News Roundup
Gentrification flap rooted in an older debate over New Orleans ‘exceptionalism’ Opinion
The rapid demographic changes in some of New Orleans’ older neighborhoods have sparked consternation among locals as well as professional observers of the city.
Source: The Lens | Archived Copy
Filed under: Hurricane Katrina | Rebuilding New Orleans | Urban Ecology
Apr 12 2013
Track Coverage of the BP Oil Spill Trial
Track coverage of the BP Oil Spill Trial.
Source: The Times-Picayune | Nola.com | Archived Copy
Filed under: BP Oil Disaster
Mar 29 2013
Going with the Flow
American politicians, including those who argued to cut back on money for preventive measures after Sandy, might want to see how the Dutch have managed to improve public life, public space and the landscape at a fraction of the billions American taxpayers pay out for repairing hurricane damage.
Source: The New York Times | Archived Copy
Filed under: Environment | Good Governance | Infrastructure
Feb 19 2013
New Orleans Needs New Approach to Water Management
Major projects, some financed with federal dollars, are expanding the drainage system’s capacity to funnel even greater volumes at faster rates out of populated areas. This is an antiquated approach to water management, Becker and Waggonner argued. It lowers the water table, dries out the soil and causes the city to sink further into the swamp. Such subsidence cracks roads; upsets foundations.
Source: The Times-Picayune | Nola.com | Archived Copy
Filed under: Infrastructure | Rebuilding New Orleans | Sustainable Development
Jan 13 2013
Federal appeals court in New Orleans hands rare win to environmental group in BP oil spill case
“It’s a very important victory that BP could be finally forced to publicly disclose all the toxic components it spilled into the waters, but we’re disappointed by the dismissal of our Clean Water Act claims,” said Miyoko Sakashita, oceans director for the center.
Source: The Times-Picayune | Nola.com | Archived Copy
Filed under: BP Oil Disaster
Jan 10 2013
Pilot program aims to reduce the unintentional bycatch of bluefin tuna in the Gulf of Mexico
“Bluefin is the poster child of bad fisheries management,” said Tom Wheatley, manager of the Pew Environment Group’s Gulf Surface Longline Campaign.
Source: The Times-Picayune | Nola.com | Archived Copy
Filed under: Environment | Healthy Communities
Jan 8 2013
Seville’s Lesson to World: How to Become Bike Friendly
Seville’s transportation revolution goes beyond being bike friendly; horse carts, segways, 3- and 4- person pedicabs, streetcars and buses are also alternative modes of tranportation. This transformation didn’t happen without massive public input and infrastructural investment.
Source: People for Bikes | Archived Copy
Filed under: Bicycles | Good Governance | Urban Design
Dec 8 2012
Zen and the Art of Messy Urbanism
It’s very important to not be too structured in our thinking about soft infrastructure. There is a temptation to revert to thinking in silos, and assume that city communities can be segmented into areas of separate concern such as neighbourhoods, sectors such as “digital entrepreneurs”, or service user communities such as “commuters”. To do this is to forget where and how innovation and the creation of new value often occurs.
Source: Sustainable Cities Collective | Archived Copy
Filed under: Urban Design | Urban Ecology
Nov 29 2012
Program to move homes from LSU-VA hospital site, rehab them, remains in disarray
More than two years ago, Mayor Mitch Landrieu stood on the future site of the Veterans Affairs medical complex in Mid-City and announced an unprecedented plan; the city, with the help of the national nonprofit Builders of Hope, would move up to 100 historic houses in the hospital’s footprint to lots around the city, where they would be rehabbed and sold.
Source: The Times-Picayne/nola.com | Archived Copy
Filed under: Community Economics | Housing | Infrastructure | LSU-VA Hospital | Rebuilding New Orleans | Urban Design
Nov 26 2012