The Armchair Planner

City Planning perspectives from a layman’s perspective

[The Armchair Planner @ArmchrPlanner]

Older folks: “Why don’t kids go outside anymore?”

The outside they built:

[John Surico @JohnSurico]

One crazy paradigm I think about a lot is the one where older people constantly talk about how they used to play in the street all the time, but then are unable to connect the dots as to why that's not a thing anymore.

[Stefano @stefanoscalia]

THE ANSWER IS CHEAP FOOD AND A PLACE TO SIT

[clara the urbanist @SlopHq]

four years ago this man inherited a system where a third of the fleet was pulled off the tracks and riders were waiting 20+ minutes for a red line train. weekend ridership is now above pre-pandemic. give him the other 300 transit agencies. i'm not joking

[The Armchair Planner @ArmchrPlanner]

@laura_waxee @Safeway @sfchronicle If tall buildings make you “uncomfortable” why on earth are you living in a major city

[Benjamin Schneider @urbenschneider]

One of the first projects to show the impacts of SF's recent upzoning.

8 stories, 8 units right next to USF, in a mostly 2-3 story area.

[The Armchair Planner @ArmchrPlanner]

Trees are so powerful in cities - not only do they beautify spaces but they address so many problems. Presence of street trees are correlated with lower temps, slower vehicle speeds, better mental health, lower crime, and lower noise pollution. They’re a panacea & we need more!

[DC Car Violence @DCCarViolence]

Grateful that lots of streets in DC have total or close to total tree cover. London is going to have to make a decision soon—parking or fry in the sun.

[Jarrett Walker @humantransit]

So much of what people hate about cities they really hate about cars.

[The Armchair Planner @ArmchrPlanner]

Unbelievable governance yet again from the Mamdani Administration, this man cannot be stopped 🤩

[Basil🧡 @LinkofSunshine]

Mamdani released his 5 ballot props for 2026!

Prop 1)

- Rework of “private use of public space” process (mostly outdoor dining)
- removes public hearing process and newspaper notice requirement
- replaces councilmember veto with agency heads
- shortens application from 8 months to 2 months

Prop 2)

- removes mandatory hearings from small city contractors, replaced with written consent
- mayoral office can delegate contractor approvals to agencies

Prop 3)

- removes requirement for DOT to consult with NYPD and FDNY for street safety projects, bus lanes, and bike lanes
- removes ULURP process for city selling of small plots of land

Prop 4)

- The DOB, DEP, and DOT must cooperate to build one single permitting system where all permits can be sent and received
- waterfront construction jurisdiction is transferred to the DOB
- renames Borough superintendents to borough commissioners (?)

Prop 5)

- requires NYC to have rainy day reserves of at least 12% of yearly revenue unless “compelling fiscal need”

[The Armchair Planner @ArmchrPlanner]

Oh how I wish I could have witnessed the AEM-7

[Trashed Panda @RailroadRaccoon]

Good morning!!
Amtrak Manhattan Limited, Broadway Limited and Crescent at Princeton Junction NJ
©COTG 1983

[Matthew Yglesias @mattyglesias]

It’s really very impressive what they’ve achieved in Baltimore and there’s a decent chance it will spark an upward spiral of investment in the city.

[The Armchair Planner @ArmchrPlanner]

Yeah absolutely, this is freakin sick

[JR Urbane Network @JRUrbaneNetwork]

I guess this is the future YIMBYs want?

[robert @rfhirschfeld]

You know what jumps out at me on this map?

St. Louis

The rise and fall of

[M. Nolan Gray 🥑 @mnolangray]

The only real problem with Seaside is that we only built a few of them; it's such a vastly superior product than the alternatives that demand far outstripped supply, and so now it gets knocked for being unaffordable, "too nice," etc.

[The Armchair Planner @ArmchrPlanner]

@SlopHq Classic “nobody goes there anymore, it’s too crowded” paradox

[The Armchair Planner @ArmchrPlanner]

Man, Chicago does infill so damn well

[Alicia, Courtyard Urbanist @UrbanCourtyard]

Another small multifamily springing up on a Chicago arterial that was recently rezoned to allow multifamily by right.

[The Armchair Planner @ArmchrPlanner]

@himbo_urbanist @big_pedestrian REM-style could probably cover transit needs of pretty much every US metro area. The only regions that truly need and could support heavy rail in this country already have it

[The Armchair Planner @ArmchrPlanner]

This development is so great! Practically a full city rising where there previously was just parking. The center gathering spaces are already being used by folks and it’s not even halfway done yet. This is going to age supremely well

[TODNewsHub @TODNewsHub]

This thing is HUGE.

We’re talking about an entire urban district rising around a single Metro station

[The Armchair Planner @ArmchrPlanner]

Tired: General public is excited to see Big Boy

Wired: General public is excited to see passenger trains

Inspired: General public is indifferent about seeing passenger trains because they’re ubiquitous and arrive frequently

[RAIL Magazine @RAILMag]

“A developed country is not a place where crowds wait for the Big Boy. It's where they wait to see the Texas Eagle.
-Gustavo Petro”
- - RAILMag

[clara the urbanist @SlopHq]

the law required the restaurant to build 14 parking spots, the spots cost more than the kitchen, the burger is $19, and the guy eating it is mad at inflation. he drove there. he parked for free. the free parking is in the burger

[The Armchair Planner @ArmchrPlanner]

@TODNewsHub Drove by it yesterday, it already looks amazing and it’s not even half-done. Watching the cranes and buildings rise over the past year has been so cool!!

[The Armchair Planner @ArmchrPlanner]

@JackieMChicas @TODNewsHub That’s why they put it next to our big beautiful metro! 🚇