City Beautiful
Fresno is removing its pedestrian mall. Will it save downtown?
updated
Drive thru lanes may be convenient, but some cities are labeling them as nuisances. They cause traffic, generate emissions, and can cause restaurants to abandon in-person dining. Should they be banned, or is that too far?
Nebula subscribers, I have a Discord! discord.gg/UmNMyDsy
Resources on this topic:
Drive-Thru Dreams: amazon.com/dp/1250090725/?bestFormat=true&k=drive%20thru%20dreams%20book&ref_=nb_sb_ss_w_scx-ent-pd-bk-d_de_k0_1_17&crid=3R8SIK48YZVW3&sprefix=drive%20thru%20dreams
- sacbee.com/news/nation-world/national/article259313669.html
- charlotteledger.substack.com/p/lets-tackle-charlottes-chick-fil
- johnfry.com/pages/JackintheBox.html
- atomicredhead.com/2022/03/24/a-bite-of-hot-dog-history-at-the-first-wienerschnitzel
- cityobservatory.org/drive-thrus-are-ruining-cities-and-helping-kill-the-planet
- pdfs.semanticscholar.org/eda2/c11f55a6590adf2c0aa680146cbda1821c81.pdf
-files.dep.state.pa.us/Energy/Office%20of%20Energy%20and%20Technology/lib/energy/docs/climatechangeadvcom/transportation/121708/tbr_drive-thru_idling.pdf
- sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S089040650200052X
- sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S135382921930735X
- sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0277953611005636
- link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1186/s12889-018-5061-1.pdf
- planning.org/planning/2020/apr/is-fast-food-through-with-drive-thrus
Produced by Dave Amos and the fine folks at Nebula Studios.
Written by Dave Amos.
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Black Lives Matter.
Trans rights.
Rome is called "The Eternal City" and with that much history, it can be a challenge to understand the geography and history of the city. This video breaks it all down, explaining why many of Rome's landmarks are where they are.
Produced by Dave Amos and the fine folks at Nebula Studios.
Written by Dave Amos.
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Black Lives Matter.
Trans rights.
Watch this video on Nebula: nebula.tv/videos/citybeautiful-is-san-franciscos-new-transit-center-worth-it
San Francisco opened the Salesforce Transit Center in 2019, and currently serves buses only. It does not connect to local transit trains and will not serve longer-distance trains until at least 2033. Does that make this station a failure? Or maybe it's forward-thinking?
Resources on this topic:
- tjpa.org
- ftp.txdot.gov/pub/txdot/get-involved/hou/real-plan/011223-salesforce.pdf
- https://hal.science/hal-02098131/document
- sfocii.org/sites/default/files/2022-04/2022 Transbay Redevelopment Plan Area Basemap for Website (002).pdf
- sfocii.org/sites/default/files/2022-08/TB Redevelopment Project Map_current_06.15.22.pdf
- sfmta.com/sites/default/files/agendaitems/2014/12-2-14 Item 15 T-Third Phase 3 Concept Study.pdf
- railwayage.com/passenger/report-the-portal-project-advances-in-california
- sfexaminer.com/news/transit/san-francisco-high-speed-rail-connection-boosted-by-billions/article_5caf2088-0f23-11ef-91d9-934fe4357d4c.html
- blog.bayareametro.gov/posts/portal-project-celebrates-338-billion-federal-transit-administration-funding
- capitolcorridor.org/route-map
- sfyimby.com/2023/10/ceqa-approval-for-san-francisco-transbay-downtown-rail-extension.html
- link21program.org/en/program/concepts
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Black Lives Matter.
Trans rights.
Kyoto is one of the most historic cities in Japan. Founded in the 8th Century, it boasts numerous shrines and temples. This video explores this history and geography of Kyoto.
Resources on this topic:
- Kyoto: An Urban History of Japan's Premodern Capital by Matthew Stavros: amazon.com/Kyoto-History-Premodern-Capital-Architecture/dp/0824838793
- Wonderful map overlay of Historic Kyoto: http://www.arc.ritsumei.ac.jp/archive01/theater/html/heian
- Kyoto: A Cultural History by John Dougill: google.com/books/edition/Kyoto/rhMTDAAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=0
- Seeing Kyoto by Juliette Winters Carpenter: google.com/books/edition/Seeing_Kyoto/L4JK8jH2uU4C?hl=en&gbpv=0
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Black Lives Matter.
Trans rights.
Watch this video on Nebula: nebula.tv/videos/citybeautiful-why-is-shibuya-crossing-the-busiest-in-the-world
Shibuya Crossing in Tokyo is considered the busiest pedestrian intersection in the world. Why is that particular intersection the busiest? It's a story involving transit-oriented development, a loyal dog, and international tourism.
Thanks to Mike Boswell for the topic suggestion!
