Who would have thought that the hottest topic in planning circles would ever be parking? For generations, we planned our cities for cars first and people second. Now the tide is turning. Cities across the country are focusing on walking and cycling, on transit-oriented development (TOD), and on figuring out the appropriate place and space for parking. It’s all tied to generational shift. Millennials simply don’t want to drive like their parents did. As consumers, they gravitate... Continue reading »

We’re proud to announce that Kyle Smith, CNT’s Economic Development Project Manager, is a winner of the Urban Land Institute Chicago’s Young Visionary award. Through his work at CNT, Kyle has helped shape regional policy priorities to encourage smart land use that benefits communities and strengthens local markets. One of his seminal achievements thus far has been getting key agency stakeholders, mayors, and developers to embrace Priority Development Areas (PDAs). He first recommended PDAs... Continue reading »

An app connecting grocers to budget-conscious consumers, encouraging them to work together to prevent food from going to waste, was the big winner in the 4th annual CNT Urban Sustainability Apps Competition held last weekend. The competition connects community members and coders to solve real neighborhood problems using mobile technology. This year, the products designed were more sophisticated than ever, thanks in large part to the increased mentorship and opportunities to begin working... Continue reading »

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Representative Mike Quigley (IL-05) and U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) introduced the bicameral Urban Flooding Awareness Act to address increased flooding in urban communities and to find solutions for the urban communities impacted.  “Flooding is not just a coastal issue. In recent years, cities, like Chicago, have experienced unprecedented flooding events. While emergency programs provide relief for families and businesses in traditional flood areas, those... Continue reading »

Cook County residents want quality transportation options for the 21st century. From August to December 2014, almost 1,500 residents participated in public workshops and online surveys for Connecting Cook County, the County’s long-range transportation plan. The results of this public engagement process highlight the importance of public transit and active transportation to the county’s future success, and strongly support the county’s move toward a more balanced (and less auto-centric)... Continue reading »

The Obama Foundation has officially announced the Obama Presidential Library will be located on Chicago’s South Side. When the institution comes to Washington Park or Jackson Park, it will bring millions of visitors and potentially billions of dollars in investment to the neighborhoods surrounding the University of Chicago.  Regardless of which site is selected, the library and museum development will include public investment and private commitments to improve the standard of living for... Continue reading »

Environmentalism began when we were running from cities. We're learning that city sustainability is now key to a better environment, better communities and a better economy. Special thanks to the Nelson Institute at the University of Wisconsin-Madison for inviting me to speak to a sold-out room for their Earth Day conference. We appreciated the opportunity to speak about the process of making cities resilient through economic development, building social capital, establishing clear... Continue reading »

States can learn a lot about what not to do by watching Illinois’ legislature scramble to fill fiscal deficits by pulling back on investments to fix crumbling roads, bridges and transit. Recently, the Illinois General Assembly trumpeted a somber but triumphant proclamation about a budget resolution passed but it was accompanied with a list of “cutbacks”— raids on other state funds collected for a wide range of purposes for the purposes of filling a fiscal hole. Fully half of the $1.3 billion... Continue reading »

Last week, over 65 people joined us at our office for a TOD Talk hosted by the Young Innovators, our associate board, and the Young Professionals in Transportation. The event featured a panel discussion on what can make transit-oriented development work for all ages. It featured expert panelists from three generations: Millennial Kyle Smith, CNT’s Economic Development Project Manager; Gen-Xer Andrew Vesselinovitch, Urban Designer and Project Manager at Ross Barney Architects... Continue reading »

CNT commends Blair Kamin for his excellent article on transit-oriented development (TOD) in Sunday’s Chicago Tribune. He focuses on the new apartment building at 1611 W. Division, across from the Milwaukee/Division Blue Line station, that does not include a parking garage. Kamin’s article does an excellent job of highlighting an issue that the Center for Neighborhood Technology (CNT) has worked hard on advancing smart TOD. In 2013, CNT published a report on TOD in the... Continue reading »