism via @amsterdamized @Intersection911

Connecticut Law Tribune: 2011 Forecast: For Real Estate Bar, Time For ‘Over-The-Horizon Targeting’

Forecast for CT #CRE: Glut of homes in #suburbs. Look at #NHV & Stamford for downtown development: http://ow.ly/3ybKU via @leecruz @ctdata

older_homes_are_holding_their.html

Older homes holding value better than newer: 1930s homes up 100%, 1990s homes up 10% @Kaid_at_NRDC: http://ow.ly/3y9g7 #smartgrowth #cplan

Garden Sharing: Farming Meets Social Networks - Food - GOOD

Garden Sharing: Farming Meets Social Networks http://su.pr/5qrvxn #urbanism #gov20 #urbanag via @urbanlabs @health_data

Upcoming Webinar @PublicHealth: What Healthy Communities Need from their Transportation Network http://ow.ly/3wmLx #cplan via @transportdata

New Census numbers confirm the resurgence of cities | Sustainable Cities Collective

Many US #cities may start to resemble Paris as wealth grows in centers & declines in #suburbs http://ow.ly/3wb0G #census #urbanpolicy #cplan

Historical Metropolitan Populations of the United States - Peakbagger.com

Historical Metropolitan Populations of the United States http://ow.ly/3xEoo #demographics via @ctdata

Equality, a True Soul Food - NYTimes.com

How US's income #inequality literally sickens us http://nyti.ms/hFUdC3 #sdoh #publichealth via @Sheril_ @hiablog

NRDC: Getting Back on Track

NRDC State Transpo Policy & Climate Change Report: CA MD NJ CT WA top new ranking http://ow.ly/3s4J5 #ghg #urbanpolicy #cplan via @t4america

What lies ahead: Gov 2.0 - O'Reilly Radar

Open Government moving from theory to practice @timoreilly http://ow.ly/3wyRt #gov20 #opengov via @benberkowitz @civichack

New job posting: F/T Data Analyst at @ctdata http://www.idealist.org/view/job/34TSD7DB4GwSP/ #NHV #opengov #jobs

A Driver Explosion Leaves China No Closer to Finding a Fast Lane - NYTimes.com

2,000 new cars added every day to #Beijing streets: traffic explodes! @NYTimes http://nyti.ms/eAK0mX #urbanism #cplan #ghg via @LorneDaniel

Gallery: Kodachrome Is Dead, Long Live Kodachrome - Alexis Madrigal - Technology - The Atlantic

Kodachrome Is Dead, Long Live Kodachrome (Gallery) http://ow.ly/3wm5c #Kodak via @j_u_l_i

Ow.ly - DataHaven DATA ANALYST Job Posting 010311.pdf uploaded by @ctdata

DataHaven (New Haven CT) is looking for a F/T Data Analyst. Email inquiry only please. PDF job posting: http://ow.ly/d/9Mz #GIS #NHV #cplan

A Multicultural River Bend in Newark - WSJ.com

Newark's famous Ironbound District is a diverse nabe with great #urbanism & great food (WSJ): http://ow.ly/3wE69 @corybooker via @kennethlo

In hard times, Cleveland blacks' views about immigrants shifting | cleveland.com

Fastest-declining city in US sees foreign-born popn drop 30% to 5%. #CLE tries to welcome immigrants http://ow.ly/3was1 via @Richard_Florida

State of Working America preview: The rich get richer

Wealthiest 1% now have net worth 225 times higher than median American family @EPInstitute: Rich get richer http://bit.ly/gyWdhL #inequality

U.S. Housing Recovery Stalls - WSJ.com

Economists: Housing prices may continue to drop through 2011 (WSJ) http://ow.ly/3vNbC via @aarieff

Item Not Found - Knight2010Applications

RT @ctdata Proposal: Assessing Reliability of #FedGov Data-Based Visualizations & Applications http://www.datastandards.org/ #opengov #gov20

The Place Making Dividend | Planetizen

Why having a "sense of place" in communities pays such a large dividend: http://bit.ly/iieudL #cplan #placemaking via @ReginaUrbanEco

Primero Hay Que Aprender Español. Ranhou Zai Xue Zhongwen. - NYTimes.com

Primero Hay Que Aprender Español. Ranhou Zai Xue Zhongwen @NickKristof http://ow.ly/3wldD #demographics #edpolicy

America’s revival begins in its cities - The Boston Globe

Glaeser Op-Ed: America's revival begins in its #cities http://ow.ly/3waSM #urbanpolicy #smartgrowth via @Richard_Florida @ctdata

The Battle for Control of Smart Cities | Fast Company

Battle for Control of Smarter Cities: http://ow.ly/3qqBg #gov20 #opendata #cities via @benberkowitz

Manhattanites Move to Luxury Rentals as Cost Falls Versus Buying - Bloomberg

NYC house with $77,000 monthly payment now rented for $45,000/month: #Rentals popular as prices drop http://ow.ly/3wbrl via @jonathanmiller

Nine Cities Integrating the Bicycle into their Transport Infrastructure | This Big City

Nine #Cities Integrating Bicycles into their Transport Infrastructure: http://is.gd/jLXQh #cplan #urbanism via @urbanophile

Arboreal Accent for New York Avenue Bridge - Housing Complex - Washington City Paper

Arboreal Accent on Washington DC Bridge, Designed by Kent Bloomer of #NHV @WCP http://ow.ly/3vp8h #Architecture

Gary Shilling: House Prices Will Drop Another 20%

Extensive #census data used w/in argument why U.S. home values will drop another 20%: http://ow.ly/3vQwx #demographics via @Richard_Florida

Top 5 Longreads from 2010

RT @jessunscripted Exercise for the brain: just made my way through superb top @longreads recs by @patrickcdoyle http://bit.ly/f3jov6 #ebert

Dennis Markatos: Nation's Premier Intercity Greenway Completes Year of Record Growth

Astounding Progress: Intercity @ECgreenway Completes Record Year of Growth http://huff.to/i6Sfvc #cities #urbanpolicy via @AlexSteffen

London sees 7% shift away from cars | Bicycle Business | BikeBiz

7% increase in #LON shifting to bike walk & #transit, saving 1m car trips http://bit.ly/fNdPHE via @walkonomics @freetransit @carbonpolitics

5 Ways Cities Are Using Social Media to Reverse Economic Downturn

A few ideas on how to use social media to reverse economic troubles within U.S. #cities: http://ow.ly/3qwia #econdev via @civichack

Where are the jobs? For many companies, overseas - Yahoo! News

By 2015, Asia middle class will equal those in Europe & America combined. Many new #jobs, but not here: http://is.gd/jERLf via @vanderbeeken

Light Rail Transforming Cities, Guiding Development : NPR

Light #rail transforms #cities, guides development http://j.mp/h3RsZ7 #cplan via @ttpolitic @PlanningJournal @AndreDarmanin @transportdata

The Root: The Myth of the Food Desert : NPR

Op-Ed @NPRnews: Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act important; more needed to combat #obesity in cities http://n.pr/hvP057 via @HealthJusticeCT

Strapped Cities Hit Nonprofits With Fees - WSJ.com

WSJ: US #cities are finding ways to tax formerly tax-exempt #nonprofit organizations. http://on.wsj.com/f0IEIe #localgov via @OtisWhite

YouTube - Cinema 2010

Viral video compilation of scenes & music from 2010's top movies: http://ow.ly/3v1ku via @WSJSpeakeasy

Christmas in America

2011 reveals two starkly different social realities in USA: Analysis of new #census & human services data @WSWS_Updates http://ow.ly/3uYeL

In Michigan, Hamtramck Pleads for a Bankruptcy Option - NYTimes.com

Future of #Cities? NYTimes: In Michigan, City of #Hamtramck Desperately Pleads for Bankruptcy: http://ow.ly/3uVRB #DTW #inequality #pensions

Urban Omnibus » The Future of the Crowdsourced City

Excellent review @urbanomnibus: "Future of the Crowdsourced City" http://bit.ly/fdrefS #cities #gov20 #urbanism via @opendatalondon @jdarrah

Jennifer Klein for Democracy Journal: Apocalypse Then, and Now

Why our economic mess and growing #inequality can be traced to the 1970s @DemJournal http://ow.ly/3qSIz #wallstreet via @health_data

Citizen engagement platforms grow in 2010 - O'Reilly Radar

Citizen engagement platforms grow in 2010: http://bit.ly/fHyTIA #ogov #gov20 via @hno @gervis @opengov20 @civichack

You are where you live | ecosistema urbano

You are where you live | ecosistema urbano http://bit.ly/fdG7O6 #healthequity #publichealth via @josemsubero @health_data

More bicycling means safer streets | New Urban Network

New Study: Encouraging #cycling leads to greater traffic safety for all @newurbannetwork http://bit.ly/eEwX1r #cplan via @PaulABarter @glhjr

CoLab Radio » Blog Archive » Strolling and Scrolling: Navigating the Local through the New York Times Brooklyn “Local ” Blog

Strolling vs. Scrolling: Manifestations of a #hyperlocal blog in Brooklyn http://ow.ly/1rTwG3 #urbanism via @MITCoLab @enablingcity @ehooge

Swine Flu Ancestor Born on U.S. Factory Farms | Wired Science | Wired.com

H1N1 human-pig-bird hybrid born on North Carolina factory farms, @PublicHealth requested ban on new farms http://ow.ly/1rYIpy #publichealth

Neighbors helping Neighbors to get their heat on in NYC - SeeClickFix

Neighbors help neighbors get their heat on in NYC: http://ow.ly/3nhLg #gov20 #ogov #open311 via @benberkowitz @civichack

Pensions Push Property Taxes Higher - WSJ.com

WSJ: Pensions push #localgov property taxes higher: http://is.gd/jnOOc #urbanpolicy via @urbanophile

Seven New Year’s resolutions to make your neighborhood a better place | Grist

New Years resolutions to make your nabe a better place, incl using @seeclickfix http://bit.ly/hjiB2K #urbanism via @minmien @mplsriverdesign

Ingredients of a Walkable Street

What are the ingredients of a walkable street? Good summary here: http://ow.ly/3m0hx #cplan #urbanism via @transportdata

Whitney Museum of American Art: New Building Project

Renzo Piano new Whitney Museum won't connect to High Line http://bit.ly/8Z3zdU Article @curbedny http://bit.ly/h5LxV3 #archi via @agnesinsf

Whitney Museum Unveils New Designs, Divorces the High Line! - Mindboggling Reveals - Curbed NY

Renzo Piano new Whitney Museum won't connect to High Line http://bit.ly/8Z3zdU Article @curbedny http://bit.ly/h5LxV3 #archi via @agnesinsf

New Poll: Nearly Two-Thirds Favor Banning Cell Phone Use While Driving » INFRASTRUCTURIST

New Poll: Nearly Two-Thirds Favor Banning Cell Phone Use While Driving @Infrastructurst http://bit.ly/doYVyS #DWD via @transportdata

How a planned highway can change a city, even if it never gets built. (1) - By Tom Vanderbilt - Slate Magazine

Check out @tomvanderbilt's fantastic journey on some of America's unbuilt highways @Slate: http://ow.ly/3tUFo #urbanism #cplan #JaneJacobs

The Suburbs: A Review « Living Urbanism

The Suburbs: New Review @livingurbanism http://bit.ly/g2IxKg #ArcadeFire #sprawl #urbanism

HousingPolicy.org | Policy - Use Cross-Subsidies to Support Mixed-Income Communities

How Can #Cities Facilitate use of Cross-Subsidies to Create Mixed-Income Communities? @NHCandCenter http://ow.ly/3tfYZ #cplan via @ctdata

Malcolm_Gladwell_Transcribed.pdf

Gladwell Speech: Why we should fight for public goods (PDF) http://goo.gl/P2pq9 #urbanism #econdev #tippingpoint via @eclisham @ccoletta

Improving Environments for Health & Health Equity

RT @healthinequity: @preventioninst's "Improving Environments for Health & Health Equity" resources http://bit.ly/g4FiTg #healthequity #sdoh

The Postman Always Pings Twice - NYTimes.com

NYTimes Op-Ed for distributed sensing through US postal service: http://nyti.ms/hZG4rn #gov20 #smartercity via @sunshinepolicy @civichack

Parking infrastructure: energy, emissions, and automobile life-cycle environmental accounting

New study on US parking infrastructure: energy, emissions, auto life-cycle accounting: http://ow.ly/3oQ0H #cplan #ghg via @PlanningJournal

The Significance of Data from the 2010 Census - Up Front Blog - Brookings Institution

"Syzygy": Explaining significance of recent & upcoming 2010 #Census data releases @BrookingsInst http://brookin.gs/gu9R #cplan via @ctdata

Helpful technical document for #Census users: Applying Statistical Testing to 2005-2009 #ACS 5-Year Data @uscensusbureau http://ow.ly/3tfoS

Visualizing Bloodtests

Can an #infographic help medicine? (also applies to public sector) @infobeautiful http://bit.ly/eFuq7i @publichealth #gov20 via @juliogatx

D.C. population soars past 600,000 for first time in years

Government growth is rapidly changing #DC Population: http://wapo.st/dEpa9D #2010census #cities #demographics via @lisamaret

Open Left:: More maps of growing income inequality, stagnation

More maps of growing US income #inequality, stagnation @openleft http://bit.ly/hmBa3w #p21 #census #cities via @NatalieLin @raybeckerman

