Geographic Information Systems technology traditionally has been used for large-scale, regional planning projects, such as the mapping of environmental, ecological, and natural resource concerns. This project envisions new uses and expands the applications of GIS for neighborhood planning. It integrates maps, data, and imageries by using innovative technologies. This paper argues that despite the benefits of using GIS for planning and design, it still needed to be augmented with programs that could provide effective 3-D modeling capabilities for proposed development. This conclusion is derived from our experience, a design team at the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC), in a participatory neighborhood planning process. The supplied examples illustrate actual projects in which the UIC team used GIS and other visualization techniques to enhance the planning and design process.