More and more, traditional suburban malls are being replaced by "lifestyle centers"--while perhaps located in outlying areas, these "Disney-esque" developments "are meant to look like real towns, with curbed streets, parking meters and themed architecture." Newsweek finds examples of these all across the nation, from Washington, D.C., to San… more

According to Newsweek, four in 10 kids are now born to unmarried moms, but these women aren't all teens. The article cites statistics: births to unmarried women are at an all-time high, but teen preganancies are at their lowest levels in 65 years. Who are the new moms? "Some...are… more

Whether in the U.S. legally or illegally, immigrants may be responsible for bringing lower crime rates to U.S. cities. Immigrants are known for their cultural and economic contributions, but the New York Times reports that they're generally perceived to increase crime: "In a national survey conducted in 2000, 73… more

It may come as a surprise, but U.S. manufacturers are vying with the more usual suspects - IT and other professional service firms - in grappling for skilled labor. USA Today reports that, "manufacturers, regardless of size, speicality or location, across the USA are reporting a dire shortage of… more

Minneapolis is, well, cool - and not just because it's December. Rather, the city is quickly becoming a hotbed for great art. USA Today writes that the city's "cutting-edge museums, arty hotels and edginess" are contributing to its "cool cultural reputation." Ralph Burnet, real estate mogul and developer of… more

The New York Times reports that it's the states, and not the federal government, that are setting minimum wage policy across the nation these days. While only 2% of workers worked in states with a minimum wage that exceeded the federal wage in 1991, in 2006, that percentage had… more

These days, it seems that everyone - and everything - is returning to the city. The Wall Street Journal reports that suburban hotel chains (Hampton Inn, Holiday Inn Express, Courtyard by Marriott) are developing new properties in the heart of big cities across the nation. Hersha Group, "a Philadelphia-based… more

In a Boston Globe op-ed, CEOs for Cities Chairman of the Board and co-founder Paul Grogan argues that, in order to see real improvements in the education of its young citizens, Boston must extend its school day: "In an age when education matters more than ever and our prosperity… more

Tony Goldman, founder of Goldman Properties and the principal developer behind SoHo and South Beach, has turned his attention to the next frontier: Boston's Fort Point.

Goldman, whose vision for an area is always driven by aesthetics, looks at Fort Point and sees a sheer mass of buildings from a… more

While doing some holiday reading, I found an oral history transcript from 1986 with Serge Chermayeff, founder of the Institute of Design at IIT, who had some interesting observations on the city.

"Urbanity really is the new form of intensity, quantity and frequency of whatever," he said. "This kind of intensity… more

While shrinking populations have been cause for alarm in cities, USA Today reports on an encouraging trend: cities that don't see population decline as a negative, and instead, treat it as a chance to redefine themselves... "Cities that measure success by population growth have an outdated view of what success… more

USA Today carried photos of San Diego's Gaslamp Quarter last Friday that made the city's hot spots look more like South Beach than San Diego. Take a look.

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Amtrak ridership, particularly on short routes, is up from last year. Although the entire system experienced only a slight gain of 1.1 percent, some routes grew significantly more. Tighter airport security, the time spent waiting at the airport, higher gas prices, frequent plane delays and cancellations combined to move people… more

Boston intends to become the first city in the nation to revise its building code to require that all buildings 50,000 square feet plus meet minimum LEED standards.

Boston Mayor Tom Menino told The New York Times that he encountered little resistance from developers and architects. many of whom are embracing… more

More from The Wall Street Journal interview with Robert Toll, co-founder of Toll Brothers...

"It was a rarity to see kids in cities. Now it's not.

"What do kids do in the burbs? You ride youor bike until you can get your car. You've done the three movies at the plex. Now… more

Robert Toll, co-founder of publicly traded homebuilder Toll Brothers, has surprised everyone by developing housing in Manhattan. He told The Wall Street Journal that he sees the move as a natural evolution of the company's devotion to baby boomers. "We are following our people," he said. "We have been a… more

Almost three-quarters of Americans believe inequality is a major issue according to a new Bloomberg/Los Angeles Times poll. While most of the concern is expressed by Democrats and independents, a majority of Republicans (55%) agree. The concern spans income and political divisions. Even among those earning more than $100,000, more… more

As I was driven to work this morning by a cab driver of African origin and contemplate a trip to Memphis from O'Hare this evening, I reflected on the 30th anniversary of the death of Chicago Mayor Richard J. Daley.

