The Death and Life of Great American Cities (1961)

The problems Jane Jacobs wrote, half a century ago, on both urban and regional planning are still hotly contested today. The Death and Life of Great American Cities will continue to remain relevant as politicians, planners, policy makers, and architects come to the same conclusions.

I liked it. Even though I didn't finish it, I'm glad I read it. Good thing I check up on it, so to discover for myself, that urban and regional planning is most definitely not a career I plan on following. It's now on my list of things to avoid. It sounds like bureaucracy and paper work and a good gigantic of dollop of a mix of bullshit and stress. That alone makes this book pure gold. Thank you Jane Jacobs.

I was intrigued by many of her arguments. This includes, the dispersement of cultural buildings all over the city, and not just concentrated in one part of the city. Reminds me of San Diego. Balboa Park is beautiful during the day, but at night, there use to be problems with male prostitutes in the area. The Diversionary Theater in the University Heights area is an example of good placement. I watched one (or was it two) shows there. It makes for a good source of customers for local businesses. Having short corridors of streets rather than long avenues is better at creating a sense of neighborhood. For some reason, I began to think of how small ice are more likely to melt than a big block of it. Haha. Don't know. Also, and probably my favorite, is her argument that cities need old buildings and old neighborhoods, because they tend to provide cheaper rents. Cheaper rents provide a place for new immigrants (hence ethnic shops), musicians and artists, as well as other creative people that can open up innovative businesses (innovative culturally, technologically, etc).

Still, no viable solutions to the negative effects of gentrification.

Writing this, I'm not sure if I should do away with the book, or just put on hiatus. Definitely I will not doing city planner. So torn, like Natalie Imbruglia. On hiatus! At least it'll give me tips where I should purchase property when I'm older.