This page is available to GlobePlus subscribers

Shrinking middle class makes #Toronto a city of socioeconomic extremes: http://bit.ly/havdhC #inequality #cdnpoli #tor via @mkmcvey

Memex 1.1 » Blog Archive » The neutering of the Net: what the FCC ruling means

@Sean_Matteson see: Neutering of the Net: what the FCC ruling really means: http://bit.ly/gug0sC #netneutrality #gov20 via @glynmoody

Net Neutrality passes FCC, with #POTUS support (WaPo) http://bit.ly/dHmoJr #gov20 #netneutrality via @Sean_Matteson

Newsom gets homeless off streets - problems linger

SF mayor #Newsom promised to move homeless off streets. Now that he's leaving, here's how he did: http://bit.ly/f5SB3c #SF via @health_data

New report: State transportation decisions could save money and reduce carbon emissions | Smart Growth America

New report @SmartGrowthUSA: State transpo decisions could save money & reduce #ghg emissions: http://bit.ly/gbV08z #cplan via @transportdata

educated_class_flocks_to_urban.html

Educated class flocks to urban communities @Kaid_at_NRDC: http://bit.ly/hsyYOg #urbanism #demographics via @svrdesign

2010 Census Data - 2010 Census

CT up 4.9% to 3.6M. RT @uscb_newyork #2010census population results- nat'l 309M (+9.7%) #NY 19M (+2.1%), #NJ 8.8M (+4.5%) http://ow.ly/3sDIT

Down to business: SOM gets $50M gift for new campus « 06520

$50M donation to #Yale for massive Norm Foster-designed business campus: Named Evans Hall. http://ow.ly/3sAh8 #NHV #architecture via @ctdata

Architects and Builders Using Recycled and Repurposed Material - NYTimes.com

Junkyard Architecture: Repurposed Deconstruction (NYTimes) http://nyti.ms/fQsSPT #cities #urbanism #archi via @kathodgson @Richard_Florida

Demolition_of_the_Paris_Metro

Awesome #urbex post about Paris metro: history, ghost stations, abandoned trains http://bit.ly/dSkh9V #urbanism #spelunking via @nicolasnova

$2tn debt crisis threatens to bring down 100 US cities | Business | The Guardian

$2Tn debt crisis may bring down 100 US #cities, state capitols sold to investors (Guardian) http://t.co/k2YU2KR #cplan via @narcissastre

Young Detroiters save synagogue, aligning its mission with "tikkun olam" http://bit.ly/f4qxHA #cities @markopp1 #DTW via @ccoletta

What’s on your smartphone, Craig Newmark? - iPhone app article - Brad Spirrison | Appolicious ™ iPhone and iPad App Directory

What apps are on @craignewmark's smart phone? Find out here: http://ow.ly/3scp8 @seeclickfix @munialerts #angrybirds #gov20

Swallowing hard, New Haven agrees to remove an expressway | New Urban Network

RT @newurbannetwork Swallowing hard, New Haven agrees to remove an expressway: http://bit.ly/fhHNAt #NHV #cplan

The Future of Sustainable Urban Mobility: Make the Poor A Priority | TheCityFix.com

Future of Sustainable Urban Mobility: Make the Poor A Priority @TheCityFix http://ow.ly/3lMTK #transit #inequality via @transportdata

Next American City » Columns » Tracking the Rise of Inner City Household Incomes Reveals an Increasing Spatial Divide

Rising "Inner City" HH Incomes Reveal Increasing Spatial Divide @ttpolitic -also in #NHV http://t.co/JCUOhAy #cplan via @CNT_tweets @ctdata

A Physicist Turns the City Into an Equation - NYTimes.com

A Physicist Turns the City into an Equation (NYTimes) http://tinyurl.com/39mlxhv #cplan #urbanism #archi via @urbanbydesign @buildllc

The Release of The 2005-2009 Estimates For Small Areas From The American Community Survey - The Director's Blog

2005-2009 ACS Estimates will offer new insights on social determinants of health. http://ow.ly/3rSKE & http://ow.ly/3rSKF #healthdisparities

United States - Data Sets - American FactFinder

2005-2009 ACS Estimates will offer new insights on social determinants of health. http://ow.ly/3rSKE & http://ow.ly/3rSKF #healthdisparities

Record levels of poverty among families with wages - Home News, UK - The Independent

UK: Record levels of #poverty among families with wages http://ind.pn/ie5NgT #Healthequity #Inequality #csr via @nerveinjurysupp

Education Does Not Explain Growth in Inequality - Newsweek

Health care is "the real elephant in the room." RT @EPInstitute Education does not explain growth in #inequality http://bit.ly/dZvQ68 #hcr

Belly-Up In The Burbs: Bank-Owned Developments | Newgeography.com

READING: Belly-Up In The Burbs: Bank-Owned Developments | Newgeography.com: http://bit.ly/ifNbVy via @addthis

Geo-tweets and population density | Seeing Data

Overlaying the location of geo-tweets on a population density map: http://bit.ly/e5ahLx #GIS #mapping via @fogonwater @civichack

Boston Review — William Rankin: State of the Nation

time to junk the term "inner city", based on studies of cities with exceptional segregation patterns http://bit.ly/gQI8at in @BostonReview

Polymaps

JavaScript library for image & vector-tiled #mapping using SVG by @SimpleGeo & @stamen: http://polymaps.org #GIS via @PSFK @Open_Cities

Editorials & Opinion | A more-efficient approach to governing our cities | Seattle Times Newspaper

A more-efficient approach to governing our #cities: http://ht.ly/3pasL #gov20 #ogov #citistat via @katenesse @yuriartibise @civichack

MIT plans expansion of University Park - The Tech

Cambridge, MA gets denser as #MIT plans another major Kendall Square expansion @thetech: http://ow.ly/3nfTV #BOS #cplan #highered via @c4fcm

Rural America gets even more sparsely populated - Los Angeles Times

Rural counties in US continue to rapidly lose population (LATimes) http://ow.ly/3qOPl #demographics #census via @van_alen

Graduation Rates Over Time: Private Research Institutions - Students - The Chronicle of Higher Education

U.S. graduation rates are highest at #Harvard and #Yale (97%), but have declined at one-third of universities: http://ow.ly/3pDqc #highered

BRATTON.INFO - texts - iphone city

iPhone City: Article on future of digital cities @bratton http://tinyurl.com/23mz6z6 #archi #architecture via @mcsangrigoli @ethel_baraona

Real Estate News and Analysis: Downtowns Get a Fresh Lease - WSJ.com

This year, #suburbs lost 16M sqft occupied office space, but downtowns remained stable: http://on.wsj.com/gO5vKk #CRE #cplan via @OtisWhite

Product updates and other awesomeness | SimpleGeo · Blog

SimpleGeo pushes the #opendata ball forward w/ two new products, Places and Context. http://bit.ly/hIA6gY #mapping via @timoreilly @atogle

Cyclists Pedal Faster On Wednesdays, Reveals Smart Bike Data - Technology Review

Bicycle Speeds Outpace Car Speeds in Downtown #Lyon (Technology Review) http://ow.ly/3j1lS #cplan via @SmartCityTalk @transportdata

Government data sharing gets past the warm-up -- Federal Computer Week

Government data sharing gets past the warm-up http://bit.ly/gnnpnu #gov20 #ogov via @Jay_Nath

Janette Sadik-Khan and Mayor Bloomberg are right: You should love bike lanes - New York Daily News

Streets w/bikelane have far fewer car & ped crashes RT @Tri_State Op-ed @transalt #BikeNYC makes City safer 4 everyone http://nydn.us/ek9A8I

Open data study shows progress, but a long road ahead for open government - O'Reilly Radar

New Study: Citizens 3x More Likely to Vote For Politicians Who Champion #OpenGov http://oreil.ly/dSpMoL #ogov #gov20 via @digiphile @daeaves

Next American City » Columns » The Administration’s Big Streetcar Push Could Implode with New Congress

New streetcar projects, like New Haven's, could implode with new Congress @ttpolitic: http://bit.ly/hVO3WE #nhv #transit via @dfanewhaven

Cooltown Studios

"For Gen Y, it’s not about the dream home, but the dream ‘hood" @cooltown by @neilkt: http://ow.ly/3jznX #urbanism #cplan via @urbandata

Bogota's urban happiness movement - The Globe and Mail

2007 @globeandmail feature about @EnriquePenalosa and the #Bogota urban #happiness movement: http://ow.ly/3gOpq #urbanism #cplan #BOG

The Bristol Press: Bristol, Conn., and surrounding areas (BristolPress.com)

Website @bristolrising may allow Bristol #Connecticut to #crowdsource city developments: http://ow.ly/3jzut #cre #cplan #gov20 via @cooltown

Urban Intervention | Metropolis Magazine

Syracuse Univ spurring revitalisation thru Urban Intervention @metropolismag http://ow.ly/1rOLQk #highered #syr #econdev via @landreader

Slow Down App Stops Speeding by Messing with Your Music | Transportation Nation

New iPhone app stops speeding with distorted music in your car. Video @TransportNation: http://ow.ly/3lt7w @raylahood #publichealth #dwd

Walk places, meet people, and build social capital

People in walkable areas have more community involvement, higher levels of trust & are happier http://bit.ly/fBHwGd #cplan via @walkonomics

New York’s Black and Hispanic Areas Become More White - NYTimes.com

Nice analysis of changes in ethnicity in NYC over past 10 years by NYT http://nyti.ms/fRb0aN #census #Acs #demographics via @ttpolitic

Students taking maths post-16: Japan 85%, UK 14% | Education | The Guardian

RT @nesta_uk: UK falling behind in #math education: No. of students taking math post-16 = #Japan 85%, #NZ 41%, #UK 14% http://bit.ly/ff2rNw

New Arrivals Strain India’s Cities to Breaking Point - NYTimes.com

New Arrivals Strain India’s #Cities to Breaking Point: http://is.gd/ip53v #globalhealth #inequality via @jhiskes

Esri Food Desert Finder

Map @ESRI shows about 250,000 #Detroit residents live in a #fooddesert http://ow.ly/3j0xA #GIS #healthequity #DTW @EconDev_CUS_WSU @jherries

2 New Yale Colleges Move Toward Final City Approval | New Haven Independent

New Haven legislators approve $600 million #Yale Univ expansion: http://ow.ly/3p1n7 Background: http://ow.ly/3p1nh #econdev #NHV via @ctdata

Design New Haven: Renderings and Models of New Yale University Residential Colleges Released

New Haven legislators approve $600 million #Yale Univ expansion: http://ow.ly/3p1n7 Background: http://ow.ly/3p1nh #econdev #NHV via @ctdata

The 2010 State New Economy Index | The Information Technology & Innovation Foundation

2010 New Economy Index @itifdc: Top-ranked states are MA, WA, MD, NJ & CT http://ow.ly/3p35z #econdev #socent via @ctdata

200 Countries, 200 Years, 4 Minutes - Sokanu: The Blog

How to plot 120,000 numbers in 4 Minutes: "Health & Wealth" story of 200 Countries & 200 Years @Sokanu http://ow.ly/3p2mG #globalhealth

Road danger is biggest barrier to cycling, says research commissioned by DfT | road.cc | The website for pedal powered people: Road cycling, commuting, leisure cycling and racing. Voted the UK's number 1 cycling website at the 2010 BikeBiz awards.

