… just ran an interesting story which points out several exciting community programs, leading with Re:Vision’s fully sustainable city block in Dallas:

Sustainable Community Concept Takes Hold in Texas, Georgia, Tennessee

Oakland, Calif. — The drive to create communities that balance environmental, economic and social responsibilities through planned development is growing as shown by projects in Texas, Georgia and Tennessee.

In Dallas, the Urban Re:Vision project and others convened a design charrette earlier this month as part of a campaign to create what organizers say will be the first fully sustainable, urban square block in the U.S.

The site targeted for redevelopment is a two-square-block area that Dallas Mayor Tom Leppert has called a “forgotten landscape” — an unused parking lot across the street from City Hall.

The charrette laid the groundwork for an international design competition, called Building Blocks Dallas, which launches next month. The goal: Devote one square block to green space and design the other square block as an eco-friendly, economically viable area serving the needs of the urban community around it.

[Read Entire Story at GreenerBuildings.com]