One Trick Pony

At this time I do not have to commit to a concentration in my studies yet my thoughts have been all over the place. Urban planning on a whole fascinates me so much that I get distracted by each shiny new tidbit- disaster relief housing, post-industrial cities, community development?! Bring it all on!

As mentioned earlier my emphasis in learning had originally been community development, especially within post-industrial cities and downtown revitalization. I extolled the promise and regenerating energy a new shopping center (or other major development) could and has provided to many cities.

However, an interesting point was made in a book called, the Livable City: Revitalizing Urban Communities by Partners for Livable Communities, editor Paula Park (McGraw-Hill: New York, New York, 2000: 121-122)-
"Very often (121) city officials fall in love with a single megaproject and become overly reliant on the tax revenues that such projects promise.
In turn, many cities may feel obliged to throw good planning out the window in order to accommodate the demands of the megaproject.
In the end the city runs the danger of having a poorly designed downtown and a city hall dependent upon the fortunes of a single project."

My fallacy would probably have been pointed out by a professor should I mention this in a classroom setting. However, at this time I am entirely self-taught (with the exception of the generosity of the planning staff at the city of Visalia and their invaluable real-world experience advice)

Irregardless, it is food for thought. Just like we would all like to find a miracle cure that would stop and reverse aging, AIDS, cancer, MS, bad boy/girl friends, underdog sports teams- take your pick- urban planners secretly put on their wish list for Santa a magic Band-Aid that could fix a city in trouble.

But a city is composed of many facets and to throw a one-size-fits-all solution over everything hoping it will do the trick is both a disservice to the city and to the people who live in it.

I'm not saying that a new shopping center, sports stadium, park, aquarium, etc., wouldn't benefit a city, but to put all of one's hopes in one proverbial golden goose is more foolish than risky.

I would also like to mention an article in slate.com that casts a doubtful eye on the city-wide redeeming power of a sports stadium. "Buy Me Some Peanuts and Cracker Jacks also some hotels and low-income housing by: Daniel Gross