New study @transportgovuk: 50% of potential cyclists would ride if England had more cycle paths: http://ow.ly/3oZsy #cplan via @BICIPlanning

Living near a major road tied to preterm birth | Reuters

New #publichealth study from Japan links living near a major road to preterm birth: http://reut.rs/fOGItZ via @urbaninvention @health_data

Streetsblog New York City » NYC Bike Count Continues Upward Trend in 2010 With 13 Percent Growth

NYC 2010: #Cycling at major #BikeNYC crossings up 13%, thanks to new bike lanes http://bit.ly/dNo145 #cplan #urbanism via @walkonomics

Overcoming Disparity – Women's health damaged by increased city living | Global development | guardian.co.uk

UN Report: Health gaps in #cities grow despite unprecedented global wealth & knowledge http://ow.ly/3h0R1 #healthequity via @HealthJusticeCT

Kings Cross Local Environment: Keeping Kings Cross crime down during the cuts – how information can drive better decisions

Getting crime data: What are community needs? http://twurl.nl/z5lbtg #hyperlocal #opendata #gov20 #ogov via @CountCulture @ctdata

More Immigrants Moving to Midsize Cities | Planetizen

Immigrants now favoring smaller & mid-size #cities over large gateways @planetizen http://ow.ly/1rUgQr #demographics via @Richard_Florida

1 in 10 Canadian children living in poverty: Report

One in ten Canadian children live in #poverty. @VancouverSun http://bit.ly/eeXyjG #Canada via @VFVitalSigns

‘Smart growth’ revitalizes San Marcos neighborhood - SignOnSanDiego.com

Former high crime #SanDiego nabe becomes example of #smartgrowth success http://ow.ly/3ku5j #cplan #urbanism v/ @kimskobba @PlanningJournal

New Haven's expressway replacement needs a more intimate scale | New Urban Network

New Haven expressway replacement needs a more intimate scale (Courant) @newurbannetwork http://bit.ly/etaCp7 #urbanism #NHV via @ctdata

The rich really are getting richer - The Globe and Mail

Almost a third of recent income growth in Canada has gone to the richest 1%: http://j.mp/eqpbLX #cdnpoli #inequality via @tony_tracy

Texting Deaths Drive U.S. to Consider Disabling Phones in Cars - Mobile and Wireless - News & Reviews - eWeek.com

To curb distracted driving, DOT considers software in cell phones to disable them in cars. http://ow.ly/3i4rl #dwd via @TransportNation

"Speed Table" Headed To Edwards Street | New Haven Independent

Speeding was so bad, nabe asked City of New Haven not to repave street. Speed Table coming to East Rock: http://ow.ly/3mtEN #NHV via @ctdata

Baltimore Schools, a Mission for Andres Alonso - NYTimes.com

Article @NYTimes: A Mission to Transform #Baltimore Schools: http://ow.ly/3iXFj #edreform #BMORE via @health_data

Tax Increment Financing, Sprawl, and Urbanism — Sightline Daily - Northwest News that Matters

Impact of Tax Increment Financing on #Sprawl and Urbanism @Sightline http://bit.ly/dQiC8y #cplan #smartgrowth via @ThePINPoint

Table Comparisons: 2005-2009 ACS 5-year estimates and Census 2000 SF3

Handy tool that will let you convert #Census 2000 tables to the latest ACS tables http://bit.ly/fZJomK #NNIP #cplan via @katenesse @ctdata

bicyclinginfo.org: Traffic Calming and Crime Prevention

Traffic Calming and Crime Prevention: http://ow.ly/3mxWv #publichealth #cities #cplan via @ctdata

It’s a Wonderful Block - NYTimes.com

On streets like West Rock Avenue, "New Urbanism is very old" @NYTimes: http://ow.ly/3jJCq #NHV #cities #urbandesign

EPA - EJView

What do you think of it? RT @PJoice: The EPA's environmental justice #GIS tool is amazing. http://bit.ly/ezeKOP #EJ #cplan #mapping

Newsroom: American Community Survey (ACS): Media Advisory — Census Bureau to Hold Audio and Web News Conference on the First Release of 5-Year (2005-2009) American Community Survey Estimates

Need neighborhood data? Get estimates on 12/14! #Census ACS 5-yr estimates to be released: http://ow.ly/3neVD #demographics via @uscb_boston

The education-policy Daily

The education-policy Daily is out! http://bit.ly/gUgXRr ▸ Top stories today via @dannermcp_youth @edworkforcedems @earlylearning

Sympathy for the President? | Mother Jones

Tax deal: Dem provisions give $214B to 156M people, GOP treats dole out $133B to 4M. http://mojo.ly/enKvAz #inequality #taxcut via @jsw33ts

Advantages of TransportAzumah

Advantages of the new New Haven to Boston bus service: http://ow.ly/3j3ps ... thanks @SeeClickFix! http://ow.ly/3j3ra #gov20 #NHV #BOS

TransSafety_JAPA.pdf

Slower and narrower, aka livable, streets are safer: (JAPA PDF) http://ow.ly/3hWf7 #cplan #urbanism via @CDhubPgh

lessons from a car-free life | zen habits

"Life is too short for traffic": Lessons from #carfree life http://ht.ly/3mfwk #urbanism #slowcities via @PlanningJournal @theurbancountry

syracuse.com

Syracuse, eight-time Golden Snowball champion, sets sights on all-time award of 200 inches: http://ow.ly/1rWfq9 #syr #Snowcember #snow

Household Deleveraging and the Economic Recovery - Up Front Blog - Brookings Institution

US household borrowing statistics underscore need for mitigating effects of unavoidable #foreclosures @BrookingsInst: http://brookin.gs/yPVh

Obama Tax Deal Further Concentrates Wealth: Stop the Death Spiral to Plutocracy - IPS

RT @ThePINPoint: Via @IPSdc_dotorg #Obama tax deal fails moral test: It worsens unequal wealth & power. http://ow.ly/3mzlG #p2 #inequality

Shared space, accessible space : Great City

What is shared space? Great pics: http://ow.ly/3lTeT & videos: http://ow.ly/3lTeU #cplan #urbanism via @great_city @ehooge

What is Shared Space? (Video) : Great City

What is shared space? Great pics: http://ow.ly/3lTeT & videos: http://ow.ly/3lTeU #cplan #urbanism via @great_city @ehooge

Chile's jails: Chile's prison tragedy | The Economist

33 miners saved in #Chile. Weeks later, over 80 people killed after being trapped in a #prison operating at 300% capacity http://ow.ly/3mNn3

Wisconsin and Ohio Forfeit U.S. Money for Rail Lines - NYTimes.com

More U.S. #Rail Funds for 13 States as 2 Reject Aid: http://ow.ly/3mINi #hsrail #urbanpolicy via @transportdata

The Worst Bathroom in New York City - NYTimes.com

Tenements in the shadow of #wallstreet and Bloomberg's NYC: Welcome to the city's worst bathroom: http://ow.ly/1rV106 #Bronx #inequality

NYC Health Commissioner: Urban Design is a Public Health Issue | Transportation Nation

NYC @NYCHealthy Commissioner speaks @nyuwagner: Urban Design is a Public Health Issue: http://bit.ly/dHQN61 Press: http://ow.ly/3eoNM #cplan

Traffic Fatalities Are at an All-Time Low in NYC, yet Crashes Remain a Common Cause of Injury-Related Hospitalization and Death

NYC @NYCHealthy Commissioner speaks @nyuwagner: Urban Design is a Public Health Issue: http://bit.ly/dHQN61 Press: http://ow.ly/3eoNM #cplan

Education Working Paper 4 | Sex, Drugs, and Delinquency in Urban and Suburban Public Schools

Data on Sex, Drugs, and Delinquency in Urban and Suburban Public Schools: http://ow.ly/3hcKT #edgap #publichealth #cities via @health_data

New Haven Safe Streets Coalition: Speed Table and Curb Extensions Coming to Edwards Street in New Haven; Will Foster Community

Speed Table and Curb Extensions coming to Edwards Street in New Haven: http://ow.ly/3mwMR @dwscmt @matticus_1 @rolandlemar #NHV #cplan

Page Not Found | Grist

Copenhagen plans to ban cars on main street, create multi-lane bike superhighways: http://ow.ly/3halI #cplan #cities via @transportdata

Downsize Nation: Welcome to the New, Smaller American Dream | Environment | AlterNet

Rise of Downsize Nation: The New, Smaller American Dream & "Tiny House Movement" http://bit.ly/h8D3O3 #urbanism #cplan via @Richard_Florida

Where Open Laptops Mean a Buzz of (Quiet) Activity - NYTimes.com

Coffee shop #zombies. Poignant take on Laptopistan in NY Times: http://ow.ly/3kTmH #urbanism #bklyn via @charityfocus

Bike lane critics are wrong: Why New York needs to make way for cyclists

Op-Ed by @Richard_Florida: Why NYC needs to make more room for cyclists: http://ow.ly/3gT9V #cplan #bikenyc via @transportdata

The Economist — Daily Chart: comparing American states to...

According to @TheEconomist, if #Connecticut were a country, it would be the third best place to live in the world: http://ow.ly/3h4qX @AHDP

Christian de Portzamparc, Carnegie 57, New York City

Currently in construction in Manhattan: Carnegie 57 "Super Luxury" Residential Skyscraper http://ow.ly/3j1fl #architecture #archi #cities

How linked are health disparities, racial segregation?

How linked are health #disparities & residential racial segregation? http://bit.ly/i5e7Fp #healthequity #SDOH via @roycamp @HealthJusticeCT

Rethinking Public Media: More Local, More Inclusive, More Interactive | KnightComm

New #KnightComm Report: Public media must shift from broadcasting to "building digital capacity" http://bit.ly/dXOQyj #gov20 via @jeffcdi

Debating subway map form and function :: Second Ave. Sagas

Excellent post @SecondAveSagas: Debating form & function of NYC #subway maps: http://ow.ly/3lUKL #mapping #graphicdesign via @tomvanderbilt

2F64F728880F40A8A6B82D0EEC5D0058.ashx

New Copenhagen "Goals for Urban Life" call for canoe #polo, walkability http://ow.ly/3lTDB #CPH #cplan via @urbandifference @ctdata

Strata Gems: Five data blogs you should read - O'Reilly Radar

Strata Gems: Five data blogs you should read: http://ow.ly/1rSISk #viz #dataviz @timoreilly via @egovrc

In PISA Test, Top Scores From Shanghai Stun Experts - NYTimes.com

"Fifty years later, our generation’s Sputnik moment is back." Test scores in #Shanghai blow away rest of world: http://ow.ly/3lxEm #edreform

The Urbanophile » Blog Archive » Building Suburbs that Last #5 – Redevelopment Insurance

How to stop #sprawl: Make developers pay for redevelopment costs? @urbanophile http://bit.ly/95F4lH #cities #cplan via @StreetsblogNet

New Haven to accept $16M to rework Route 34 connector (video)- The New Haven Register - Serving New Haven, Connecticut

New Haven accepts $16M federal grant for massive project to boulevardize Route 34: http://t.co/on38B9r #econdev #NHV via @abbegsmith @ctdata

BERNANKE: Growing Inequality Is Destroying America

BERNANKE: Growing income #inequality is destroying America: http://read.bi/dEfh37 #poverty #csr via @alleyinsider @michaeldbishop

The Hindu : News / International : China passenger train hits 300 mph, breaks record

China passenger train hits 300 mph, breaks record: http://ow.ly/3kuZD #hsrail #transit via @troubleinxanadu @transportdata

Rod King and the slow-driving movement : The New Yorker

"Going 40MPH doesn’t change your position in the next queue, at next traffic lights." (New Yorker) http://nyr.kr/h7Kbxy via @tomvanderbilt

Ezra Klein - American misperceptions of foreign aid spending in one graph

Amazing: US misperceptions of foreign aid illustrated by a simple graph: http://ow.ly/3jGH1 #foreignpolicy via @laurenist @viewfromthecave

Las Vegas tunnel people: How 1,000 people live under shimmering strip | Mail Online

Life in the Las Vegas tunnels, home to thousands of people: http://bit.ly/azJlsY & http://ht.ly/3kLH5 #poverty #inequality via @sdagres

Homeless People Live in Tunnels Under Las Vegas - CBS Evening News - CBS News

Life in the Las Vegas tunnels, home to thousands of people: http://bit.ly/azJlsY & http://ht.ly/3kLH5 #poverty #inequality via @sdagres

Pedestrians take to the streets; motorists learn to coexist | New Urban Network

New: UK energetically designs streets that intermingle foot & vehicle traffic; US follows cautiously http://ow.ly/3kEtc #cplan #urbanism

its_time_to_update_the_definit.html

It's time to update the definition of "smart growth," focus on equity, writes @Kaid_at_NRDC: http://ow.ly/3kzEq #smartgrowth #cplan @STWR_

Where We Live | Connecticut Public Broadcasting Network

Listen now: @JaredDuval of @ngdem is live w/ @benberkowitz of @seeclickfix on WNPR @wherewelive: http://bit.ly/6Afxi #gov20 #ogov #NHV

Passion for community related to economic growth | New Urban Network

New Study: People's "love for their community" is leading indicator of economic growth: http://bit.ly/eEFSNk #econdev #cplan via @iloveparks

Grattan Institute

Podcast of #urbanism seminar, "The social life of #cities" http://bit.ly/aReeIJ via @crevilles @grattannews @urbanscribble

Building Community: An Economic Approach — David Brancaccio interviews David Korten on "Fixing the Future"

Building Community: An Economic Approach (interview @dkorten & @DavidBrancaccio) http://bit.ly/aaDepp #cplan #locavore via @PlanningJournal

NPR.org Â» Switching Gears: More Commuters Bike To Work

Mode shift: US #cities w/ most walking & cycling have #obesity rates 20% lower, diabetes 23% lower (NPR) http://j.mp/hmgc5o via @mandywarhol

Goodbye Fiji Water? Bottling Company Announces It's Shutting Down | Water | AlterNet

"Fiji exports bottled water to US; half of Fijians lack access to safe water" http://bit.ly/hW40B5 #csr #Fiji via @kazys @troubleinxanadu

Let's Meet: Chicago Police's New Approach To Gangs : NPR

New Chicago Police Approach To Gang Violence: "All for One and One for All" http://t.co/wU4bNQf #cities @Chicago_Reader via @walterrhett

OTHER VOICES: We must invest in early childhood - Crain's Detroit Business - Detroit News and Information

"For every $1 invested in high-quality #ECE, we save $17 in welfare, criminal justice & other costs." http://ow.ly/3gPtS via @thinkchildcare

Legislation introduced to bring healthy food to distressed neighborhoods | Sustainable Cities Collective

New federal legislation introduced to bring healthy food to distressed nabes @sustaincities: http://ow.ly/3jyRE #healthequity via @ctdata

Cities for People: A Q&A With Architect Jan Gehl | Fast Company

Interview w/ Jan Gehl of @citiesforpeople http://bit.ly/9R3gmx #urbanism #cplan via @ccoletta @mattcollins @lindsaybanks

Ow.ly - image uploaded by @urbandata

1930 Map of Gregson & Center: Due to urban "renewal," these #NHV streets and businesses no longer exist. http://ow.ly/i/5C4I #urbanism

