Read, in Jacobs, Death and Life of American Cities
Chapter 9: The Need for small blocks, pp. 233 - 143
Chapter 10: The Need for Aged Buildings, pp. 244 - 260
Read, in Jacobs, Death and Life of American Cities
Chapter 11: The Need for Concentration, pp. 261 - 289
Chapter 12: Some Myths about Diversity, pp. 290 - 312
Chapter 13: The Self-Destruction of Diversity, pp. 315 - 335
Concerning The need for short blocks
The title may be a bit confusing, because "long blocks" often have short sides and long sides. We might say "long rectangular blocks instead". She prefers shorter almost square-like ones. For once, Jacobs actually provides illustrations to indicat what she means. You'll find them on pp. 234 and 236, and 237. Make sure you understand what the arrow indicate. We're talking about diversity and convenience for pedestrians here. She gives examples of the kinds of blocks she means in the footnotes and also in the text. Find some of those examples, and follow them on Street View. When you find an area which looks interesting, put a link in your drop box. Use your imagination, stroll around, and see if you agree with her. Take a look at areas of your cities. Can you find examples of the kinds of blocks of which Jacobs approves or disaspproves? Provide links in your drop box.
Ventura Village is an area in Minneapolis named after Jesse Ventura, a profesional wrestler and former Governor of the state. Most of Minneapolis is composed of longer, rectangular blocks, but this little area (which has been redeveloped) has some shorter blocks in it . How many choices would a person have walking from 24th St and 5th Ave. to the corner of Chicago and East Franklin. Aside from an escape from the boredom os using the same old path every day, are thre other reasons to choose different streets?
Concerning The need for Aged Buildings.
How old is "aged"? Jacobs writes. "By old buildings I mean not museum-piece old buildings, not old buildings in an excellent and expensive state of rehabilitation--though these make fine ingredients--but also a good lot of plain, ordinary, low-value old buildings,including some rundown old buildings". So we have several items to think about here:
plain
ordinary
low-value old buildings,
rundown old buildings
Think carefully about these types and the uses they may have to make city life both interesting and sustainable. You may be able to find some examples here in Bristol and Warren. One thing we also return to in this chapter is the concept of diversity--but this time we're thinking of diversity in terms closer to those we already use, sociologically speaking. Most of the downtown buildings are no longer being used as they were originally used. Note the kinds of things she excludes from her example of diversity. there is not corner grocery store in downtown Warren. Is there one in the town where you live?
Jacobs mentions Arts in Louisville, KY, which I believe has changed its name to Visual Arts in Louisville. Take a look at its Facebook page to see what you can find there. She also mentions the "Back of the Yards" District in Chicago, where President Obama was once a community organizer as an example ofsuccess. It it still so? See what you can find using City Data and Google Maps, and add findings to your resource folder. She also has interesting things to say about "ingenious adaptations"--something which stricter cuilding codes might not allow. See if you can find examples of those in your city. There is a building in Warren, RI which is "sort of" an example. Do you know the one of which I'm writing?
Concerning The need Concentration
Many Americans don't like to live to close to each other. Back at the beginning of the semester I asked persons in the class how many people on their block (or streetk could they name? Most could name very few in this age of cars and school busses. Jacobs sees concentration as a need rather than just an option. Here, she uses a comparative approach, as she has before. As far as concerned, she compares Roxbury with the North End this time. Claiming that Roxbury, which was in decline and is still one of Boston's Poorest Neighborhoods, has only 1/9th the density of the North End. Tourists may visit it to see the Old North Church, of Paul Revere fame. Take a walk around and if you find anything particularly interesting, copy the url and put it in your resource folder. Nothing stays the same. Do you think it is as dense as it was when Jacobs first wrote this book?
Concerning Some Myths about Diversity
Note the various Myths Jacobs tries to demolish, such as "The belief that diversity looks ugly" She suggest the lack of diverse buildings is wha crfeates ugliness--it is dull and uninteresting. What other myths does she attack. Do you find yourself in agreement or disagreement with her? Find examples of some of these "myths" and add them to your resource folder. Note she makes a distinction between "fake" and "real" diversity, calling the former "googie archiecture". She is not particularyl fond of Fifth Avenue in New York City. The Billboards she mentions are still there (the ads are different, most likely). Stroll up to fifty-ninth St. and see if you agree with her complaints. Come prepared to discuss them. Compare it with a short stret clock about which she writes a page or two later. It is Eleventh Street, quite a bit south. In which neighborhood would you like to live? Look for both kinds of neighborhoods in your city and link to what you find which illustrates Jacobs' "myths".
In seeking visual Order,
cities are about to choose among three broad alternatives,
two of which are hopless and one of which is hopevul.
They can aim for areas which look homogeneous and get results
which are depressing and disorienting.
They can aim for areas of homogeneity which try hot to look homogenious,
and get results of vulgarity and dishonesty.
Or they can aim for areas of great diversity and,
because real differences are freely expressed,
can get results which, at worst,
are merely interesting,
and at best can be delightful
Concerning The Self Destruction of Diversity
Jacobs writes "Whichever form the self-destruction takes, this, in broad stroke this is what happens:" after which she goes on to mention a number of different causess. Sometimes it is success which causes the failure. What are some of the other causes of "Self Destruction?" Below is Eighth Street in Greenwich Village as it looks today. Has the diversity "Self-Destructed?" Find some diverse areas in your city and post links to them. Do you think they will succeed or might they self destruct as Jacobs suggests?
