News

Wednesday, January 14, 2026, 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM

State Library, State House  FREE

Boston and the Making of a Global City (2025) traces Boston's history from an economic and globalization perspective. Today, Boston is considered a global city and leader in innovation from robotics to life sciences. Author and urban planner James O’Connell explains how Boston took advantage of its universities and health care institutions to attract talented scientists, students, researchers, and thinkers. From leading colonial port to biotech hub, O’Connell offers analysis of Boston’s strengths as well as the socio-economic challenges the city faces.

O’Connell is an adjunct professor at Boston University teaching in the City Planning-Urban Affairs Program. He wrote seven books an has written several articles on urban affairs. O’Connell worked as a planner at the Boston Office of the Northeast Region of the National Park Service. His career experience encompasses regional planning and redevelopment projects within Massachusetts. He holds a B.A. from Bates College and a Ph.D. in American Urban and Cultural History from the University of Chicago. O'Connell also hosts Urban Walking Tours of Boston in numerous neighborhoods.

The Mass. APA magazine (Fall 2025) has three articles by CPM members: 

• Kathy McCabe's (McCabe Enterprises) cover story on drones in planning,
• Ernest Bleinberger (Strategy 5) "Hidden Treasure: The Economic and= Fiscal Impacts of Multifamily Housing," and
• Mark Favermann (Favermann Design) on planning's role in preserving culture.  

• MA-Planning-Fall 2025.pdf
  

This article first appeared in the Mass. APA magazine, Summer 2025 edition.

Kairos Shen 5-30-25.pdf

"global social housing movement, in which governments directly develop large-scale, mixed-income residential projects. In many European and East Asian countries, public development corporations have become significant real estate players. By developing large numbers of homes on public land, often in architecturally striking complexes closely linked to public transit, these agencies can shape the overall housing market and lower average prices. They can benefit from economies of scale and cross-subsidization, wherein the rents of higher-income tenants directly subsidize rents of their lower-income neighbors."

 https://www.fastcompany.com/91318915/this-parisian-neighborhood-could-be-a-blueprint-for-better-american-cities 

"As Canada votes for a new Prime Minister, what can America learn from the leading liberal candidate of its neighbor to the north?

...Carney’s housing platform in some ways resembles that of the Democratic nominee for president in November, Kamala Harris. But Carney’s platform deviates from that of his center-left American analog in crucial ways. It’s worth examining each candidate’s housing platform to see where the Democratic party falls short compared to global peers...

Perhaps, Canada will be able to show its neighbor (or, it’s neighbour…) that when it comes to housing, bolder is better."

https://www.planetizen.com/features/134879-canada-vs-kamala-whose-liberal-housing-platform-comes-out-top?utm_source=Planetizen%2BUpdates&utm_campaign=1c25f1362f-newswire_04_28_25&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_-6cce27a957-89126228&mc_cid=1c25f1362f&mc_eid=b9p0fICGm0

"The program has eliminated some prior criteria related to “Economic competitiveness, equity considerations, workforce, and the climate.” The program will also take a negative view of projects that would reduce car lanes or capacity."

https://www.planetizen.com/news/2025/04/134827-safe-streets-grants-what-know?utm_source=Planetizen%2BUpdates&utm_campaign=288a761f86-newswire_04_24_25&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_-6cce27a957-89126228&mc_cid=288a761f86&mc_eid=b9p0fICGm0

Gail Latimore will give the 2025 Mass. Distinguished Planner lecture. Gail has been a leading voice in neighborhood planning in Boston for more than 25 years. As Executive Director of the Codman Square Neighborhood Development Corporation, she helped shape that organization as a powerful force for affordable housing, economic development, sustainability and community engagement.

Fri., March 14 at 4 pm

Location: 909 Renaissance Park, 1135 Tremont St., Boston
By subway: 2-minute walk from the Ruggles Orange Line T stop or a 10-minute walk from Northeastern University Green Line T stop.

By car: Park at the Renaissance Park Garage ($28 for 2 hours).

Solid barriers, like the dormant ones in New Orleans, are commonly used to improve road safety in Europe. Why not here?

https://www.planetizen.com/news/2025/01/133835-why-arent-there-more-bollards-us-cities?utm_source=Planetizen%2BUpdates&utm_campaign=0e6e9fc4e9-newswire_01_20_25&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_-6cce27a957-89126228&mc_cid=0e6e9fc4e9&mc_eid=b9p0fICGm0

Some people just seem steeped in transport. Carol Schweiger is one of those: she’s had nearly five decades’ experience consulting in ITS and advanced public transportation systems and is a regular speaker at the industry’s international conferences and congresses...

https://www.itsinternational.com/feature/carol-schweiger-i-never-looked-back

Judi Barrett, founder and managing director of Barrett Planning Group, was awarded CPM's prestigious lifetime achievement award for her "work and dedication to the planning profession as a practitioner, thought leader, mentor, educator, colleague and volunteer." Barrett Planning Group was also recognized by APA for its role in several award-winning projects.

Mark Favermann, a member of CPM's Executive Committee, was awarded APA Mass.'s  Journalism & Communications Award for excellence in journalistic/media coverage of a planning issues.

Congratulations, Judi and Mark!