Bolt Bus Should Run From New Haven to New York - Hill, New Haven - SeeClickFix

Advantages of the new New Haven to Boston bus service: http://ow.ly/3j3ps ... thanks @SeeClickFix! http://ow.ly/3j3ra #gov20 #NHV #BOS

Foreclosure-Response.org | Metropolitan Foreclosure and Delinquency Data

New Report: Metropolitan Delinquency & #Foreclosure Data 2010 @urbaninstitute @NHCandCenter: http://ow.ly/3j0XP #cities via @ctdata

HuffPost's Greatest Person Of The Day: Ben Berkowitz, Co-Founder Of SeeClickFix

Congratulations @benberkowitz, founder of @seeclickfix in #NHV for being named "Greatest Person of The Day" http://ow.ly/3iYWR #gov20 #ogov

The Gini Index and Educational Achievement - Walt Gardner's Reality Check - Education Week

Important Op-Ed: Gini Index, #Inequality & Educational Achievement http://ow.ly/3bBDx #edpolicy #edgap #healthequity via @SCSIC @health_data

What Makes a Great Teacher? - Magazine - The Atlantic

What Makes a Great Teacher? Atlantic feature on massive new data set from @TeachForAmerica: http://ow.ly/3iAaY #edreform #edpolicy #tfa

The Public Square Goes Mobile - NYTimes.com

Fantastic use of data in Governance 2.0: The Public Square Goes Mobile http://nyti.ms/h6Xbu9 #cplan #cities #urbanism #gov20 via @bobhussey

New York City to Issue Bike Share Request for Proposals | Transportation Nation

RT @TransportNation: New York to issue Proposal for largest scale bike share program in USA. http://bit.ly/dVjaSx #bikenyc #cplan

polis: Sharing the City: On Knowledge and the Academy

Experts dealing with #cities need to spread knowledge to broader audiences: http://bit.ly/fio1N0 #cplan via @thepolisblog @urbandifference

Traffic Roundabouts Spread in U.S. - NYTimes.com

Despite astounding benefits, roundabouts have a PR problem @NYTimes: http://ow.ly/3cE74 #cplan #urbanism via @Cal_Plan @transportdata

The Income Gap Will Grow - Room for Debate - NYTimes.com

Galbraith: US income #inequality gap about to grow even larger @NYTimes http://ow.ly/3iu2D Analysis @EconomicPolicy: http://ow.ly/3iu4z #p21

Richard (RJ) Eskow: Simpson/Bowles: A Predawn Raid on the Middle Class

Galbraith: US income #inequality gap about to grow even larger @NYTimes http://ow.ly/3iu2D Analysis @EconomicPolicy: http://ow.ly/3iu4z #p21

Gateway exterior construction nears completion | Yale Daily News

Massive new Gateway College campus in #NHV has estimated economic impact of $390M/yr http://ow.ly/3iq0i #econdev via @yaledailynews @ctdata

Obesity's Cost Is Higher than It Seems - The Daily Stat - November 29, 2010 - Harvard Business Review

Daily Stat @HarvardBiz: Cost of #Obesity Is Far Higher than It Seems http://s.hbr.org/hKqVft #publichealth via @health_data

As She Walks Out the Door, Gov. Rell Makes it Safer to Walk Down the Street | Mobilizing the Region

Outgoing Gov makes #Connecticut safer for walking & cycling w/ DOT policy changes @Tri_State: http://bit.ly/eeN2BA #NHV via @ctdata

Living Streets :: UK

New: Swipecard walking rewards for kids who walk to school in NYC & London @livingstreets: http://ow.ly/3h3qL via @walkonomics @ctdata

Simple everyday answer to £50billion obesity problem | Sustrans

New UK #PublicHealth White Paper on #obesity gets cautious welcome @sustrans, recommends active #transit investment http://bit.ly/ibpb7q

Incredible World of Parkour (19 photos) - My Modern Metropolis

Stunning images of #Parkour urban movement: http://ow.ly/3gSXP #urbanism #urbex via @ehooge @julie_rieg

Historic Buildings of Connecticut

Cool resource: Historic Buildings of #Connecticut, 77 in New Haven http://t.co/ku8X0oi #NHV #preservation via @CitizenWald @marianpl @ctdata

Smartphone Apps Pave Way for City Services - WSJ.com

WSJ on amazing new Bay Area smartphone apps & promise of #opendata http://ow.ly/3bCpC #gov20 #ogov #civichacking via @citizensuite

Aldermen wonder whether New Haven can afford to rip out an expressway | New Urban Network

Aldermen wonder whether New Haven can afford to rip out an expressway @newurbannetwork: http://bit.ly/9qMxbl #NHV #cplan via @ctdata

The 2011 Statistical Abstract

RT @uscb_boston If #Census doesn't have data, try Statistical Abstract: http://ow.ly/3bbQM FedStats: http://ow.ly/3bbNK #demographics #cplan

FedStats

RT @uscb_boston If #Census doesn't have data, try Statistical Abstract: http://ow.ly/3bbQM FedStats: http://ow.ly/3bbNK #demographics #cplan

Our Fiscal Security - Fiscal Blueprint

Excellent graphs in new proposal on federal spending & #deficit by @TCF_Century, @Demos_Org & @EconomicPolicy http://ow.ly/3gZWi #taxpolicy

A New Political Reality Settling in for National Transportation Financing « The Transport Politic

A New Political Reality for National Transportation Financing: Important post @ttpolitic http://bit.ly/hohA5p #transit #urbanpolicy

GlobeSt.com - Crumbling Infrastructure, Building Jobs - Commentary Article

The US spends just 2% of GDP on infrastructure, compared to 9% in China and 5% in Europe. http://ow.ly/3hcHh #urbanpolicy #econdev

Metra commuters - Enjoy your bump in home prices : SearchChicago Homes : Homes

Towns w/ Metra rail=47% more home sales; prices $50k higher than rest of #Chicago suburbs http://bit.ly/fUVV11 #transit #urban via @ccoletta

Sound wall a big plus for New Haven City Point residents; Park adjacent to I-95 to be safer, quieter for neighborhood kids (video)- The New Haven Register - Serving New Haven, Connecticut

Great example of #NHV neighborhood organizing: http://ow.ly/3gYiw Why more sound barriers are needed: http://ow.ly/3gYix #cplan via @ctdata

Highway barriers block much more than sound - The Boston Globe

Great example of #NHV neighborhood organizing: http://ow.ly/3gYiw Why more sound barriers are needed: http://ow.ly/3gYix #cplan via @ctdata

How an Army of Techies Is Taking on City Hall | Fast Company

Army of Techies Taking On City Hall: #OpenGov article by @anya1anya w/ #NHV & @pahlkadot http://ow.ly/3h170 #gov20 #ogov via @benberkowitz

Grilled Cheese to Go in Connecticut - NYTimes.com

NYTimes features @caseusgrilled, flagship of the New Haven gourmet food truck trend http://ow.ly/3gZ8r #NHV #urbanism @newhavenindy #econdev

Cities of migration: what works to integrate urban migrants? | openDemocracy

What works to integrate urban migrants? Article @OpenDemocracy about #NHV & other #cities http://ow.ly/3gWvo via @CitiesMigration @ctdata

YouTube - The Speed Camera Lottery - The Fun Theory

Speed Camera Lottery: Drivers rewarded for obeying urban speed limits? (Video) http://ow.ly/3gVhZ #cplan #urbanism via @ehooge

Envied the World Over, Strasbourg’s Tram Expands Again « The Transport Politic

Envied by #Cities the World Over, the #Strasbourg Tram Expands Again: http://bit.ly/gNKW2f #transit @transportdata #cplan via @ttpolitic

First Electric Cars Have Power Industry Worried - Slashdot

How adoption of electric cars will stress the power grid http://bit.ly/gtlJwU #electriccar #utilities #cplan via @timoreilly

CCCB :: Other digital editions - Selection of texts on public space and the city made available from its documentary collection

Selection of texts on public space and the city from @cececebe collection: http://tinyurl.com/2wdsbev #urbanism #cities via @relationalBCN

Mapping City Crime and the New Aesthetic of Danger

Reading article by @AuroraW: Mapping City Crime http://ow.ly/1rKuul (J Visual Culture) #gov20 (@ Yale Periodicals Room)

Exclusive Suburbs Are Poised to Cost More - BusinessWeek

Cost of #suburbs rapidly escalates, including hidden transportation costs http://bit.ly/aSUQZQ #cplan #sprawl via @CNT_tweets @transportdata

A New World Approach to Historic #Preservation (WaPo) http://dld.bz/7GWw #urbanism via @R2L_ARCH

Sprawl Repair: What It Is and Why We Need It | Planetizen

How and why urban #sprawl repair will happen @planetizen: http://bit.ly/cpOOZs #urbanism #cplan #urbandesign #archi via @timkraan @afhnh

California court backs illegal immigrant students | Around the Web | eSchoolNews.com

NYT: California court backs undocumented immigrant students http://ow.ly/3bjSC #schools #edpolicy #highered #DREAMact via @eclassroomnews

Transportation Alternatives Backs 20 MPH Car Speed Limit in NYC - New York cycling | Examiner.com

New: @TransAlt Pushes for 20MPH speed limit in #cities, based on @sustrans campaign: http://ow.ly/3dO9N #cplan #publichealth via @nyuwagner

Charlie Leadbeater think piece on cities and creativity - Creative Economy/Creative Industries - Knowledge and Ideas Bank - British Council

British Council paper by Charlie Leadbeater on why creativity matters to #cities: http://t.co/6DW1Oi5 #econdev via @nonobody @Royvandalm

The New New Urbanists | Metropolis Magazine

New New Urbanists: LA high school of #urbanplanning welcomes freshman class @metropolismag http://ow.ly/3cpQB #urbanism via @yuriartibise

New Survey Finds Teens Would Rather Facebook Than Drive | The New Republic

"The End of Automania" by @bradplumer @tnr http://ow.ly/3f3bN #urbanism #urbanpolicy via @drgrist @transportdata

bag110910_101155.pdf

San Francisco passes first municipal #opendata law http://bit.ly/aRS6dn #gov20 #localgov via @opengov @s3works @nic_bertazzoni @civichack

We Love Datavis - What is Data Visualization?

What is Data Visualization? The #infographic @ffunction is very cool: http://goo.gl/fb/AoZvk #dataviz #viz via @datavis

Newsroom: Facts for Features & Special Editions: Facts for Features: Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 25, 2010

Impress friends and family with #census facts on Thanksgiving! Visit http://ow.ly/3e22u #demographics #turkey via @uscb_Boston

floatingsheep: Internet access as a human right

Internet access as a human right @floating_sheep: http://bit.ly/9MrxX5 #ict4d #knightcomm #healthequity via @civichack

Abandonment: 8 Cities That Might Not Make It | WebUrbanist

Eight #cities that may not survive the future: http://dld.bz/mZsm #urbanism via @ashwinsanghi @HiMYSYeD @ale_benevides @fernandogros

Analysing data is the future for journalists, says Tim Berners-Lee | Media | The Guardian

Analyzing data is the future for journalists, says @timberners_lee: http://bit.ly/byWTZs #journchat #gov20 @timoreilly via @civichack

Janette Sadik-Khan on NYC’s Proposed Bike Share Program | Transportation Nation

Janette Sadik-Khan @NYC_DOT talks to @WNYC about NY's #bikeshare program: http://ow.ly/3erJH #bikeNYC #cplan via @buttermilk1 @kennethlo

Quality Streets - Home

"Quality Streets": New UK campaign for walkable, 20MPH streets http://bit.ly/bg3Kxv #cplan #urbanism #cities via @walkonomics @transportdata

50 Excellent YouTube Videos About Urban Planning

50 Excellent YouTube Videos on #UrbanPlanning #CPlan: http://bit.ly/cqKdti #urbanism #cities #sustainability via @TranspoLounge

BBC News - RAC Foundation report backs speed camera safety benefit

New UK data shows massive safety benefit from speed cameras: http://bbc.in/e4ZRJy Guide: http://bit.ly/fOcvYa #publichealth via @NLPHEngland

Preventing unintentional injuries

New UK data shows massive safety benefit from speed cameras: http://bbc.in/e4ZRJy Guide: http://bit.ly/fOcvYa #publichealth via @NLPHEngland

RPI: News & Events - Rensselaer Team Shows How To Analyze Raw Government Data

New work by Rensselaer: #Semantic Web meets data.gov: http://bit.ly/dbSmk7 #RPI #gov20 #civichacking via @praxagora @marlenerockm @civichack

Economic and Market Analysis | HUD USER

HUD unveils new portal for economic & housing market data at regional, state, metro levels: http://ow.ly/3eAEb #cplan #econdev via @ctdata

Mayors measure effect of belt-tightening on quality of life - USATODAY.com

US #cities face down major fiscal crisis. How are they responding? New data: http://ow.ly/3ezWc #localgov via @Richard_Florida

Visualizing Booming Profits - NYTimes.com

Charts of the day: Corporate profits http://ow.ly/3exc2 vs. child #poverty: http://ow.ly/3excr #csr via @EconomicPolicy @Richard_Florida

State of Working America Preview: Poor Children

Charts of the day: Corporate profits http://ow.ly/3exc2 vs. child #poverty: http://ow.ly/3excr #csr via @EconomicPolicy @Richard_Florida

