Archinect - News

San Diego forges ahead with urban densification plan

2019-08-14T14:30:00-04:00

San Diego approved new growth blueprints Thursday that allow for mid-rise housing and dense urban villages in neighborhoods near new trolley stops in Linda Vista and the northeast corner of Pacific Beach. City Council members said the new zoning will simultaneously help solve San Diego’s housing crisis, reduce carbon emissions that cause climate change and revamp blighted areas where bicyclists and pedestrians face major challenges.

The YIMBY-inspired plan will more than quadruple the number of housing units allowed in areas surrounding a forthcoming $2 billion transit line slated to run through San Diego's northwest quadrant.

Matt Adams, vice president of the local chapter of the Building Industry Association., told The San Diego Union-Tribune, “This is an essential component to addressing our housing crisis.”

Critics of the plan argue that the inclusionary zoning requirements packaged with the increased density bonuses will bring an insufficient number of affordable housing units to the area.

On the ground, a “new suburbanism”?

2017-01-09T16:01:00-05:00

In 2015, 18 percent of all existing housing units on Long Island were multifamily. While that is less than half the percentage in New York metropolitan suburbs over all, change is apparent across the island...12,500 condominium and rental units within half a mile of train stations had been approved over the last 11 years, 7,000 of which have been built. Another 10,000 units could be approved in five to six years.

Marcelle Sussman Fischler reports in from the suburbs around New York City, where luxury, amenity-rich, mixed-used TOD is offering up an urbanized suburbia.

Meanwhile in the Denver region, an innovative public-private financing tool Denver Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) Fund, is attempting to "preserve and create affordable housing and community facilities". Denver's official Transit Oriented Development Strategic Plan from 2014.

Also previously, The New Suburbanism by Joel Kotkin.

Nations first high speed rail approved in California State Senate

2012-07-07T00:14:00-04:00

California has grabbed a golden opportunity to build the nation’s first high-speed rail system, create the backbone of a new, clean 21st century transportation system and support our future economic growth.

After a tough quarrels and special interest maneuvers, the State of California cleared the hurdles to lead the nation for a faster and more connected future. The high speed rail will have major impact on California's economy and its future urban developments. It could very well be the end of architecture's dry decade. Employers; gear up. Employees; apply.

The first segment of the line will run from Madera to Bakersfield. The final cost of the completed project from Los Angeles to San Francisco would be $68 billion.