Resources on this topic:
taylorfrancis.com/chapters/edit/10.4324/9780429426087-12/shibuya-crossing-non-tourist-site-fumiaki-takaoka
japantoday.com/category/features/travel/the-51-busiest-train-stations-in-the-world-all-but-6-located-in-japan
Takaoka, F. (2020). Shibuya Crossing as a non-tourist site: Performative participation and re-staging. In Understanding Tourism Mobilities in Japan (pp. 158-169). Routledge.
Balsas, C. J. (2020). The Crisis of Successful Places–Shibuya’s Case. International Journal of Crisis Communication, 4(1), 1-10.
Reggiani, M. (2022). Urban regeneration strategies and place development in contemporary Tokyo: the case of Shibuya Station area. Journal of Place Management and Development, 15(1), 40-54.
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Black Lives Matter.
Trans rights.
Tokyo's streets may look utilitarian, but their simple, no frills design makes them a joy to walk and bike on. This is made possible due to dense land uses and a populace that prefers transit to cars.
Special thanks to Christian Dimmer and Will Galloway!
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Black Lives Matter.
Trans rights.
Watch this video on Nebula: nebula.tv/videos/citybeautiful-can-paths-save-americas-suburbs
Nebula subscribers can watch my next video already! nebula.tv/videos/citybeautiful-tokyo-has-the-best-streets-in-the-world
Shared-use paths—paths designed for pedestrians and cyclists—could create safe and comfortable ways for people to move through the suburbs. Let's find out how they can be integrated into neighborhoods to maximize their positive effect.
Source: me and my research
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Black Lives Matter.
Trans rights.
Suburban arterial roads, sometimes known as "stroads," are some of the most dangerous streets in a city's network. Cars drive on them fast, and there is often limited facilities for those walking and on bikes. But they can be fixed!
Streetmix: streetmix.net
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Black Lives Matter.
Trans rights.
Watch this video on Nebula: nebula.tv/videos/citybeautiful-are-the-suburbs-getting-worse
Cul-de-sacs, loops, and separated subdivisions make it difficult for people to walk and bike in the suburbs. We've known this for decades. Have we improved our suburban street patterns in recent decades? I conducted a study to find out! I published the study in the Journal of Urban Morphology: journal.urbanform.org/index.php/jum/article/view/7826
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Black Lives Matter.
Trans rights.
The United States is known for its sprawl, but what about Europe? Cities in Europe are sprawling, but differently than U.S. cities. How so? And what can they do about it?
Resources on this topic:
- Clifton, Kelly, et al. "Quantitative analysis of urban form: a multidisciplinary review." Journal of Urbanism 1.1 (2008): 17-45.
- journals.plos.org/sustainabilitytransformation/article?id=10.1371/journal.pstr.0000034
- sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0169204622001815?casa_token=2wcg5qZrDDgAAAAA:fOqCuA5_1tAvEtzGqp5A5FRyYMh3-YG_ldfW0xryygHDrTaMuOGKNtjl5y-eQLESDZKYQBtJ
- mdpi.com/2073-445X/10/2/127
- sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0169204622001815?casa_token=UN_o9GDKGUgAAAAA:Ti3Gyz0wSYpPluDdohkempMgGyY5PYxVYvyKO4OqvECKzdpPKYjOH4QMycKzirxX7meG4psw
- sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0169204622001815?casa_token=2wcg5qZrDDgAAAAA:fOqCuA5_1tAvEtzGqp5A5FRyYMh3-YG_ldfW0xryygHDrTaMuOGKNtjl5y-eQLESDZKYQBtJ
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Black Lives Matter.
Trans rights.
Highways are a blight on the urban landscape and are difficult to tear down. But there are some factors that can make a highway easier to tear down, and that's what this video is all about.
Resources on this topic:
Freeways Without Futures: cnu.org/our-projects/highways-boulevards/freeways-without-futures
How Highway Removal Is Changing Our Cities: https://www.lincolninst.edu/publications/articles/2020-03-deconstruction-ahead-urban-highway-removal-changing-cities
The Economic Case for Removing Highways: smartgrowthamerica.org/five-cities-argue-the-economic-case-to-tear-down-a-highway
Rochester Inner Loop North project: innerloopnorth.com/about
I-81 Syracuse project: webapps.dot.ny.gov/i-81-viaduct-project-overview
I-81: syracuse.com/news/2023/07/new-york-starts-225-billion-interstate-81-rebuild-despite-court-challenges.html
I-81: nytimes.com/2023/06/03/nyregion/syracuse-interstate-81.html
Buffalo Skyway: wivb.com/news/higgins-kennedy-put-the-brakes-on-tearing-down-the-skyway
My favorite graph: sightline.org/2011/07/13/wsdot-vs-reality
Claiborne Avenue Alliance: claiborneavenuealliance.com
Restoring Our Community Coalition Buffalo: roccbuffalo.org
Connect Oakland: http://www.connectoakland.org/about/vision-2
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Black Lives Matter.
Trans rights.
