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May 9, 2011Why We Need to Start Planning for Climate Change — NowOn May 4 SPUR released a major report, "Climate Change Hits Home," that lays out what the Bay Area must do to start preparing for the coming effects of climate change. This project, a multi-year effort by a team of top climate scientists and government leaders, represents a turning point for SPUR. We have long worked to stop climate change, but now we are also addressing the reality that some climate change is inevitable, despite our best efforts. Even if we stopped producing...
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May 3, 2011The Joys of Density: a Blogging Bird Reminds Us Why We Love Cities By Karen SteenThe back window of our office here at SPUR looks out on a building with an entertaining tenant, a green Pacific Parrotlet who has free range of his studio apartment and an impressive collection of plastic toys. After observing his activities, we became curious about our feathered neighbor and Tweeted him the old-fashioned way. We taped a note up in the window:Hi green bird!We think you’re awesome.What’s your name?He responded quickly with his own sign:Hello SPURI am Rico, a 7-month-...
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May 2, 2011Weekly Snapshot: How Adaptive Reuse Can Catalyze Communities BY ANIKA JESIAdaptive reuse has long been praised for being a sustainable form of development that reduces waste, uses less energy, and scales down on the consumption of building materials. However, beyond these environmental benefits, reuse projects may also have the ability to foster a greater sense of community and provide a springboard for the economic growth of a neighborhood. Alan Pullman from architectural firm Studio One Eleven talks about his recent project in Long Beach, CA, where the...
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April 26, 2011Which Transportation Projects Will We Give up on to Help Reduce Emissions? BY STEPHEN TUTomorrow, April 27, the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) will vote on a final Committed Funds and Projects Policy for Plan Bay Area. This policy mouthful is an important step in defining which regional transportation projects will receive funding and which ones must undergo more thorough analysis. The vote will determine how many transportation projects will be scrutinized for their impact on greenhouse gases, driving, economic growth and other factors. Affected projects in could...
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April 22, 2011Weekly Snapshot: Reining in "Sprawleigh" North Carolina BY ANIKA JESIIn the past decade, the population of Raleigh, North Carolina, has grown faster than almost any major metropolitan area, earning it the less-than-desirable nickname "Sprawleigh." In response to its reputation for bad urban sprawl, city officials have begun extensive rezoning efforts for Raleigh's 2030 Comprehensive Plan. The plan would introduce new codes designed to increase density by appealing to younger populations who want to live close to where they work, as well as...
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April 19, 2011Good Government Awards: How Capital Planning Manages SF's Investment Priorities BY COLE ARMSTRONG SPUR’s 31st annual Good Government Awards, held earlier this year, honored five City of San Francisco employees and teams who have performed exceptionally, becoming models for other agencies and cities around the country. The city’s Capital Planning Program team was honored for its ability to bring together a large group of city officials and reach a consensus on capital investment priorities. Created by city legislation in August 2005, the four-person team analyzes the city’s...
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April 19, 2011SPUR Tours: Discovering District 8 With Supervisor Scott Weiner BY MICAH HILT SF Supervisor Scott Wiener led a tour of District 8 on April 14.All too often what’s great about living in a city can become a blur: just shops and people and buses and sidewalks we quickly pass while rushing off to our next thing to do. Thursday's District 8 walking tour with San Francisco Supervisor Scott Wiener gave 20 SPUR and community members a welcome chance to slow down and look deeply at a small piece of our city.Supervisor Wiener talks about the success of merchants on 18th...
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April 18, 2011Park Circa: Can an iPhone App Facilitate More Compact Living? By Jordan SalingerAccording to the SFMTA, 30 percent of traffic in San Francisco is simply drivers looking for parking. That’s not just a huge waste of time — it’s also a carbon-emissions nightmare. But new digital tools are helping city dwellers engage with the automobile in smarter and more efficient ways. Last week San Francisco launched extended hours on some SFPark smart parking meters, which aim to use real-time data to reduce the difficulty of finding public parking spaces. And earlier...
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April 11, 2011Saltworks Debate: the Pros and Cons of Bayfront Development California’s continued population growth was not up for debate at the SPUR Urban Center on March 29, but the Saltworks development project in Redwood City certainly was. At the latest event in our Debates Worth Having series, co-sponsored by The Bay Citizen, architect and urban planner Peter Calthorpe, the chief designer of Saltworks, and David Lewis, executive director of Save the Bay, presented their pointed arguments for and against the proposed project, which would occupy 1,400 acres...
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April 8, 2011Behind the Scenes at SFO's New Terminal 2 By Jordan SalingerAfter lying dormant for a decade, San Francisco International Airport's Terminal 2 will be re-opening this month. Last week, 45 SPUR members had the unique opportunity to tour the final stages of construction on the $383 million renovation project. The 640,000 square foot building has 14 gates and will serve 5.5 million visitors per year. American Airlines, a tenant of the original terminal when it opened in 1954, will be joined by Virgin Airlines in this revamped space. Here are a few...
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