His son, current Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley, credited his father… more

Time magazine has declared the Person of the Year to be You: "Yes, you. You control the Information Age. Welcome to Your World." This issue features stories on how technology and other forces have enabled citizens and consumers to design their lives--their experiences, their interactions, their purchases, their productions--in… more

Steven Johnson, author of The Ghost Map, has been writing a wonderful blog called "Urban Planet" for the New York Times. Sadly, it is drawing to a close. In his final post, Steven makes a compelling case for CEOs for Cities latest research on "Kids in Cities.

Steven wrote, "The transformation… more

Richard Florida finds another voice, that of Harvard Design School Dean Jerry Kayden, to respond to Joel Kotkin's either-or urban thinking in the new journal, Democracy.

"To a hammer, everything is a nail. In Kotkin’s eyes... economically challenged cities are in trouble because city officials think Starbucks coffee is better for… more

A surprising coallition of prominent business executives and retired military officers, include FedEx Chairman Fred Smith, are lobbying Congress and the White House to undertake a comprehensive campaign to reduce reliance on imported oil by forcing tougher fuel economy standards and investing in alternative energy sources.

Smith asserts that energy policy… more

The Census Bureau's 2007 Statistical Abstract has new detail on U.S. citizens.

>> We are the fattest people on the planet.
>> Floor space in new private one-family homes expanded to 2,227 square feet in 2005 from 1,905 square feet in 1990.
>> Americans produce 4.4 pounds of solid waste… more

That's the theme of a new $1.25 million campaign by Chicago area's major transportation agencies to get more cars off the road. A key part of the anti-congestion campaign is a new Web site, drivelesslivemore.com, that features a trip planner, transit system maps and schedles, travel advisories, a commute-cost calculator,… more

The New Commission on the Skills of the American Workforce is calling for a major revamp of schooling. The panel's rcommendations include:

>> Giving control of school financing to states rather than local districts
>> Operating schools with local contractors
>> Awarding merit pay to teachers
>> Requiring children to start… more

From the Orton Foundation Placemaking blog...

"The next frontier of American leadership... is in devising new social mechanisms and institutions to enable our increasingly global, pluralistic and post-industrial cities and towns to govern themselves in a way that takes the fullest advantage of the new technologies, tastes and temperatures (i.e., global… more

In its survey of 2006's most influential ideas, the New York Times magazine spotlights Youngstown, Ohio, and its new mayor's unconventional approach to urban growth: promoting "creative shrinkage." Once nurturing a population of 170,000, Youngstown is making efforts to transition gracefully to a size of 80,000, by coordinating and… more

"New York is dealing with a phenomenon that was almost inconceivable for big American cities just a decade ago: success," reports the Wall Street Journal in an article about New York's surge in population.

New York's population is now at 8.2 million with an expected increase of 1.3 million over the… more

Joe Cortright, from Impresa Consulting, contributes the following:

Do clusters matter to regional economies? Is the world really flat? Four
stories that appeared in the past months provide a fresh demonstration
that the power of intense, face-to-face interaction in cities,
especially among people pursuing closely related sets of ideas, is… more

Voting and shopping, says the Economist, share a great deal in common, especially in the developing world, where voter turnout has fallen in recent decades but "sales of organic, Fairtrade and local food—each with its own political agenda—are growing fast." Organic labels have broadened consumers' capabilities when it comes… more

New York's Times Square has always been a hotbed of advertising activity, but new technologies have expanded its reach. Now, individuals need not visit the square itself to see and hear marketers' messages--all it takes is a trip to a friend's blog or photo sharing site. The New York Times… more

As blogs proliferate on Web 2.0 and social news sites steal readers from "trusted authorities," it's unsurprising that pictures are getting caught up in the "everyone is an expert" craze: the New York Times reports that, "Hoping to turn the millions of people with digital cameras and camera… more

American Express gets the importance of cities: they've launched cards specific to Chicago, New York, and Los Angeles - more to come? - with prominent city branding and benefits at hotspots in those hot urban areas, including exclusive access to events and tailored reward programs. See the website for the… more

An entrepreneur has capitalized on one of Cleveland's hidden assets: Brian Jones has purchased the home depicted in the famous The Christmas Story film, and turned it into an exact replica and museum. The New York Times reports that Jones's venture has caused a mini tourism boom in… more

Following the successful implementation of a smoking ban in its bars and restaurants, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg scored another health victory when the city's Board of Health voted to ban "the use of all but tiny amounts of artificial trans fats in restaurant cooking," reports the New… more