New York Bike Share May Be Coming Soon - Transportation - GOOD

NYC #bikeshare, modeled on world's only profitable #transit system, to have GPS, apps, solar pwr: http://ow.ly/3eqmS #cplan via @walkonomics

commission_report.pdf

New Report on Achievement Gap by #Connecticut Commission on Educational Achievement (PDF) http://ow.ly/3epgm #edgap #NHV via @ctdata

Infographic of the Day: Which Countries Force Kids to Work? | Co.Design

International Child Labor #Infographic @fastcodesign: http://ow.ly/3ekOi #globalhealth #csr via @jessunscripted

Health in All Policies: Using Health Impact Assessment to Advocate for Social Justice | APHA

How to put health at center of all #urbanpolicy? Use Health Impact Assessments @RWJF http://ow.ly/38ysp #cplan via @planningcouncil @hiablog

A Crime-Free Cambridge | Opinion | The Harvard Crimson

Op-Ed: Economic interventions needed to create a crime-free Cambridge, MA @thecrimson: http://ow.ly/3dBx1 #highered #Harvard #publichealth

Confessions of a Recovering Engineer - Strong Towns Blog - Strong Towns

Excellent new article @StrongTowns: Confessions of a Recovering #Traffic Engineer: http://ow.ly/3dNnZ #cplan #urbanism

Tackling obesity differently (Science Alert)

RT @NCCDH: New book: tackle childhood #obesity by targeting disadvg children before they become obese adults http://tinyurl.com/3abn6l3 #ece

Mapping human development in America

Amazing #mapping of Human Development Index in US: #Connecticut has highest score @AHDP: http://ow.ly/3dhca #dataviz #census #NNIP

Is the Digital Age Changing Our Desire to Drive? » INFRASTRUCTURIST

Driving rates plummet among younger persons: Generational shift due to tech? @Infrastructurst http://ow.ly/354Aq #cplan via @transportdata

U.S. Department of Transportation Supports Walk-Friendly Communities | TheCityFix.com

U.S. Department of Transportation Supports Walk-Friendly Communities @thecityfix http://bit.ly/WFCprog #cplan #urbanism #urbanpolicy

Sorting Through the Government Data Explosion - NYTimes.com

NYTimes highlights government #opendata explosion: http://nyti.ms/90M3AM #opengov #ogov #gov20 via @digiphile @AndrewGreenhill @civichack

Rebuilding Place in the Urban Space: The Mayors’ Institute on City Design releases “Creative Placemaking” Report

Mayors' Institute on City Design releases Creative #Placemaking Report: http://is.gd/hjpXm #cplan #econdev via @urbanophile @ctdata

Earliest Urbanisation: the First 10 Cities of the World | Heritage Key

Earliest Urbanisation: the First 10 #Cities of the World http://bit.ly/bxN3v8 #urbanism #archaeology via @RelationalBCN @urbanpolicy

b-rxnews_web.pdf

Economic dev, transport & land use ideas from #Brooklyn-Rotterdam Waterfront Exchange http://bit.ly/a0Emrw #cplan #econdev via @rwoudstra

AASHTO Journal - October 22, 2010 - Researchers to Examine Consequences of Atlanta's 30-Year Transportation Plan

Health Impact Assessment gains interest from transpo engineers @aashtospeaks: http://ow.ly/2Z11W #cplan #publichealth via @transportdata

Alliance for Biking & Walking: PeoplePoweredMovement.org

Amsterdam spends $39/year per person on #cycling infrastructure. #PDX spends $3.50, USA $1.50. http://ow.ly/3bCmV #AMS via @transportdata

Civic Leaders, Gov 2.0 Is Knocking — Commentary — Editorial — Chattarati

Mayor @CoryBooker wants to take fresh approach to tackling problems in our #cities. http://bit.ly/d00l7a #opengov #gov20 via @CodeforAmerica

A Hedge Fund Republic? - NYTimes.com

Does the US aspire to be a "Hedge Fund Republic", or a just and equitable society? @NickKristof http://ow.ly/3cu9T #SDOH #inequality

"Smart" Traffic Lights Will Spot Bikes | New Haven Independent

Bike boxes & mini #bikelane coming to New Haven as part of $200M new development: @newhavenindy http://ow.ly/3cr69 #econdev #NHV via @ctdata

Meet the Firehose Seven Thousand Times Bigger Than Twitter's

Meet the data firehose that's 7,000 times Bigger Than Twitter's: http://me.lt/24mI #gov20 #cities via @marshallk @jeffcdi @digiphile @ctdata

Conquer The Neighborhood With Your iPhone — The Pop-Up City

Shadow #Cities game enables players to conquer #urban n'hoods w/ iPhone: http://bit.ly/bxtvba #AR #urbex @benberkowitz via @jeroenbeekmans

EU News

Fascinating charts w/ dramatic differences btwn 75 European #cities: EU quality of life survey http://bit.ly/dCHXE6 #urbanism via @crevilles

Immigrants' "Dream" May Come True | New Haven Independent

Politicians in #NHV vow to pass Connecticut version of #DREAMact: http://ow.ly/3caVC #highered #immigration

Portland Oregan Is A Cycling City

Economic & #publichealth benefits of cycling: http://ow.ly/2SJS5 In #PDX since 1991, bridge traffic stayed flat while cycling up 6X. #cplan

Association of Perceived Neighborhood Safety on Body Mass Index -- Fish et al. 100 (11): 2296 -- American Journal of Public Health

New study from LA: Association of Perceived Neighborhood Safety on Body Mass Index http://ow.ly/3c0v3 #obesity #publichealth via @ctdata

Growth of Ex-Offender Population in United States Is a Dramatic Drag on Economy | Press Releases

Massive Growth of Ex-Offender Population in United States Is a Dramatic Drag on Economy @ceprdc: http://bit.ly/cjvQci #prison #reentry

In road pedestrian sign and new crosswalk paint needed - Wooster Square, New Haven - SeeClickFix

@WoosterSqWatch @DWSCMT Interested in filling out a #completestreets project request form for this intersection? http://ow.ly/3bARg #NHV

Stop Speeding Summit | Transportation Alternatives

NYC "Stop Speeding Summit" shows deep level connections btwn #publichealth and public policy: http://ow.ly/3bwKz @RWJF #cplan #healthequity

Test scores a wake-up call for NY schools--Dour McCurry & Dacia Toll - NYPOST.com

Achievement First @achievement1st op-ed about recent NY state test results: http://tiny.cc/lw1jo #edreform #edpolicy #edgap

RI transit agency picking route to link commuters - Boston.com

Providence to pick route for 2-mile streetcar in 2011 - sounds similar to #NHV proposal: http://bit.ly/bK9eJR #PVD via @ttpolitic @gcpvd

Twitter Followers Survey

We are conducting a very brief survey of our 3,500 Twitter followers. Please help us improve our coverage of #urbanism: http://ow.ly/3ekUR

20x200 - Print Information | Modern Art, by Craig Damrauer

Modern Art = I Could Do That + Yeah, But You Didn't http://www.20x200.com/test/2010/11/modern-art.html

data_confirm_lack_of_supermark.html

Data confirm lack of supermarket access in poor neighborhoods @Kaid_at_NRDC: http://ow.ly/38hBu #urbanpolicy #cplan #foodpolicy #poverty

Will Humans & "Green Walls" Fit In The Plan? | New Haven Independent

Will #walkability factor into New Haven's plan to boulevardize Highway 34? @newhavenindy: http://ow.ly/3bl8l #NHV #cplan #ARRA via @ctdata

Yost: Get serious about safe streets | Yale Daily News

Op-Ed: @Yale needs to get serious about building safer streets & @completestreets: http://ow.ly/1rzHQ7 #NHV #TIGER #highered #cplan @dwscmt

Why public transportation is good for kids | Grist

Why public #transit is good for kids @grist http://bit.ly/9JNb66 #urbanism #publichealth #ece via @turnageb @wendy_waters @GenslerOnCities

News from EPI: Extending UI benefits through 2011 would create or save 488,000 jobs

Analysis @EPInstitute: Extending UI benefits thru 2011 would create or save 488,000 #jobs: http://bit.ly/9vJS8C #unemployment #taxpolicy #p2

The Urbanophile » Blog Archive » Religion and the City

How religious institutions can benefit #cities @urbanophile: http://ow.ly/374rx #econdev #urbanism

‘Refudiate’ Named Word of the Year - GalleyCat

RT @aarieff: In another giant leap for language, #refudiate is named "word of the year" http://ow.ly/1ryT32 #Palin #linguistics

The Nonprofit Quarterly | @npquarterly | Unstill Waters: The Fluid Role of Networks in Social Movements

Thoughtful piece by Robin Katcher on role of networks in social movements @npquarterly http://tinyurl.com/38huv8d #nonprofit via @CivicTalk

Imagining an augmented reality future that's not an advertising hell - Boing Boing

Imagining #augmented reality that's not advertising: #urban informatics @boingboing http://ow.ly/34nso #AR #urbanism via @nraford @bruces

Urban Renewal's Human Costs by Anthony Paletta, City Journal 5 November 2010

A history of postwar #Manhattan developments shows the pitfalls of mass #planning. http://bit.ly/blqfwJ #urban #renewal #NYC

Apple Gets into Mass Transit « The Dirt

Apple Computer gets into the mass #transit business: http://ow.ly/38zmP #cplan #econdev @Chicago_Reader via @NYASLA @transportdata

Survey Reveals More Than Half of Minorities In Connecticut Feel They’ve Experienced Healthcare Inequality

New @HealthJusticeCT survey: Over 50% CT minorities feel they've experienced healthcare #inequality http://tinyurl.com/359t3bh #healthequity

An Unhappiness Index is More David Cameron's Style - STWR - Share The World's Resources

Toynbee's message to David #Cameron: Sharing society is what creates #happiness @STWR_ http://tinyurl.com/36brk82 #economics #healthequity

Public Hearing in Downtown New Haven on Proposed First Niagara/New Alliance Merger, March 9th

noreply@blogger.com (Moderator) — Tue, 08 Mar 2011 20:27:00 +0000

A news release from Ward 9 Alderman Matt Smith:

WARD 9, NEW HAVEN, CT - March 9, 2011 - New Alliance Bank, which grew out of New Haven Savings Bank, is being taken over by the larger First Niagara Bank, headquartered in Buffalo New York.

I will be testifying at a public hearing tomorrow, Wednesday, March 9. The hearing runs from 5-9pm at the Conte-West Hills Magnet School, 511 Chapel Street, New Haven opposing this merger. I oppose this merger for the following reasons:

1. The merger will result in one less New Haven-based bank to help obtain a loan or mortgage to purchase a home.

2. First Niagara has a LOWER government rating than New Alliance for housing loans in low - and - moderate income areas.

3. First Niagara has a LOWER government rating than New Alliance for housing loans to low income borrowers.

4. First Niagara has a LOWER government rating than New Alliance for for business loans less than $100,000

5. At least 250 local jobs will be lost in this take over. Additionally, Peyton Patterson, CEO of New Alliance stands to gain a golden parachute of over $30 million.

6. For over 160 years New Haven Savings Bank/New Alliance has built signigicant assests in our community. The proposed take-over would shift control of this capital outside our community, 400 miles away in Buffalo NY.

7. First Niagara has performed poorly and laid off significant numbers of employees after previous acquisitions in Troy, NY and Harleysville, PA.

8. In 2004, when New Alliance emerged from what was then New Haven Savings Bank, assurances were given to the community concerning their long term commitment to the city. Less than a decade has passed since that promise was made.

9. This merger will set the stage for another, larger, even less vested and responsive financial institution to take over the new bank.

10. Lending decisions will no longer be made here in New Haven, but rather hundreds of miles away.

Under State law, the merger cannot go forward unless the Banking Commissioner determines that it will "produce benefits to the public...[that] clearly outweigh possible adverse effects." The commissioner has agreed to hold hearings so the public can voice their opinions on this critically important issue. This merger will stunt the growth of small businesses, good jobs, and home ownership throughout the city. I am asking you to join me in opposing this merger. If you can not come to testify or show your support, please send me an email so I may bring it with me to the hearing. This is a bad move for our community and our city. I hope to see you there Wednesday night.

Best, Matt

New NRDC / HTA Study Identifies New Haven Among Top 15 U.S. Regions for Transportation Innovation

noreply@blogger.com (Moderator) — Tue, 01 Mar 2011 15:33:00 +0000

On February 23rd, 2011, the Smarter Cities project at NRDC released a new transportation study identifying 15 cities with the nation’s leading transportation policies and practices.

The study, created in collaboration with the Center for Neighborhood Technology (CNT), compares and profiles U.S. regions based on public transit availability, use and cost; household automobile ownership and use; and innovative, sustainable transportation programs. Metrics were drawn from sources including the U.S. Census as well as the Housing and Transportation Affordability Index (http://htaindex.org/), which quantifies household transportation costs by location.

NRDC published a profile piece about New Haven, excerpted below:

More commuters walk or bike to work in New Haven, Connecticut, than in anywhere else in New England. One of the first planned cities in the country, New Haven has a walkable downtown dominated by the Yale University campus. Regional bus and rail providers enjoy high ridership, have sought to green their own operations, and have cooperated to move the entire New Haven metropolitan region in a more sustainable direction.

