We had Robert Moses in NYC. The cross Bronx Expressway turned the south Bronx into rubble. In Paris, they hired Andre Malraux to head modernization efforts back in the 1970s I think. Any author who makes great doodles in the margins of his writing of his cats cannot be all bad. Malraux came up with a genius solution. You buy a beautiful old townhouse? You can go wild in the interior but the facade must remain as it was. It preserved so much of the beauty without hamstringing the owners in their quest to make it the home they wanted. The huge highways are on the periphery and there was — even when I had a Paris apartment so very long ago — a bullet underground train that could convey you from one end of Paris to the other in minutes. It was built below the metro lines as I recall. They had underground parking so you could park and walk a block to the Champs Elysees. Not saying that Paris is the place I used to enjoy as a part time home anymore but I watched their approach to upgrading infrastructure and those practiced here and there were so many differences.
The bullet train was after my time there, but yes. So interesting to see how it can be handled differently. We both have terrible governments, but at least theirs had some awareness of aesthetics as being worth something.
Having vacationed in several European cities, I completely agree with CC. They are definitely more vibrant and alive than many American ones. Happily, in my domestic travels, I have also personally seen evidence of developers bringing back the 'missing middle' to both urban and suburban areas around the U.S. No doubt rising gas prices is one of many factors increasing demand for this return to the infrastructure of yesteryear.
"the answer is in fact pretty simple: Government intervention got us here."
I always say that whatever people can do can be done more poorly and more expensively by the government.
Every single time!
We had Robert Moses in NYC. The cross Bronx Expressway turned the south Bronx into rubble. In Paris, they hired Andre Malraux to head modernization efforts back in the 1970s I think. Any author who makes great doodles in the margins of his writing of his cats cannot be all bad. Malraux came up with a genius solution. You buy a beautiful old townhouse? You can go wild in the interior but the facade must remain as it was. It preserved so much of the beauty without hamstringing the owners in their quest to make it the home they wanted. The huge highways are on the periphery and there was — even when I had a Paris apartment so very long ago — a bullet underground train that could convey you from one end of Paris to the other in minutes. It was built below the metro lines as I recall. They had underground parking so you could park and walk a block to the Champs Elysees. Not saying that Paris is the place I used to enjoy as a part time home anymore but I watched their approach to upgrading infrastructure and those practiced here and there were so many differences.
The bullet train was after my time there, but yes. So interesting to see how it can be handled differently. We both have terrible governments, but at least theirs had some awareness of aesthetics as being worth something.
Having vacationed in several European cities, I completely agree with CC. They are definitely more vibrant and alive than many American ones. Happily, in my domestic travels, I have also personally seen evidence of developers bringing back the 'missing middle' to both urban and suburban areas around the U.S. No doubt rising gas prices is one of many factors increasing demand for this return to the infrastructure of yesteryear.
Oh that's interesting. Where, in particular?
Richmond (VA), San Diego and Orange County (CA), Charlotte (NC), NYC, DC, Boston, Newport (RI), and St. Louis (MO).
Thanks!
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Awesome! You won't regret it!