Josh Stephens
As Cities Forge Ahead, Journalism Faces Its Own Rebuilding
Submitted by jstephens on 11 March 2010 - 12:28pmIn planning, as with anything else, the progress does not arrive merely with the flow of time. The enthusiasm and ideas that swept over these pages in the first decade of this century -- smart growth, downtown revitalization, AB 32, SB 375, and all the rest -- are now met with delay, deferral, and, in some cases, bankruptcy.
New Tsunami Maps Depict Extreme High-Water Mark
Submitted by jstephens on 10 March 2010 - 3:38pmCalifornia has a yet another seismic threat to prepare for, thanks to a set of new maps that depict a ferocious line of water that may, if earth moves in just the wrong way, someday surge inland along the state's coastline. Experts are saying that these new maps should be used to plan for emergency evacuations, not changes in land use planning. In at least one case, however, the Coastal Commission is already considering policies that would take tsunamis into account when approving developments.
Federal Climate Legislation May Complement State Efforts
Submitted by Paul Shigley on 18 September 2009 - 3:19pmWith the election of President Obama and the emergence of a Democratic majority in Congress, it appears that the federal government may soon pass sweeping legislation to address greenhouse gas emissions. Based on a preponderance of research linking greenhouse gas emissions to urban sprawl and reliance on automobiles, a national program may usher in the next great trend in urban planning. If so, California may find itself well ahead of its fellow states.
Horse Racing's Decline May Be Cities' Infill Opportunity
Submitted by Paul Shigley on 1 June 2009 - 9:18amNo fewer than four of California's once-proud of racetracks have entered some form of bankruptcy, redevelopment, or uncertainty. With attendance and handle down at California tracks – as at tracks across the country – rare opportunities are emerging to redevelop outsized parcels that sit amid heavily urbanized areas. Thanks in part to competition from off-track betting and Indian casinos as well as nationwide trends, Bay Meadows Racetrack in San Mateo has already been demolished, and Inglewood’s Hollywood Park could cease racing operations and face demolition as early as August.
Hopes For Airport Regionalization Grounded In Palmdale
Submitted by Paul Shigley on 10 March 2009 - 10:40amWhen United Airlines canceled its service between the airport in Palmdale and San Francisco International, it provide a significant setback to Southern California's long, frustrating effort to spread an immense amount of air traffic more evenly across the region. Palmdale may yet thrive as a commercial airport, but experts predict it could take decades.
Economic Woes May Capsize Ambitious Plan For Queen Mary
Submitted by Paul Shigley on 30 January 2009 - 11:22amAfter 76 years afloat, the RMS Queen Mary surely still draws stares from the cargo ship crews that call at the Port of Long Beach, where the Queen remains one of Southern California’s more incongruous tourist attractions. Having sailed the North Atlantic under the Cunard flag, the ship has, since 1968, served simultaneously as a hotel, museum, event venue, and elegant icon for an otherwise working-class Southern California port city.
Remedial Urbanism: History, Apathy, Old Plan Stunt Westwood Village
Submitted by Robin Andersen on 30 May 2008 - 12:50pmWestwood Village sits in the middle of a rare constellation of commercial districts. To the east lie Prada, Spago and the extravagance of Beverly Hills. To the south, Century City offers a resplendent new multiplex and every imaginable upscale chain store. To the west, Santa Monica’s Promenade ranks as the paragon of L.A. urbanism. Further afield, the ersatz streets of The Grove and CityWalk attract “destination” shoppers from all over the region.
By the unusual standards of West Los Angeles, Westwood Village could be cited for blight. Yet even as other pockets of the Westside become ever more upscale, the city’s new focus on “elegant density” and strategic infill might leave Westwood behind.