The Center for Neighborhood Technology data highlighted New Haven’s commuter transit ridership, good access to transit, low levels of auto ownership, and good transportation affordability. New Haven ranks in the top 15 in the nation for all of these factors among medium sized metropolitan regions with 250,000 to 1 million people. Regional providers oversee bus and rail services, with bus transit operated by Connecticut Transit and rail by Amtrak, Metro-North Railroad, and Shore Line East. New Haven city planners may not oversee transit services, but the city’s focus on transit-oriented development will keep residents and visitors out of their cars well into the future.

Connecticut Transit, a service of the Connecticut Department of Transportation, allows passengers throughout the State of Connecticut to travel both within and between towns. In 2005 Connecticut pledged to cut greenhouse gas emissions 10 percent below 1990 levels by 2020,and CT Transit has taken steps to help meet that goal. Of New Haven’s 114 buses, 12 run entirely on clean-burning biodiesel; the 60-foot biodiesel buses can also seat 50 percent more riders than traditional 40-foot buses, upping per-passenger fuel efficiency. In downtown New Haven, Yale University operates its own internal bus and shuttle system. All Yale buses run on a blend of ultra-low-sulfur diesel and 20 percent biodiesel.

The Metro-North Railroad line, part of New York’s Metropolitan Transit Authority, connects New Haven to one of the most comprehensive, well-developed public transportation systems in the country. New Haven lies on Metro-North’s East-of-Hudson line, which logged 2.08 million riders in 2008, and New Haven’s Union train station is one of the busiest AMTRAK stations nationwide.

Street Level

“We have the highest percentage of people who walk to work in New England,” says Christine Tang, director of the New Haven Office of Sustainability, and “the second highest percentage of people who use nonmotorized transportation—which refers to walking and biking combined.”

Almost a third of the city’s population gets to work by foot or bike. Union Station lies minutes away from the New Haven business district, making it easy for commuters to take the bus into town—or just walk. With 24,522 students, faculty, and staff, Yale concentrates a large population of walkers, bikers, and regular transit users around the city’s downtown core; the university is also the city’s largest single employer.

“We don’t have the size or resources to dedicate as much attention to bikes [as major metropolitan areas],” Tang notes. “But we have a very strong policy of favoring bikers,” particularly with legislation that gives them dedicated lanes in certain areas and priority in shared road lanes. City planners are also working to restore the Farmington Canal (PDF), turning an abandoned channel into a bike and pedestrian path stretching from Long Island Sound through the Yale campus and to suburban neighborhoods beyond.

With the 2010 Complete Streets Design Manual (PDF), New Haven framed its plan to keep streets safe, accessible, and business-friendly. In addition to expanding bike lanes and signage, the Complete Streets framework calls for expanding tree belts (all roadside trees and vegetation), setting out street furniture (including bike racks, public benches, waste cans, lighting, bus stops and newsstands), and paying close attention to urban context and aesthetics. The framework explicitly links a vibrant pedestrian culture with a vibrant local economy.

Increasing transit use is going to be a priority for New Haven’s 11-month-old Office of Sustainability. “We’re focusing on providing incentives for residents,” Tang says. “Whether they’re going to be tax-based [or take some other form] is still to be determined.” City planners have proposed bolstering the city’s transportation offerings with a network of modern streetcars, but plans remain in the very early stages.

Transit-Oriented Development

New Haven has a long history of pursuing smart growth policies and transit-oriented development projects. It’s a member of the NY-CT Sustainable Cities Consortium, a collaboration between nine cities and six regional planning organizations “designed to integrate housing, economic development, transportation, and environmental planning,” the consortium’s website says.

Transit-oriented development (TOD) refers to “moderate and high-density housing, along with complementary public uses, jobs, retail and services, that are concentrated in mixed-use developments at strategic points along the regional transit systems” - Peter Calthorpe, one of the first scholars to introduce TOD as we know it today in his 1993 book titled The Next American Metropolis: Ecology, Community, and the American Dream.

Consortium membership has paved the way for New Haven’s plan to invigorate the Union Station area. By expanding parking options and constructing a patchwork of retail, office, and living spaces, the city hopes to draw more foot traffic to a major transit hub. The plan also calls for renovations of the historic station building. The project will be financed with a U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) grant, applied for by the NY-CT Sustainable Cities Consortium on New Haven’s behalf.

Federal funding will also help New Haven convert a portion of the Route 34 highway, which essentially cuts the city in two, into an urban boulevard, opening up new, mixed-use development real estate and connecting the downtown area with cross streets.

A third grant, submitted by New Haven and the nearby town of Meriden, asks HUD to help fund planning and redevelopment along a transit corridor between the two towns. New Haven’s Economic Development department oversees both the Union Station and Meriden grants, and the city views transit-oriented development as key to economic revitalization.

Learn More

Learn about CT Transit and Connecticut’s Climate Commitments.
Check out New Haven’s Office of Sustainability and of Economic Development, and read more about Complete Streets.
Read more about The New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority and its sustainable initiatives.
Learn about the NY-CT Sustainable Cities Consortium.
Read more about Transit-Oriented Development in the city of New Haven, and download the Union Station plan (attached). Check out the proposed Streetcar Line.
Learn more about Yale University’s sustainable efforts, and review the University’s comprehensive Greenhouse Gas Reduction Strategy.
New Haven Socioeconomic Information, Demographics and Economic Development progress may be found here.
Learn about Union Station and the rail lines that run through it: Amtrak, Metro-North, and Shore Line East.
Read more about the Route 34 East project and the expansion of the Farmington Canal (PDF).

Update on Elm City Market Progress at 360 State Street

noreply@blogger.com (Moderator) — Thu, 10 Feb 2011 19:13:00 +0000

Original Post 11/23/10: A brief update about the new Elm City Market, a full service grocery store opening this spring at 360 State Street. This is an excerpt of an email distributed to members of the Co-op:

Meeting our target of a spring opening took a major step forward last week as we met with a group of potential general contractors to talk about the interior construction of the store. Our goal is to start the work on the inside of our market in January 2011. We'll be located in the ground floor of the 360 State Street building on the corner of Chapel and State. At around 11,000 square feet of retail space, the co-op will be a full service grocery store. We currently have close to 400 members - and our goal is to grow to 500 members by the end of the year - and to 1,000 members by the time we open our doors!

Thanks to many of our members volunteering their time, we've been actively involved in farmers markets and other community outreach events over the past 2 months, engaging the community at large about our exciting project. We've also recently formed several leadership committees to help tackle the many projects ahead (Financing, Community Outreach, Product Selection, to name a few.) We've met with dozens of local and regional vendors, manufacturers, and distributors over the past 60 days, as we've started to define the thousands of products we'll be carrying. We've spent weeks going over floor plan designs, equipment selection, and interior design elements. We'll also have our final logo design completed by January.

Construction Update

As anyone walking down Chapel Street can witness, construction continues at pace on exterior façade of Elm City Market. All exterior precast elements and window-wall pieces are in place. The full façade of window-wall along Chapel will allow for a great source of natural light and visibility onto the retail floor once open.

The entry vestibules, which will allow access from either end of the block along Chapel Street, State Street, and Pitkin Plaza are presently being installed, and the stair and elevator towers on either end of Chapel Street, allowing access to the parking garage above, are nearing completion.

Inside the Market, all base systems are complete, including the sprinkler system, HVAC system, and plumbing systems, which will allow the interior fit-out contractor to easily connect lines for all equipment needs. All vertical structural members are in place. Insulation is currently being installed at the ceiling and along the exterior columns, as well as sheetrock along the exterior.

Last week, the design team issued a full set of construction documents for the interior fit-out of the space, including all equipment, flooring, finishes, lighting, structural for pouring of the floor slab, and MEP tie-ins. Over the next several weeks, the design team and general manager will work to establish the contract with the interior fit-out contractor, with the expectation of starting all interior finish work right before or after the New Year. We anticipate a smooth transition from all exterior and shell work to interior fit-out work, and you should be seeing lots of activity happening inside the Market interior space in the coming weeks!

Questions?

One of the most frequently asked questions? "Will you have parking?"

The short answer... yes! The long answer... There is a parking garage in the 360 State Street building and customers of the co-op will have parking validated. There will be an elevator from the parking garage into the lobby of the co-op. We will also have 'parking' for those of you arriving on 2 wheels. And those of you arriving on 2 legs (or, for that matter, for any kind of arrival), you'll be able to park yourself for a while in our cozy cafe. It'll be a great place to relax and enjoy a cup of coffee, some delicious food, a visit with friends, or to get some work done as we'll have WiFi access.

Follow additional updates from the Market's Twitter page.

Update 1/24/2011: According to reporting in the Yale Daily News, the market's opening has been delayed for a few more months due to typical startup issues. A June opening date is currently planned. Meanwhile, news reports say that the former Shaw's Supermarket plaza, also in Downtown New Haven (and covered by DNH here as well as by a SeeClickFix issue), may become the future home of a Stop and Shop around the same time. All Shaw's stores in Connecticut closed last year due to a corporate restructuring.

Also, as of January 24th, a new "Member Information Guide" may be downloaded here. The brochure contains a current copy of the food cooperative's bylaws.

Update 2/10/2011: The Elm City Market's February newsletter has been posted. Read it here (PDF File). Here's the construction update:

The construction of Elm City Market continues apace as the project transitions from exterior and shell construction to the interior fit-out. The co-op board has selected a general contractor through a competitive bidding process to complete all of the interior portions of the store and install the equipment. We are proud to bring to our team Chapel Construction, a recognized leader in commercial construction, operating from their hometown of New Haven since 1926, with buildings on almost every city block. Chapel Construction is the perfect fit for the scale, scope, and quality of the market construction;. What’s more, the addition of Chapel to the team continues the co-op’s mission of sourcing locally. Preparation work has begun for the interior fit-out phase including regular meetings with the general contractor and the selection and ordering of all major pieces of equipment. The design team has also been meeting regularly to review plans with all municipal entities required to obtain a permit. Currently the team is working to finalize details such as interior and exterior signage, awning design, finish selections, décor, furnishing, and artwork. A core leadership group committee has been formed to aid in the selection of these details and the design team looks forward to receiving the committee’s input on these very important details, which will shape the aesthetic of the co-op.

Downtown New Haven Incubator Spaces Attract More Technology Firms

noreply@blogger.com (Moderator) — Tue, 01 Feb 2011 22:23:00 +0000

Original Post, 1/24/11: According to reporting at the Yale Daily News, New Haven's thriving downtown was a primary reason why the startup social networking company, Shizzlr, decided to move to New Haven:

Up-and-comers Keith Bessette and Nick Jaensch, co-founders of Shizzlr, an online social planning program, have upgraded from a dorm room startup to an office in Science Park at Yale. The site is one of several locations offered to Shizzlr by the CTech Incubator Program, which provides technology entrepreneurs with office spaces as well as resources such as accounting services. Shizzler chose Science Park at Yale over other locations, because New Haven has the most potential given the strong college student presence from Yale, Quinnipiac, Southern and University of New Haven, said Jaensch. “It has a ton of the hangout and activity options for every type of person, the bar and restaurant scene is awesome,” he said.

The Shizzlr site is a software-as-a-service (SaaS) tool that allows users to conduct social planning with their friends. The tool collects and organizes information about social events and activities. It connects with Facebook profiles, but only shares information with a user-targeted group (e.g., people that the user already hangs out with) rather than with every friend on Facebook.

The CT Technology Council and New Haven Register have also highlighted the new company. The Register piece may be viewed here. Thus far, Shizzlr has a thousand or so users, but it has funding for staff and seems to be growing quickly.

Shizzlr is one of a number of new companies that have recently moved to Science Park. The incubator spaces at the development have recently attracted firms such as HDB Newco. HDB Newco "is developing an open source parallel database management system (DBMS) that offers both high performance and scalability to satisfy the growing analytical processing demands of data-driven enterprises. The technology, which is licensed from Yale University, will be used by enterprises to extract critical analytical information from large databases."

Update, 2/1/11: DataHaven's Connecticut Data Blog has an updated post that discusses venture capital-funded startup firms in New Haven plus the state's prospects for continued job growth in the technology sector. An excerpt:

The Hartford Courant recently covered venture capital financing deals for technology companies in Connecticut, as studied by the industry-benchmarking MoneyTree Report. Overall, there were 52 venture capital deals in 2010 in the state, with $187 million invested — a fairly large increase over the 39 deals worth $157 million in 2009. For comparison, Oklahoma, which has a similar population to Connecticut, had less than 1/10th that amount of activity.

Following national trends, the number of financing deals within Connecticut has declined from over 100 during the “tech bubble” of 2000, back to historical levels of around 30-50 per year.

The 9 Fourth Quarter 2010 deals mentioned by the report, which included five in City of New Haven (some atScience Park, pictured here) and one in nearby Guilford, were:

+ $6.1 million, VLS Securities LLC, Canaan: Start-up broker-dealer.

+ $2.5 million, Helix Therapeutics LLC, New Haven: Biopharmaceutical company.

+ $1.3 million, SeeClickFix Inc., New Haven: Developer of online and mobile platforms.

+ $1.2 million, Affinimark Technologies Inc., New Haven: Developer of medical diagnostic products.

+ $453,000, uKnow Corp., Guilford: Advertising optimization.

+ $275,000, Interactive Mobile @dvertising LLC, Norwalk: Advertising.

+ $250,000, Retail Optimization Inc., New Haven: Merchandising software and analytics.

