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Aerial Photographs (2017)
22 days ago
- Aerial photographs document Toronto's landscape changes between 1947 and 1992.
- Taken from aircraft, these images show rivers, forests, parks, buildings, and roads.
- All aerial photographs are available for online viewing.
- To obtain copies, individual plates must be purchased.
Why the West stopped making land
14 days ago
- Many famous U.S. locations, such as the Lincoln Memorial and parts of San Francisco and Chicago, were built on reclaimed land, with around 8% of major coastal cities' land reclaimed since the 1890s.
- Land reclamation in the U.S. largely stopped after 1976, despite rising land values and increased flooding, due to stringent environmental laws like NEPA and the Clean Water Act that made projects costly and slow.
- Common explanations for the decline—such as running out of suitable spots or improved transportation reducing the need—are inadequate, as other countries continue large-scale reclamation and downtown land values now justify the costs.
- Environmental regulations, particularly NEPA's lengthy impact assessments and mitigation requirements, have halted reclamation projects nationwide, as seen in cases like the Craney Island extension in Virginia, which faced decades of delays.
- Reclamation could provide significant benefits, including affordable housing, enhanced city productivity, and climate resilience, suggesting that reforming environmental laws could make it a viable and profitable practice again.
Americans hate AI so much that politicians are losing their jobs over it
18 hours ago
- Data center projects face widespread controversy due to competing interests among tech companies, power utilities, community leaders, and residents.
- Tech companies drive data center expansion to meet demand from AI and digital services, supported by state tax incentives like those in Michigan.
- Power companies profit from building new infrastructure for data centers, leading them to lobby for favorable policies and zoning changes.
- Community leaders often support data centers for promised jobs and tax revenue, despite limited employment and potential environmental costs.
- Everyday people oppose data centers due to concerns about noise, land use, water consumption, and utility costs, sometimes impacting elections as seen in Utah.
- The outcome of data center proposals depends on how officials balance the motivations and power of all involved stakeholders.

Hasty Briefsbeta

#urban development

Aerial Photographs (2017)

Why the West stopped making land

Americans hate AI so much that politicians are losing their jobs over it