Issue 544 to

Learning from New Orleans

From Catastrophe to Renaissance

There was nothing inevitable about the recovery of New Orleans. It happened because of love.

Not so long ago, it seemed to many that New Orleans might be done for, the first city to succumb to the existential threats of our age. But a decade after Hurricane Katrina, the Crescent City is back — and may be better than ever. What can we learn from New Orleans about what really makes a place resilient?

Learning to Live With Water

After Katrina, New Orleans awakens to new challenges — and ambitious visions.

Resilience and adaptation have become buzzwords in public policy, but the experience of New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina shows how imperative these ideas are as we face a changing world. SPUR's recent city trip to New Orleans brought back lessons from p lanners, engineers, policymakers and residents who are tackling pressing challenges that were neglected for generations, yielding exciting ideas and impressive results.

Urban Field Notes: The Doors of New Orleans

In the Big Easy, the doors are as intriguing as what might be behind them.

These doors of the French Quarter give a glimpse into some historic New Orleans urbanism.

Managing Transportation to Create Great Places

As Santana Row and Valley Fair expand, opportunities for enhancing transit and walkability in San Jose can, too.

Two of the best examples of urbanism in San Jose are Santana Row and Westfield Valley Fair, wildly successful retail, commercial and residential destinations that pull in millions of visitors from all over the region. As these projects prepare to expand, opportunities for enhancing transit and walkability in San Jose can, too.

Member Profile: Marcy Coburn

CUESA's executive director muses on food, farm and Armistead Maupin.

We spoke with Coburn about some of the ways CUESA and the Bay Area are leading the way in cultivating healthy food systems.