Watch this video on Nebula: nebula.tv/videos/citybeautiful-why-shopping-malls-refuse-to-die
Some shopping malls have closed, but others remain full and thriving. Why? And can adaptive reuse breathe new life into dying malls while making them mixed use urban centers?
Resources on this topic:
businessinsider.com/american-mall-decline-150-left-10-years-how-many-2022-10)
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-04-02/us-shopping-centre-turned-into-school-with-transformation/100046028
highlandatx.com/a-rich-history
watermark.silverchair.com/i1943-4618-17-2-83.pdf
stonecreekllc.com/shopping-mall-redevelopment-and-re-use-projects
cnn.com/2023/08/20/business/shopping-mall-retail-growth/index.html
coresight.com/research/the-state-of-the-american-mall-competitive-attractive-and-here-to-stay
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Black Lives Matter.
Trans rights.
Watch this video on Nebula: nebula.tv/videos/citybeautiful-should-cities-be-circles
Most cities have streets that are in a grid pattern, cul-de-sacs, or organic jumble. But cities could be arranged as circles, in a radial-concentric configuration. In fact, there are examples throughout history of cities being designed this way. What are the advantages, and why aren't they more popular?
Resources on this topic:
sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0191261513002154?casa_token=RciD1AdwrPsAAAAA:FIyGSVpuz_BgelZmWetnS1xArN7tT8ra8Fd3uuKjJ_JVApJwVrQuFqRK51gco-PuE2R1ov-b
sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0966692315001544?casa_token=-sZevwE7RpAAAAAA:p0FxEL8Kth7lzhozWTRo_dc8kGHsiSGwI8yNH4GOJD2FdcPT638EcakuOl-fYxV6Sv6KDrR-
sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S030438001400297X?casa_token=UoZqGC2PJGgAAAAA:PUkeVeyFMTkhIUKrv8Um_DXiD2tDIEZtLCsjEcBkDSW_Gvj5mNIf7GK4BVvKpw6IgNzSi90d
sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0191261513002154?casa_token=sSivpFk4gJEAAAAA:v9pIitAexoFXhgBJLfvKVnjmXJXQsQ6m1owrRrJVpjSy2bieBprEOuJWq8-VTcVo03vEihGD
web.archive.org/web/20110629113720/http://people.hofstra.edu/geotrans/eng/ch6en/conc6en/burgess.html
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Black Lives Matter.
Trans rights.
If you had enough money, could you buy an entire city? Or maybe just a small town? Is something really a city if one person owns all the property?
Resources on this topic:
loveproperty.com/gallerylist/51810/entire-villages-and-towns-for-sale-that-you-can-actually-buy
people.com/home/town-california-campo-sale-16-acres
journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/0885412213512331?casa_token=orUG7_ojXIIAAAAA:mGWy0fn3nukPe6bOCJENF69De_vi8kU6AIG3wfhAqiRXy-N2D6-8ouS7uakrMA7wZ6uI0AjvEXM
nyc.gov/assets/finance/downloads/pdf/reports/reports-property-tax/nyc_property_fy22.pdf
opendatanetwork.com/entity/1600000US2622000/Detroit_MI/finance.michigan_property_tax.total_taxable_value?year=2022
senate.ga.gov/committees/Documents/CarlVinsonSummaryMunicipalIncorporationProceduresbyState.pdf
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Black Lives Matter.
Trans rights.
Which cities have the most expensive parking spaces, both on the street and in garages/lots? And what is the right price to charge for parking? This video answers those questions!
Resources on this topic:
parkopedia.com
Shoup, D. (2021). High cost of free parking. Routledge.
Chicago (amazon.com/High-Cost-Free-Parking-Updated/dp/193236496X/ref=sr_1_1?crid=OT4IM18XNK45&keywords=the+high+cost+of+free+parking&qid=1703393857&sprefix=the+high+cost+of+free+parkin%2Caps%2C147&sr=8-1)
https://edc.nyc/article/new-yorkers-and-their-cars
bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-08-16/where-to-park-in-nyc-rise-in-new-cars-outdoor-dining-deepen-nightmare
tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/01944363.2013.787307
vox.com/2014/6/27/5849280/why-free-parking-is-bad-for-everyone
http://ndl.ethernet.edu.et/bitstream/123456789/37638/1/Parking Issues and Policies.pdf#page=152
sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0965856415303396?casa_token=I00D9L0vgEsAAAAA:QK8Ain5eQvykdlGGiMZAIRd5oY3PzU9-t5sYcvTMe3mquk0x-dF9h6shNY6WvmVKGFG61bKr
sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0967070X11001090?casa_token=gvqjiJ3dkj8AAAAA:l36lGzv1Q7CRaFZyC3eyRIsi3ev8yCHQlQWVfwAGknMDvg5_oQ8_HVag1RvkQzUU56tX4uWi
ww2.arb.ca.gov/sites/default/files/2020-06/Impacts_of_Parking_Pricing_Based_on_a_Review_of_the_Empirical_Literature_Policy_Brief.pdf
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Black Lives Matter.
Trans rights.