+ $250,000, Twigtek Inc. (YouRenew), New Haven: Website for selling or recycling used electronic equipment.

+ $50,000, Semantifi Inc., Stamford: Software.

Renderings and Models of New Yale University Residential Colleges Released

noreply@blogger.com (Moderator) — Tue, 14 Dec 2010 16:33:00 +0000

Original Post, 5/12/09: Paul Needham of the Yale Daily News reports on the design renderings, which were released earlier by Robert A.M. Stern's Boston-based rendering firm, Jeff Stikeman. Click on the image at left to enlarge a view of the proposed north courtyard, which contains a tower that would be easily viewable from the corner of Grove and Prospect, several blocks to the south. Click here to view the YDN's complete slideshow.

Towers for the $600 million project will be added to improve the walkability (and imageability) of the site. Click here for a previous Design New Haven post about the new colleges, and the decision to select RAMSA as the architect.

The YDN article also reveals that several historic buildings currently on the site, including Hammond Hall and the Mudd Library, will be torn down to make room for the new colleges (scroll down for more on that).

Although virtually all other Yale construction projects that hadn't yet broken ground have been put on hold -- even minor renovations -- design work on the colleges is funded by a special donor, and has been continuing at a rapid pace.

Update, 5/20/09: The Yale Alumni Magazine's Carole Bass reports on the new renderings, including interviews with several prominent alumni architects. According to the story, Yale intends to release additional details on the college designs by the end of May. An excerpt from the piece:

It's hard to know how literally to take the drawings, observes Paul Goldberger '72, architecture critic for the New Yorker.... Artists' renderings "are sort of the equivalent of heavily retouched photographs," he cautions. That said, Goldberger continues, "what's very clear is that Stern has decided to go head to head with the master" of Yale Gothic architecture. And "if anybody can pull off James Gamble Rogers in the twenty-first century, it's Bob Stern."

But, Goldberger notes, that raises two additional questions. First, does it make sense to imitate 80-year-old buildings that are themselves imitations of the centuries-old University of Oxford? Goldberger says he's "split right down the middle" on that question. "I have a little bit of worry that the whole thing might be like Yale's greatest hits," he says. "I might have preferred something that would have continued Yale's [more recent] tradition of being more on the cutting edge."

Goldberger's other main concern is practical. Because Gothic architecture depends on fine detailing by both designers and craftsmen, "this is a very bad kind of architecture to do on a tight budget," he says. He's "slightly surprised" that, having decided on a traditional approach, the university didn't go with a cheaper red-brick Georgian style. "On the other hand," Goldberger notes, "I think of Gothic as the heart of Yale. So if you want to tie this area to the heart of campus, it's the right choice."

Update 6/3/09: The Yale Daily News has published a story about Stern's models for the new colleges, which are displayed at Sterling Library on the campus (see YDN photo at left). The story has attracted many commenters on the preliminary designs of Stern's $600 million commission, including a great post by Ken McKenna discussing the history of the so-called "gothic style" completed over many centuries at Notre Dame in Paris.

Another commenter, A&A, makes an argument for the preservation of Hammond Hall and Mudd Library:

Hammond Hall dates back to the turn of the last century and is among the oldest extant buildings commissioned by the Sheffield Institute. Its “head house” in many ways evokes the same Beaux Arts sensibility of materials and proportions that would later be elaborated in McKim, Meade, & White’s campus for Columbia University. While the “shed” at the rear probably does not warrant saving, the head house is in excellent condition and still eminently expresses a hansom brick and limestone composition with a beautifully ornamented copper cornice where hammers and anvils recall the original program for the building. Mudd is the work of a student of Louis Kahn and is quite respectful of that master’s legacy. Its somewhat austere and simple massing is countered by the sensitive detailing of concrete, brick, and glass. Despite its warehouse program it is a very thoughtful intervention in what has heretofore been a desolate corner of the campus.

Yale abounds in delightful assemblages of building fragments: Linsly-Chittenden, Silliman, the Art Gallery, Old Campus, etc.; Hammond and Mudd could also be cleverly incorporated into the master plan for the new colleges. It seems that this large site could easily accommodate two colleges the size of TD and Silliman without sacrificing Hammond and Mudd.

Update 6/10/09: Slides from Robert A.M. Stern's presentations are now available online, obtained by the Yale Daily News. The images include a diagrammatic comparison of the college's new courtyards, materials and public spaces, as well as several new renderings. Questions linger on the relationship of the building to some surrounding buildings and streets, including the appeal of street cross-sections and the type of traffic calming required to make Prospect a much more walkable corridor for residents and students of all ages and abilities.

Update 7/15/09: Preservationists express their discontent with the demolition of existing historic buildings on the site. Carole Bass covers the developing story in the Yale Alumni Magazine:

Noting the environmental cost of demolishing more than 200,000 square feet of usable buildings, New Haven Preservation Trust president Pedro Soto adds: "Yale's trying to burnish its green credentials. For Yale, with its vast resources, to say, 'We just can't figure out anything but demolition' -- it's an interesting thing to hear."

To house some 800 students without clearing the site, "we couldn't have big courtyards" or a broad walkway between the colleges, Stern explains. "We'd have to build big towers, which are what very many universities have as dormitories, but which are nothing like residential colleges."

Meanwhile, a masthead editorial in the New Haven Register argues that the new colleges represent the "best use" of the site:

New buildings will allow more undergraduates to attend; add to city’s growth and coffers. Yale University’s plan to construct two new residential colleges will be good for both the university and New Haven. The 6.5-acre site now has 14 buildings owned by the university....

The largest of the buildings is the Seeley G. Mudd Library, completed in 1982. Designed by Roth and Moore Architects, it received Connecticut and New England design awards as well as the 1983 American Library Association Award. Yale plans to demolish the library and the 13 other buildings to make way for the colleges. Preservationists have objected to the demolitions, which are expected to begin later this year. They have argued for the incorporation of some of the old buildings into the colleges. The university has countered that recycling the buildings would be prohibitively expensive.

Update 8/26/09: An article on the proposed demolition appears in Preservation Magazine online.

Update 8/29/09: Concerns rise as the demolition date quickly approaches. DNH summarizes a number of letters, public testimony and other recent developments at this post.

Update 9/9/10: New renderings have been released by Yale University, showing some minor modifications to the design including a taller tower. The New Journal has published an article detailing concerns about the expansion of the University, which can now move forward following the demolition of these structures.

Update 10/20/10: According to reporting in the New Haven Register, the application process for the new residential colleges has begun:

Architect Robert A.M. Stern, dean of the Yale Architecture School, is designing the two colleges to echo the traditional brick James Gamble Rogers’ buildings on central campus. The City Plan staff is recommending approval of the PDD zone change and giving Yale up to three years to come back with detailed plans for the colleges, which will be located on almost six acres of land. Michael Morand, vice president for New Haven and state affairs at Yale, said they will move forward with detailed planning next year, with construction depending on fund raising efforts. Since they will take about 30 months to build, if work is started in 2013, they could be open by 2015.

Update 12/14/2010: The New Haven Board of Aldermen's legislative body has approved the project as a planned development. The New Haven Independent reports on the new colleges here (excerpt):

In his first day in charge of his new committee, Hill Alderman Jorge Perez presided over the harmonious passage of Yale’s $600 million plan to expand with two new residential colleges. By a unanimous vote, the Legislation Committee of the Board of Aldermen accepted the City Plan Commission’s recommendation for a planned development district (PDD) for the two new proposed colleges and in turn recommended the proposal for consideration by the full board later this month.

If all goes well, they will house about 800 students and after a 30-month construction period open in 2015. A PDD is a zoning designation created by the city to aid development, usually through overriding underlying zoning restrictions. The proposed site is surrounded by other projects, many previously done by Yale as PDDs or its less ambitious cousin the planned development unit, or PDU.

While commissioners at the October City Plan Commission meeting had approved the PDD proposal, some had expressed reservations about how open the newly created east-west “Prospect Way” pedestrian walkway will be to the public and how well the colleges will in general be integrated into the community.

Update 5/23/2011: The project has been approved and final plans have been issued. Please click here to view our post on that topic.

Hopes and Hurdles for New Haven-Hartford-Springfield Commuter Rail; Project Receives Federal Funding

noreply@blogger.com (Moderator) — Mon, 25 Oct 2010 20:07:00 +0000

Original Post, 12/12/08 by Dmitriy Tarasov, DNH Associate Editor

If you need to go from Downtown New Haven to Hartford or Springfield, MA, and don’t feel like driving, there are currently five, somewhat poorly-timed, daily trains between the two cities. In addition, there is an option that requires changing trains and a train-bus combination with a transfer in Hartford. Yet within the next few years, there is the possibility of a far more convenient option for getting to and from Hartford, Springfield, and other vibrant communities along the corridor. The Connecticut Department of Transportation is looking into a commuter rail line, on which the trains would run once in every thirty or even fifteen minutes.

This past Tuesday Wilbur Smith Associates, which consults ConnDOT on the project, laid out preliminary plans for the line as part of a series of public hearings. Apart from the expanded travel options, the promises contained in the plan are tantalizing. Improved air quality, the ability to travel from New Haven to Springfield in about an hour without using a car, a train connection to Bradley International Airport, passenger service for 15 hours a day at the start-up stage, multi-modal integration with bicycles (current Amtrak trains do not allow them) as well as vastly improved stations (such as New Haven-State Street, in the heart of Downtown New Haven across the street from the 360 State development) are some of the betterments the 62-mile line promises to bring. When complete, there would be a train in each direction every fifteen minutes during the rush hour. The end result: more walkable, TOD-ready, business-friendly, revitalized urban cores along the line between Downtown New Haven and Springfield.

Yet proponents realize that there are still many unresolved issues on which the project can get snagged. As things now stand, the line may not start running until 2015 or, in all likelihood, even later.

To enable an increased number of trains, the line would have to be double-tracked. Wilbur Smith suggests shifting to nighttime four of the five freight trains that currently ply the line. According to Heidi Green, President of 1000 Friends of Connecticut, an advocate for smart growth, the engineering obstacles involved are challenging but “far from insurmountable.” A more difficult question is whether Amtrak, now responsible for scheduling on the route, shares the enthusiasm for the proposed service. In an email to this reporter, Green writes that Amtrak is currently “making [no] promises” toward making implementation easier. The start-up plan will cost $300 million to carry out, and the federal government is a potential source of funding, meaning that the process is not going to be quick.

Yet the biggest potential stumbling block is the state budget. Green writes that the transportation fund is in deficit and the commuter line is not a high priority for the DOT. However, Green points out that the first trains could perhaps start running in 2010 if the project were removed from ConnDOT’s responsibility and assigned to regional authorities, with an environmental review for the line waived through federal legislation.

And then there is the South Central Regional Council of Governments, whose executive director Judy Gott has already made it known that the COG will not tolerate drivers having to wait at at-grade railroad crossings every fifteen minutes. SCRCOG apparently does not mind a 30-minute headway, however.

The New Haven Register piece also quotes Stephen Delpapa, a transportation supervising planner for ConnDOT, as saying that the commuter trains will start running in “optimistically, 2015-2016.”

Robert Cotto, of Urban Compass, points out that that there is already anxiety in Hartford over transportation options and a general lack of coordinated planning in the region. Describing a meeting at which the plans were unveiled, Cotto points to another estimate:

"Joseph Langlais, president of the Parkville Revitalization Association, exemplified the mood of the meeting when he asked, 'When will shovels hit the dirt?'

Cynthia Holden, ConnDOT’s transportation assistant planning director, answered solemnly, 'Ten to 12 years.'"

Even though advocates and Governor Rell have said that the project is unlikely to be eligible for stimulus package funding this year, state transportation advocates are continuing to organize to get the project shovel-ready. For example, a Sierra Club and National Corridors public forum will be held on January 9th in New London, featuring Senator Chris Dodd - who will be particularly influential in the creation of any Obama-administration stimulus package this winter - as a keynote speaker.

Update 7/13/09: Connecticut's New Haven-Springfield line has formally applied for a share of the Federal economic stimulus funding. The Transport Politic has information about potential competitors. Reporting from the Stamford Advocate:

Double-tracking the 62-mile line between New Haven and Springfield to enable high-speed service. Installing the new track is expected to cost more than $300 million. Planning and design work for overall improvements, such as new signals, electrification, rehabilitation or replacement of bridges, and new high-speed rail equipment.

Investments in the New Haven-Springfield high-speed line bring significant travel time benefits to the region and will also support plans for commuter service through the corridor at 30-minute intervals. A formal application will be filed in the fall, according to Connecticut DOT Commissioner Joseph F. Marie.

Update 7/27/09: According to Senator Dodd, Connecticut has a very good chance of receiving a share of ARRA's $8 billion in dedicated high-speed rail funding, despite dozens of applications from states such as Montana and West Virginia.

Update 10/25/10: Connecticut receives another $120 million in Federal railroad funding for the New Haven Hartford line, from the Federal Railroad Administration, adding to a major grant of $40 million for double-tracking that was committed earlier this year under the ARRA program for High Speed Rail. The Yale Daily News reports here and the Hartford Courant covers the piece here.

