Guest Commentary

Keep Shining, Philly

The city proved itself a remarkable host this summer. Now, a corporate leader notes, it’s time to keep competing on the world stage

By Roberto E. Perez
Guest Commentary

Adaptive Reuse is Not a Loophole

A Philadelphia preservationist argues a City Council policy that changed zoning processes for historic buildings is both intentional and highly effective

By Hanna Stark
The New Urban Order

When Devolution is Evolution

Former Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham devolved his city to greatness, and would like to do the same for the whole U.K. Should Philly defy other U.S. cities to do the same?

By Diana Lind
Guest Commentary

About that Brewery Brouhaha…

A Point Breeze resident responds to her neighbor’s dismay over the historic reuse of their local church. The city’s zoning law? She says it works

By Mindy Isser

Building Bridges

The re-opening of a new rail bridge in Southwest Philadelphia will connect one of the city’s poorest neighborhoods to jobs and green space downtown. Will local residents be the ones who benefit?

By Courtney DuChene
Guest Commentary

Philadelphians Deserve a Say in their Neighborhoods

Historic properties deserve preservation, but a circa 2019 loophole unfairly limits nearby residents’ input, says an attorney and concerned neighbor

By Erik Orvik
The New Urban Order

The Great Aesthetics Debate of 2026

Amid Washington, D.C.’s return to classical (and gilt-adorned) architecture, can Chicago’s Obama Presidential Center reinvigorate America’s waning affinity for modern design?

By Diana Lind
Guest Commentary

The Insurance Trap Killing Philly Public Spaces

The City’s rules make street improvements like parklets and streeteries onerous for organizations. A pair of transportation researchers found no good reason to keep them

By Ariel Ben-Amos and Joshua Davidson
The New Urban Order

Utopian Pragmatism and More Mind-Blowing Ideas for Cities

In the future, we’ll be working at night, skiing atop waste plants, buying single room homes, and measuring everything with AI, according to this year’s Bloomberg CityLab in Madrid

By Diana Lind

Fixing Market East … in a Single Summer?

Can a half dozen pop-ups revive Center City’s most troublesome corridor?

By Courtney DuChene