Watch this video on Nebula: nebula.tv/videos/citybeautiful-how-london-was-rebuilt-after-the-great-fire-of-1666
The Great Fire of 1666 destroyed central London. Several intrepid designers saw the rebuilding process as an opportunity to fix the old city's problems. None of these plans were ever adopted. Why?
Resources on this topic:
discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10099694/3/Hebbert_The long after-life of Christopher Wren's short-lived London plan of 1666_AAM.pdf
The Making of Urban America, John Reps. (amazon.com/Making-America-History-Planning-United/dp/0691006180)
cambridge.org/core/journals/historical-journal/article/abs/quantitative-reasoning-and-commercial-logic-in-rebuilding-plans-after-the-great-fire-of-london-1666/405A86E7219756014D3F9F836DF5CCB3
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Black Lives Matter.
Trans rights.
Chicago is one of the only cities in the world with elevated metro lines running through downtown. Why is that? Are underground lines better than above ground?
Resources on this topic:
architecture.org/learn/resources/buildings-of-chicago/building/the-chicago-l
https://www.mylondon.news/news/zone-1-news/much-london-underground-actually-over-23421498#:~:text=That's because most of it,actually runs above the Overground
journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/0042098013484543?casa_token=gFvZu3aJMGoAAAAA:Kmbz6Es-u6Ns2hjUpf6H_xvAnXQLkqUURBidQI7U5rjGAAfoumoi0c_EZwSaxALfk748Sy63svw
https://australasiantransportresearchforum.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/ATRF2016_Full_papers_resubmission_129.pdf
thestar.com/news/gta/higher-and-faster-elevated-transit-isn-t-always-smarter/article_d11bf146-669f-5b7d-bb65-310405deb8f9.html#:~:text=Elevated transit is generally considered,It also avoids traffic delays
ny.curbed.com/2018/6/27/17507424/new-york-city-elevated-train-history-transportation
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Black Lives Matter.
Trans rights.
Watch this video on Nebula: nebula.tv/videos/citybeautiful-will-lagos-be-the-first-city-to-100-million
Demographers believe that African cities will be some of the largest in the world by 2100, and soon after Lagos, Nigeria could cross the 100 million people barrier. Why Lagos? And what will it be like?
Resources on this topic:
journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/0956247816684711
journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/095624781666355
npr.org/2023/04/05/1168116175/lagos-the-biggest-city-in-nigeria-is-experiencing-a-population-boom
https://insights.som.yale.edu/insights/what-should-we-understand-about-urbanization-in-china
oecd.org/china/42607972.pdf
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_total_fertility_rate
researchgate.net/publication/273682019_Living_conditions_and_public_health_status_in_three_urban_slums_of_Lagos_Nigeria
https://businessday.ng/maritime/article/four-new-deep-seaports-set-to-attract-investments/#:~:text=The four deep seaports are,Deep Seaport in Rivers State.
economist.com/special-report/2020/03/26/africa-is-changing-so-rapidly-it-is-becoming-hard-to-ignore
pnas.org/doi/pdf/10.1073/pnas.2214254120, archdaily.com/966346/african-urbanism-preserving-cultural-heritage-in-the-age-of-megacities
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Written by Dave Amos and Hannah Woolsey
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Black Lives Matter.
Trans rights.
Zoning codes are often obscure and complicated. But if you change a few key parameters, you change things like residential density in the suburbs. This video demonstrates how those numbers shape our cities.
Produced by Dave Amos and the fine folks at Nebula Studios.
Written by Dave Amos
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Black Lives Matter.
Trans rights.
Watch this video on Nebula: nebula.tv/videos/citybeautiful-why-dont-cities-use-hexagon-blocks
Most cities have streets with gridded, organic, or cul-de-sac patterns. Why don't they use hexagons? They can be tiled indefinitely and create safer intersections.
This video relied on this great article:
Ben-Joseph, E., & Gordon, D. (2000). Hexagonal planning in theory and practice. Journal of Urban Design, 5(3), 237-265.
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Black Lives Matter.
Trans rights.
Boston is notorious for its confusing street network. Why did it end up with one, when cities like New York and Philadelphia didn't?
Resources on this topic:
injuryprevention.bmj.com/content/injuryprev/23/3/179.full.pdf
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Black Lives Matter.
Trans rights.
Watch this video on Nebula: nebula.tv/videos/citybeautiful-the-highway-fight-that-changed-cities-forever
Jane Jacobs and Robert Moses were influential in the destiny of New York City, and battled it out directly over the Lower Manhattan Expressway. This battle would come to define the fault lines of U.S. city planning.
Resources on this topic:
This is an excellent read for more information:
Dory, J. (2018). Clash of urban philosophies: Moses versus Jacobs. Journal of Planning History, 17(1), 20-41.
Also:
Scheper, G. L. (2008). A divergence of modernities: Jane Jacobs, Robert Moses, and the re-visioning of New York City. Community college humanities review, 28, 92-106.
