What about the Old Urbanism

[Masswich]

My biggest problem with New Urbanism is that it is a distraction from the main planning challenge faced in my part of the country; making older urban areas vibrant and active places. I'd rather spend my time renovating an old urban center than building a new one.

I don't really have a strong opinion one way or the other about New Urbanism; I think that like a lot of planning ideas there are bits and pieces of it that are useful (eg. front porches, parking in the back, some attention to architectural details) and some that are dumb (the idea that architecture determines by itself whether a community is a good one, that if you don't agree with the CNU you need to be "educated".)

 

[Jeff]

Amen brother!

All New Urabnisim is in my book is an attempt to make new housing look like the existing stuff in out older cities. Why not just concentrate on what we already have?

 

[Cardinal]

While I think there is a place for the new urbanism, I tend to agree that it sure would be nice if people would concentrate on the original urbanism. I suspect that some of its attractions are its drawbacks as well; things like old homes that may have a lot of character but also are smaller and need extensive renovation, great old school buildings that have not been maintained and are in poorly performing districts, community and crime, pedestrian-accessible corner stores but no convenient Wal-mart, etc.

 

[Masswich]

Yes the attractions of the old urbanism are also its drawbacks to some people. But I am not trying to get everyone to live in the City; like the New Urbanists, I just think people should have the choice of living in a decent urban environment in addition to the other options.

In fact, I would just as soon people with suburban lifestyle preferences leave the City so they don't try to make the city more suburban.