Development
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
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
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
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
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 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
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
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