Chicago
Flint, A. (2009). Wrestling with Moses: How Jane Jacobs took on New York's master builder and transformed the American city. Random House.
Chicago
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Black Lives Matter.
Trans rights.
There's obviously more to say about this project than I can in one minute. Here are some other articles about the project:
abcnews.go.com/Technology/wireStory/billionaires-build-new-city-rural-california-convince-voters-102866927
abc7news.com/travis-air-force-base-flannery-associates-solano-county-land-purchase-california-forever-website/13724300
Vacant lots and underused parking lots can be redeveloped into housing, offices, shopping and more. When that happens, the environmental and social benefits are immense. This video is all about the policies that can make infill development possible.
Watch this on Nebula: nebula.tv/videos/citybeautiful-can-infill-development-save-cities
Check out CityNerd's video here: youtube.com/watch?v=iEUg9ymgrXk
Resources on this topic:
https://grandchallenges.ucla.edu/happenings/2016/10/24/the-now-institute-and-sustainable-la-grand-challenge-launch-visions-for-a-sustainable-la/
newyorkfed.org/medialibrary/media/research/epr/03v09n2/0306glae.pdf
https://www.brookings.edu/policy2020/bigideas/to-improve-housing-affordability-we-need-better-alignment-of-zoning-taxes-and-subsidies/
latimes.com/opinion/story/2023-02-06/san-jose-housing-development-urban-planning-nimbyism
cbo.gov/publication/58861#:~:text=In%202021%2C%20CO2%20emissions%20from%20transportation%20in%20the%20United,second%20largest%20source%20that%20year.
This video was produced with the California Strategic Growth Council.
Produced by Dave Amos and the fine folks at Nebula Studios.
Written by Dave Amos and Sully Israel in consultation with the SGC.
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Black Lives Matter.
Trans rights.
Watch this video on Nebula: nebula.tv/videos/citybeautiful-real-estate-development-explained
City planners don't build cities, real estate developers do. This video takes you through the real estate development process and all of its many challenges.
Resources on this topic:
This video relies on "Professional Real Estate Development: The ULI Guide for Business" by Richard B. Peisner and David Hamilton americas.uli.org/professional-real-estate-development
As well as my knowledge from my graduate-level real estate development class at the University of Oregon. Go Ducks!
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Black Lives Matter.
Trans rights.
Watch this video on Nebula: nebula.tv/videos/citybeautiful-can-we-fit-entire-cities-in-a-single-building
Arcologies—self-contained mega-cities—have appeared in Sim City, Bladerunner, and sci-fi novels. Where did this idea come from, and will we all be living in an Arcology someday?
Isaac Arthur video on arcologies: youtube.com/watch?v=TqKQ94DtS54
Resources on this topic:
https://www.organism.earth/library/document/arcology#p2-ch0-1
Paolo Soleri, Arcology: City in the Image of Man
simcity.fandom.com/wiki/Arcology
jfsdigital.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/3jfs-daffara-2022-07-12ver1.1.pdf
search.informit.org/doi/epdf/10.3316/informit.171460620144408
nytimes.com/2012/02/16/garden/an-early-eco-city-faces-the-future.html?scp=1&sq=arcosanti&st=cse
arcosanti.org/arco-agritecture
bbc.com/future/article/20221028-will-we-ever-live-in-city-sized-buildings
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Black Lives Matter.
Trans rights.
This list comes from: ktla.com/news/list-of-most-expensive-zip-codes-released-guess-how-many-are-in-california
Watch this video on Nebula: nebula.tv/videos/citybeautiful-why-is-beverly-hills-so-rich-and-famous
Beverly Hills is known in pop culture (Clueless, Real Housewives) as being a haven for the rich, famous, and influential. How did it get that way? Is it harder to plan a city full of gated homes?
Resources on this topic:
http://www.beverlyhills.org/citymanager/aboutbeverlyhills/historyofbeverlyhills/?NFR=1
beverlyhillshistoricalsociety.org/history
kcet.org/shows/lost-la/view-park-black-beverly-hills
laist.com/news/criminal-justice/black-people-comprised-nearly-90-percent-arrests-by-beverly-hills-police-rodeo-drive-team-crump-racial-profiling
newspress.com/beverly-hills-the-city-with-the-worst-income-inequality-in-california
kcet.org/shows/lost-la/why-isnt-there-a-freeway-to-beverly-hills
huffpost.com/entry/swimming-pools-la-los-angeles_n_4386306
nytimes.com/2022/06/14/us/water-conservation-california.html
la.curbed.com/2015/4/2/9974370/drought-shaaaaame
la.curbed.com/2015/10/30/9905272/beverly-hills-water-conservation
la.curbed.com/2015/1/9/10003760/inside-the-nightmarish-dystopia-of-las-richest-neighborhood-1
prnewswire.com/news-releases/housing-group-announces-lawsuit-against-beverly-hills-over-inadequate-planning-for-housing-301726399.html
therealdeal.com/la/2023/02/02/builders-remedy-test-case-heats-up-in-beverly-hills
opr.ca.gov/ceqa/ceqa-housing.html
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Black Lives Matter.
