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After a boom in construction and investment in real estate projects in recent years, work is drying up amid a slowdown in the world’s second largest economy. Property developers are cutting back on new projects, and with construction starts down 16% in the first half this year from a year ago, many firms are cutting salaries or letting staff go. [...]
“We are adjusting to a slower pace of urbanization in China with a recovery of the American and Middle East markets”
— blogs.wsj.com
More from the architecture market in China:How the "Chinese Steve Jobs" is trying to build the ideal cityConstruction stalled on 'world's tallest building', so locals made its foundation into a fish farmA landscape architect just joined China's roster of billionairesChinese prefab company builds a... View full entry
'When these [2007 Pan Am] venues were built the government told Brazilians that these would be Olympic-ready, and there would be a rather smooth and efficient transition to eventually hosting the Olympics,' explained Rio-based reporter Taylor Barnes...'But, these venues have instead had some pretty checkered after-lives.' — pri.org
Despite a murky past of broken promises in addition to recent water-safety concerns and rampant economic turmoil, Rio de Janeiro Mayor Eduardo Paes claims construction of the venues are on schedule and will be delivered on time for the 2016 Olympics -- which will begin one year from now. Public... View full entry
When an NFL team wants to build a new stadium, it often argues that the facility would boost the local economy.
But that is not true, says Roger Noll, a Stanford professor emeritus in economics. [...]
"NFL stadiums do not generate significant local economic growth, and the incremental tax revenue is not sufficient to cover any significant financial contribution by the city," said Noll, a senior fellow at the Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research.
— stanford.edu
Related:How to shop for an NFL stadiumLos Angeles NFL stadium and Convention Center project would boost tax revenue, studies find View full entry
Housing advocates have long debated the merits of moving low-income families from high-poverty urban areas to suburbs like Glenview. The move can be challenging for families, who leave behind family and friends and enter a new, affluent world. But the research is increasingly conclusive: Living in a 'good' zip code dramatically improves kids’ chances of going to college, getting a good job, and escaping poverty. — The Atlantic
More on Archinect:Chicago to offer $5-per-year bike shares to low-income residentsNew Urbanism takes over Chicago’s suburbsChicago's iconic Marina City could be headed for landmark statusLocals welcome The 606, a.k.a. Chicago's "High Line", but anxiety for its future remainsSarah Herda... View full entry
Recent research by Pew showed that half of the 20- to 34-year-olds polled did not expect to be living in [Philadelphia] in five to 10 years, largely because of concerns about education and career opportunities (the ones that never knock).
I love Philadelphia, it has become my home. But what will happen if the bulk of today’s middle class follows their parents and trickles out to the suburbs?
— psmag.com
As money has piled up in recent decades, Chinese are turning to culture and the country is in a museum-building boom. Last year one museum was built every day on average, though the rush has since “slowed” to about one every three days, says Cathy Giangrande, co-author with Miriam Clifford and Antony White of the “Chinese Museums Association Guide,” an updated version of their 2009 book “China: Museums.” — NY Times
You can’t build your way out of congestion. It’s the roads themselves that cause traffic. The concept is called induced demand, which is economist-speak for when increasing the supply of something (like roads) makes people want that thing even more. [...]
What [economists] Turner and Duranton (and many others who’d like to see more rational transportation policy) actually advocate is known as congestion pricing. This means raising the price of driving on a road when demand is high.
— wired.com