Biotechnologist Critical After Crossing Downtown "Death Zone" on Route 34 East; CT Complete Streets Bill Gets Vote; Area Development Moves Forward

noreply@blogger.com (Moderator) — Fri, 15 Oct 2010 15:10:00 +0000

Original Post, 5/5/09:

Pedestrians: "This is a Death Zone"

William Kaempffer has a comprehensive article in today's New Haven Register covering another tragic collision yesterday along Route 34, in the heart of the Yale and YNHH Medical District. 56-year-old senior scientist Michael Jaye, who works for one of the neighborhood's numerous biotechnology firms, was hit by a CT Transit bus at College and South Frontage (pictured here), and later died from his injuries. The incident occurred just a block from where Yale medical student Mila Rainof was struck and killed in the spring of 2008, and a few hundred feet from the spot where a Yale public health student was critically injured in 2006.

Kaempffer's article features interviews with pedestrians in the area of the collision. Aaron Cooke, a current public health student, is not the first person to describe it as a "death zone":

A 56-year-old man suffered serious head injuries Monday after being struck by a bus while crossing South Frontage Road, a roadway that pedestrians say is a nightmare to cross.

“All these people are trying to get on the highway... They’re all trying to accelerate to speeds of 65 mph,” said Aaron Cook, a public health student at Yale. "Meanwhile, pedestrians are trying to get to and from the Yale medical district and downtown. Think about it. If you put two and two together,” he said. .... You put those two things together and make it difficult to see when you should and should not be crossing the street.... This is a death zone.”

In addition to the problems of excessive speed, crosswalks in the corridor are currently very poorly marked. They are even nonexistent in some places. With a few exceptions, the situation at these intersections has not markedly improved since 2006. The pedestrian infrastructure along College Street, where yesterday's pedestrian fatality took place, is particularly in need of improvements. In addition, curb returns are extremely wide in several locations (particularly at College and South Frontage - see photo above), forcing pedestrians to literally stand in the middle of the road in order to have enough time to cross. Bicyclists are clearly intimidated by the high speeds and SUVs hurtling through red lights on a regular basis, causing many of them to ride on the sidewalk. The result: numerous injuries every year.

The lack of even the most basic infrastructure along Route 34 also creates a vast chasm through the city, preventing most residents from walking or biking between the Hill neighborhood, the Yale medical campus, and Downtown New Haven. This impacts overall public health and, even without considering the fact that the area is referred to as a "death zone," greatly reduces the overall perception of Downtown New Haven's livability.

Yale Medical School faculty member Mike Nitabach was also quoted in the Register piece:

"You’re in a car and you’re on the highway going 70 miles per hour, and then you suddenly are on a surface street and it’s a whole different mind-set in terms of how you perceive your environment as the operator of a vehicle, and I think that’s part of the reason why Frontage Road is so dangerous for pedestrians,” he said.

Petitions and Promises

Both of the previous high-profile pedestrian collisions sparked major petition drives. The first, a 2006 petition that was circulated within the Yale medical campus, collected over 600 signatures. It called for walk signals at all corners of the Frontage and College intersection, rumble strips on the ramps leading to the intersection (where vehicles fly through red lights and onto the streets at 60 miles per hour), an increase in the height of the railing lining College St, an increase the time alloted for pedestrians to cross the street, and a formal, citywide assessment of intersection safety with a public report.

The second major petition drive was launched by the New Haven Safe Streets Coalition, a grassroots group that formed after Mila Rainof's death. The "Petition for Safe Streets" called for a 90% reduction in traffic injuries and fatalities, and noted that such a goal could only be accomplished if speeds were greatly reduced in areas with high concentrations of pedestrians, such as in Downtown New Haven and around the hospital district. The petition also called for detailed citywide reporting on traffic safety so that neighbors could identify problems, see the specific measures being taken to correct them, and advocate for their own neighborhoods based on the results. The online and paper petition drive collected over 2,000 signatures, and more importantly, the support of nearly 100 state and local elected officials, churches, businesses, advocacy organizations, and neighborhood associations, including all 12 of the city's Community Management Teams.

Unfortunately, years have gone by and virtually none of the specific, concrete provisions demanded by these two petitions have been implemented by the city or by ConnDOT (with a few exceptions below) -- even though the proposed measures are fairly simple, economical, and commonly used in hundreds of other communities around the world. For example, in "Essentials of Global Health," Richard Skolnik discusses how the installation of rumble strips in Ghana in 2000 resulted in an immediate 35% reduction in injuries and 55% reduction in fatalities at treated intersections.

Following the injury of the public health student plus a number of other serious injuries and deaths along the Route 34 corridor, the city and University had in fact promised walk signals and other improvements. A Yale Daily News article from the time reported:

The television channel WTNH reported yesterday that the city’s traffic engineer said walk lights were in the process of being installed on the intersection.... Shah said he also thinks the University has a key role to play in lobbying for improved pedestrian safety.

Like many other city projects designed to improve safety for pedestrians, these signals and associated improvements have been "under review" and delayed for several years. At a meeting with the Yale Medical Campus Traffic Safety Group in May 2008, the City of New Haven indicated that signals would be installed "between July 2008 and October 2009." Is it possible that a better signal, or an LPI, could have saved this pedestrian's life?

Moving Forward: Small Steps Before Big?

DNH regularly walks, bikes and drives the streets around the medical campus, and we believe that urgent actions to improve safety and accessibility in the area are still needed. Residents expressed similar concerns over the Route 34 West plan, presented last month. From a political perspective, if the city is able to demonstrate a concrete commitment to everyday New Haven residents -- the majority of whom in fact do not drive a car to work every day -- then residents will be far more likely to support city development plans like the parking garage-filled Route 34 West MDP. Perhaps measures similar to the ones that New York City took to begin to tame its famous "Boulevard of Death" could be studied as a model for Route 34. See here for some other interesting examples, by the readers of GOOD magazine (one shown below). If the city is to meet the goals established by the New Haven Safe Streets Coalition, anyhow, it must take far more comprehensive measures than painting new zebra style crosswalks.

To give credit to the city, small steps have recently been taken in response to the Safe Streets Petition. A Complete Streets Steering Committee was formed based on the unanimous vote of the city council, and although the committee held its first official meeting only last week -- almost a year after the petition was launched, and more than six months after the city passed its complete streets legislation -- its creation signals a long-term resolve on the part of the city to address these issues (for more on this, scroll down). The city has also been busy moving forward with a plan to make Downtown New Haven more bicycle and pedestrian friendly, and design standards are in the works -- with actual infrastructure, such as bike boxes or sharrows, expected to be on the ground this summer.

In addition, the city launched an educational campaign named "Street Smarts" in the fall, even though it had almost no funding to continue beyond its initial roll out; there has reportedly been a slight uptick in the number of traffic tickets issued by a new New Haven Traffic Enforcement Unit; a few zebra style crosswalks were repainted; and a few concrete bollards have been dropped onto boulevards known for deadly drag racing. But despite calls from the citywide coalition, more concrete measures (such as reduced speed limits and traffic calming) have not yet been seen, and no citywide reporting has been done to allow residents to evaluate the success of such measures within their own neighborhoods.

Board of Aldermen Unanimously Supports State "Complete Streets" Bill

On a more positive note, yesterday evening the New Haven Board of Aldermen expressed unanimous approval for a resolution supporting SB735, the Connecticut "complete streets" bill currently being pushed within the State General Assembly. The bill would require pedestrian and bicycle accommodation on all state roads, like Route 34, and also create a permanent bicycle and pedestrian advisory board within ConnDOT to serve as a permanent body advocating on behalf of bicyclists, pedestrians, and individuals with disabilities.

Following lobbying by the New Haven Safe Streets Coalition (PDF file of the testimony available here), the New Haven Board had passed a similar citywide "complete streets" law in October 2008, by a vote of 30-0.

Supporters of SB735 at the state level are now encouraging other municipalities to pass similar resolutions in support of the bill, and resolutions to do so have been introduced in several other cities including Bridgeport. Based on the support of groups including the Sierra Club, Central Connecticut Bicycle Alliance, Tri-State Transportation Campaign, CT League of Conservation Voters, Transit for Connecticut, 1000 Friends of Connecticut, Greenwich Safe Cycling, Elm City Cycling, Connecticut Commission on Children, CT Fund for the Environment, and the CT Livable Streets Campaign -- and now the City of New Haven -- the Connecticut complete streets bill has gained the support of numerous legislators in Hartford. Today it goes to the CGA's powerful Appropriations Committee for another vote, where rumor has it that it is expected to pass by a wide margin. Visit this page to download a factsheet, which has more details.

Update 7/9/09: The Connecticut "Complete Streets" bill was signed into law by Governor Rell.

Update 10/15/10: According to the New Haven Register, New Haven receives $16 million in TIGER funding from USDOT to do the first phase of the Route 34 boulevardization project, which will create a large new 10-story laboratory building along College Street between North and South Frontage Roads. Click here for more coverage of Route 34. The New Haven Independent has a more detailed report on the TIGER grant here, and the New Haven Register has a Sunday profile on Carter Winstanley, the 41-year old developer of at least six other buildings in Downtown New Haven, in an article here. An excerpt from the Sunday Register feature, with some advice from Winstanley on economic development strategy:

His advice to political leaders is to look to concentrate this research and development in one place. “New Haven has been able to do it on a grand scale,” similar to Cambridge, Massachusetts.

“There is a need to have these centers concentrated because biotech fitup is very expensive and there is a high failure rate ... it makes sense to put these into communities like New Haven where you can recycle the labs over and over again,” Winstanley said. He said it is also essential that the talented individuals who are attracted to come work here, have wider options for employment if a given startup fails. “They know there is a real risk associated with it. They want to know if they move their family out and it doesn’t work out, is there another company that they can be associated with?” he said. As for the state as a whole, “How do you create jobs? Look at what you do well and do more of it.”

Update 12/3/2010: New Haven receives another $950,000 from the state, mitigating its expected contribution to the project. The New Haven Register details the reasons why.

Update 12/9/2010: The New Haven Board of Aldermen has accepted the Federal TIGER grant. Construction on the section of Route 34 from College Street to the Air Rights Garage may begin as early as mid-2011. Details in the New Haven Register and New Haven Independent. A memo from the City of New Haven's Department of Finance explains the cost implications of the project on the city's budget, including projected revenue that will pay for the city's expenses in a matter of a few years.

New Haven Apartment, Office Vacancy Rates Among Lowest in Nation

noreply@blogger.com (Moderator) — Fri, 08 Oct 2010 01:31:00 +0000

Update, 4/7/10: A new report in Bloomberg news cites REIS Report data that New Haven continued to have among the lowest apartment vacancy rate in the nation in the fourth quarter of 2010, ranking second just behind New York City's 2.8% rate.

Update, 10/7/10: According to the latest Fall 2010 REIS report, the New Haven area has the lowest apartment vacancy rate in the United States, at 2.3%. This is down significantly from REIS's spring 2009 rate of 4.2%, last reported here. New York City, Long Island and Silicon Valley are the runners-up.

Lower apartment vacancy rates, which are being experienced nationally for the first time since 2007, may be a sign that people who "doubled up" during the recession are beginning to search for their own apartments, that families driven out of their homes due to the historically high level of foreclosures are now renting, and that people are delaying purchase of homes until financing or economic conditions improve. They are also perhaps a symptom of a generational shift away from homeownership as the primary path to family savings.

Prices will generally increase as the vacancy rate decreases, indicating that the New Haven area may need to pay more attention to issues of housing affordability. According to 2009 American Community Survey figures compiled by DataHaven, released last week by the Census Bureau, 40% of Connecticut renters and homeowners now pay more than 30% of their income on housing, up from 29% in 2000. In the City of New Haven, 51% (nearly 23,000 households) pay more than 30% of income on housing, up from 43% in 2000. 29% of owners and renters in the city paid more than 50% of their income on housing in 2009.

Original Post, 4/20/09: According to the Spring 2009 most recent quarterly report by Cushman and Wakefield, cities with the lowest first-quarter 2009 office vacancy rates were New Haven, Connecticut at 9.2%, Washington, D.C. at 9.4%, New York City at 9.6%, Portland and Philly at 10.2%, and Boston at 10.6%. The national central business district average vacancy rate was 12.5%. New Haven's vacancy rate is almost as low as that of Midtown Manhattan, if that section of New York were to be considered a separate stand-alone market.

Factors impacting New Haven's very low vacancy rate include the burgeoning demand for space at Yale University and Yale-New Haven Hospital, as well as a continued influx of small businesses to the Downtown area, such as the Nature Conservancy (relocating from Middletown partly to meet "smart growth" objectives). As recently featured in the New York Times, New Haven is also seeing a large number of new residential and renovation projects within the city's highly-walkable core, as well as new Jamaican vegan restaurant openings. In addition to the 450-unit 360 State tower, a new $40 million, 104-unit tower was proposed last week for the corner of Sylvan and Howard.

One example of new office development is Winstanley Enterprises' proposal for a 250,000SF new biomedical research building attached to the east end of the Air Rights Garage on Route 34. According to a report in today's New Haven Independent, and as detailed several weeks ago here, the land just to the east of the garage has been made available for this to move forward. Winstanley's new building has been in design for over three years and will be attached to the existing 300 George Street development. Winstanley's other office buildings in Downtown New Haven are fully leased to various technology companies and offices affiliated with Yale University, and demand does not seem to be letting up even in the economic downturn. The new facility would complement the nearly $600 million worth of nearly-completed construction at the Yale Cancer Center, which sits just a block away, on the west end of the Garage.