Watch this video on Nebula: nebula.tv/videos/citybeautiful-i-destroyed-a-european-city-with-us-planning-in-townscaper
Townscaper is a wonderful little game for making charming, walkable cities. But what if you tried to add public housing projects, freeways and sprawl?
Get Townscaper: townscapergame.com
Videos referenced:
Can we fix the suburbs?: youtu.be/jNuRpYaPLuA
Should the US Build More Public Housing: youtube.com/watch?v=kw0KqSNHXqg
Why did we build "The Projects": youtu.be/7eGTU_uXLKk
Transit-Oriented Development: youtu.be/RYsqWIGyRVk
Produced by Hannah Woolsey, Dave Amos, and the fine folks at Nebula Studios.
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Black Lives Matter.
Trans rights.
Watch this video on Nebula:
nebula.tv/videos/citybeautiful-history-of-paris-ancient-rome-to-the-present
Check out my Great Cities video on Paris (On Nebula): nebula.tv/videos/citybeautiful-how-boulevards-changed-paris-forever
Paris is an amazing city with an incredible history. This video tracks that history year by year as it grew from a trading post on the outer reaches of the Roman Empire to the City of Light.
Resources on this topic:
Paris: Biography of a City by Colin Jones (amazon.com/Paris-Biography-City-Colin-Jones/dp/0143036718)
Walks Through Lost Paris by Leonard Pitt (amazon.com/Walks-Through-Lost-Paris-Historic/dp/1593761031/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2YCWF02NBU1SZ&keywords=walks+through+lost+paris&qid=1686760535&sprefix=walks+through+lost+paris%2Caps%2C176&sr=8-1)
wri.org/insights/paris-15-minute-city
https://www.comeetie.fr/galerie/BatiParis/#12/48.8586/2.3577
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Written by Hannah Woolsey and Dave Amos
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Black Lives Matter.
Trans rights.
Watch this video ad-free on Nebula: nebula.tv/videos/citybeautiful-can-us-cities-build-narrow-european-streets
U.S. streets are often wide and meant primarily for cars. Many European cities have charming, narrow streets that give pedestrians priority. Can U.S. cities find ways to add these narrow streets into our existing networks? And what would they gain if they did?
I'm on Patreon! Consider supporting: patreon.com/citybeautiful
Resources on this topic:
mycentraljersey.com/story/things-to-do/2018/12/26/elfreths-alley-philadelphia/2148575002
strongtowns.org/journal/2015/3/17/some-thoughts-on-narrow-streets
mantecabulletin.com/opinion/local-columns/alleys-the-good-the-bad-the-ugly
designingbuildings.co.uk/wiki/The_history_of_the_dimensions_and_design_of_roads,_streets_and_carriageways
philly.curbed.com/maps/philadelphia-most-beautiful-alley-streets
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Black Lives Matter.
Trans rights.
nytimes.com/2023/05/25/us/la-sombrita-bus-los-angeles.html
jalopnik.com/las-la-sombrita-bus-shelters-arent-good-enough-but-the-1850467865
independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/los-angeles-transportation-la-sombrita-backlash-b2344259.html
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Black Lives Matter.
Trans rights.
Watch this video ad-free on Nebula: nebula.tv/videos/citybeautiful-can-we-fix-the-suburbs
The suburbs are boring, single use, car oriented, low density, and segregated. How can we solve these problems and turn them from a liability to an asset. Or is it not possible at all?
I'm on Patreon! Consider supporting: patreon.com/citybeautiful
Resources on this topic:
mcall.com/2021/05/26/bill-white-discoveries-from-returning-to-my-childhood-home-in-the-suburban-experiment-of-levittown
strongtowns.org/journal/2020/5/20/7-rules-for-rehabilitating-suburbia-md2020
bdcnetwork.com/california-strip-mall-goes-multifamily-residential
npr.org/2022/09/29/1125930181/affordable-housing-shortage-california-commercial-real-estate-zoning-laws
https://www.brookings.edu/essay/trend-1-separate-and-unequal-neighborhoods-are-sustaining-racial-and-economic-injustice-in-the-us/
https://www.brookings.edu/essay/homeownership-racial-segregation-and-policies-for-racial-wealth-equity/
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Black Lives Matter.
Trans rights.
Watch this video on Nebula: nebula.tv/videos/citybeautiful-why-are-college-towns-so-great
Watch my NEXT video on Nebula: nebula.tv/videos/citybeautiful-can-we-fix-the-suburbs
Many people have fond memories of the time they spent in small college towns in the United States, attending university. Many people want to live in them after they graduate. What makes a college town different than a regular small town, and why are they so desirable?
Resources on this topic:
bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-09-08/america-s-biggest-college-towns
https://www.econstor.eu/bitstream/10419/119078/1/ERSA2010_0204.pdf
denvergazette.com/news/crime/investigation-into-march-6-riot-near-cu-boulder-ending-10-arrested-4-suspended/article_1eed50a6-ea57-11eb-9d72-c7e342f1f750.html
journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/0096144205281664?casa_token=g-fCdlF6CM0AAAAA:Uul29_lvRH6U7QgAQ5PIYgHnp66nw9WfS2s8v-Ed1bnAjx79j32lDp9yAvj9ARUp2-_S1d1O3XY
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Black Lives Matter.
Trans rights.
Watch this video ad-free on Nebula: nebula.tv/videos/citybeautiful-how-nimbys-weaponize-historic-districts
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Watch Cynical Historian's video here: youtube.com/watch?v=zl_ATg8DQEY
Special thanks to Michael Andersen of Sightline Institute
---
I'm on Patreon! Consider supporting: patreon.com/citybeautiful
---
Marking a building as historic can make a lot of sense, but it gets more complicated when cities try to mark an entire district as historic. And sometimes historic districts can be created not for the preservation of history, but for the preservation of demographics and property values.
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Resources on this topic:
ny.curbed.com/2017/11/7/16616314/old-penn-station-history-photos-mckim
go.gale.com/ps/i.do?id=GALE|A657632786&sid=googleScholar&v=2.1&it=r&linkaccess=fulltext&issn=20955405&p=AONE&sw=w&casa_token=5lTiVQ8KLvEAAAAA:49cftuHVTJj8eVgbE-5B89FvVgnbLov4zIK_liwQRZz2XyxPLPDbvmAH4GHtG2YJRDV0F4WuU3I0c03IOw
paloaltoonline.com/news/2022/03/22/citing-sb9-concerns-palo-alto-moves-to-expand-historic-registry
cityofpasadena.net/city-manager/news/pasadena-cements-landmark-district-exemptions-from-sb-9
sightline.org/2021/10/19/bogus-historic-districts-the-new-exclusionary-zoning
historiclaurelhurst.com/single-post/2017/05/25/will-historic-district-stop-demolitions
docs.wixstatic.com/ugd/a5115d_73e49eab474446a499bdb23200be2f88.pdf
---
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Written by Dave Amos and Hannah Woolsey
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Black Lives Matter.
Trans rights.
Watch this video ad-free on Nebula: nebula.tv/videos/citybeautiful-why-did-humans-invent-cities
Cities are a relatively new invention, by human standards. Why did Neolithic people 11,000 years ago decide to give up their nomadic, hunter-gatherer lives and start to settle? And what were these early cities like?
Resources on this topic:
ourworldindata.org/urbanization
history.com/news/prehistoric-ages-timeline#:~:text=During this era%2C early humans,and were hunters and gatherers, scientificamerican.com/article/an-ancient-proto-city-reveals-the-origin-of-home
The City Shaped by Spiro Kostof amazon.com/City-Shaped-Patterns-Meanings-Through/dp/0821220160/ref=sr_1_1?crid=25ALPSJ3L24M4&keywords=the+city+shaped&qid=1679087146&sprefix=the+city+shaped%2Caps%2C143&sr=8-1
theguardian.com/cities/2015/feb/16/whats-the-oldest-city-in-the-world
thoughtco.com/eridu-iraq-earliest-city-in-mesopotamia-170802
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Black Lives Matter.
Trans rights.
Watch this ad-free on Nebula: nebula.tv/videos/citybeautiful-us-zoning-explained
I'm on Patreon: patreon.com/citybeautiful
Resources on this topic:
whyy.org/articles/before-the-viral-video-black-mount-laurel-residents-rewrote-the-law-on-fair-housing
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Black Lives Matter.
Watch this video ad-free on Nebula: nebula.tv/videos/citybeautiful-why-nobody-lives-in-venice
Resources on this topic:
Best book on Venice: “Venice: A New History” by Thomas F. Madden. amazon.com/Venice-History-Thomas-F-Madden-ebook/dp/B007V65SLC/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1COBPWAV2TW7Z&keywords=venice+a+new+history&qid=1676578243&sprefix=venice+a+new+history%2Caps%2C146&sr=8-1
thoughtco.com/history-of-venice-1221659#:~:text=The%20Origins%20of%20Venice,islands%20in%20the%20Venice%20lagoon
statista.com/statistics/732406/overnight-tourist-arrivals-in-venice-italy/#:~:text=Overall%2C%20combined%20arrivals%20by%20domestic,remaining%20below%20pre%2Dpandemic%20levels
https://www.tuttitalia.it/veneto/40-venezia/statistiche/popolazione-andamento-demografico/
https://www.comune.venezia.it/it/node/40751
sci-hub.hkvisa.net/10.1080/09669582.2020.1860068
mdpi.com/2071-1050/11/24/6937
bbc.com/future/article/20220927-italys-plan-to-save-venice-from-sinking
afar.com/magazine/venice-no-longer-risks-losing-unesco-status
insider.com/venice-hired-armed-guards-tourists-locals-overcrowding-2021-8
npr.org/2022/07/03/1109615164/italy-venice-travel-new-rules
sci-hub.hkvisa.net/10.1080/09669582.2020.1860068
nature.com/articles/s41599-020-00640-6
http://www.santachiaramurano.com/history-of-murano.html
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Black Lives Matter.
Watch Undecided with Matt Ferrell's video on energy storage here: youtube.com/watch?v=B3JlTVt0jLw
Watch this video on Nebula ad free! nebula.tv/videos/citybeautiful-an-introduction-to-district-heating-systems
I’m on Patreon! Consider supporting this channel: patreon.com/citybeautiful
District heating is the process of heating buildings by capturing waste heat from a power plant through co-generation. That heat is transmitted via steam or hot water. Many cities in the world have used this system, and it's increasingly attractive when paired with low-carbon power sources. Is steam the technology of the future?
Resources on this topic:
untappedcities.com/2021/07/09/new-york-city-steam-system
eyeonhousing.org/2022/09/almost-even-split-between-natural-gas-and-electric-heating-systems-in-new-homes
burnhamnationwide.com/final-review-blog/-benefits-of-district-energy-systems
geothermal-energy.org/pdf/IGAstandard/ISS/2001Romania/bloomquist_dh.pdf
sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1876610218305095
iea.org/reports/district-heating
iea.org/reports/heating
nytimes.com/guides/year-of-living-better/how-to-reduce-your-carbon-footprint
districtenergy.org/blogs/district-energy/2022/10/20/soviet-era-centralized-heating-systems-were-ukrain
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Black Lives Matter.
Some cities have lots of parks, some don’t have much. Is there a correct amount? How do planners plan for park space?
Check out my Nebula Original video on Central Park:
Vox video on Pickleball: youtu.be/5bp-0aaXYsA
I’m on Patreon! Consider supporting this channel: patreon.com/citybeautiful
Resources on this topic:
audubon.org/news/whiter-neighborhoods-get-more-park-space-new-report-shows
https://www.brookings.edu/blog/the-avenue/2019/08/21/parks-make-great-places-but-not-enough-americans-can-reach-them/
parksforcalifornia.org/parkaccess/?overlays1=parks%2Cnoparkaccess&overlays2=parks%2Cparksper1000
tpl.org/parkserve/about
slocity.org/home/showpublisheddocument/29503/637690273249070000
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Black Lives Matter.
Watch this video early and ad-free on Nebula: nebula.tv/videos/citybeautiful-how-we-can-make-streets-safer-now-but-dont
I’m on Patreon! Consider supporting this channel patreon.com/citybeautiful
Resources on this topic:
NYC crash stats: abc7ny.com/bike-lanes-safety-cyclists-bikers/5473859
More NYC crash stats: newyorkpersonalinjuryattorneysblog.com/a-look-back-at-nyc-traffic-accident-injuries-and-deaths-in-2020-and-the-repercussions-of-the-covid19-crisis
Crash stats: crashstats.nhtsa.dot.gov/Api/Public/ViewPublication/813283
NYC speed limiters: ny1.com/nyc/all-boroughs/news/2022/08/11/nyc-municipal-fleet-anti-speeding-technology
Speed limiters: planetizen.com/news/2022/10/119204-national-transportation-safety-board-recommend-speed-limiters-us-automobiles
Speed cameras: sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0925753513001781?casa_token=sGGCqmixrK0AAAAA:CUTI0_QwdZZIMjN14BK9zFc67U0gykY8yNY3zz-khHNUNd-KliA7Ytw0G4Fnv36aByYSFoUE
Speed cameras: http://speedcamerareport.co.uk/cochrane_sys_review_10.pdf
Automated enforcement laws by state: iihs.org/topics/red-light-running/automated-enforcement-laws
Racial bias in policing: nature.com/articles/s41562-020-0858-1
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Written by Dave Amos and Hannah Woolsey
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Black Lives Matter.
Transit lines to the airport seem like a big win, as even people who don't ride transit will take it to and from the airport. This is particularly true for business travelers. But do these lines also serve airport employees, and are they the best use of limited transit funding?
Check out my Nebula Original video on Shanghai: nebula.tv/videos/city-beautiful-how-shanghai-built-the-worlds-largest-metro-system
I’m on Patreon! Consider supporting this channel patreon.com/citybeautiful
Resources on this topic:
Trolley parks: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trolley_park
denverite.com/2022/02/22/why-dont-rtds-trains-go-into-denvers-neighborhoods
humantransit.org/2016/03/keys-to-great-airport-transit.html
cntraveler.com/stories/2015-12-03/the-worlds-best-transit-options-to-and-from-the-airport
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Black Lives Matter.
Link to the full video: youtube.com/watch?v=xov7Ao_fPwQ
Link to the full video on Nebula: nebula.tv/videos/city-beautiful-how-to-design-a-great-street