Jacobs

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In Jane Jacobs’ “The Death and Life of Great American Cities,” she was very critical of mainstream city planning. Specifically, in her analysis of the North End of Boston, she claimed how city planners and bankers did not recognize the renaissance of the area and refused to provide funding and help to the area because they saw it as a “slum.” While her story does stress the point of ignorance among city planners and bankers, which is important to note, she offers little information of how the North End actually found itself in a revival. With such a strong attack and such bold claims made against the established city planning community, she did not give enough evidence to show how traditional city planning is less effective than the alternatives, mainly because she did not really offer any alternatives. Every time she gave evidence of city planners and bankers not being effective, I found myself asking what the better option is. In the North End, she made the claim that more time and money should be invested into the area, which is true. The area showed that it has improved and has the potential to prosper. However, she left out the information of how the area escaped its old self.

In the excerpt “The Uses of Sidewalks: Safety,” Jacobs offers more information on how to revive cities and how to make neighborhoods more lively. She claims that vibrant and energetic streets and sidewalks is the key to a safe and desirable city. Yet, as in the introduction to the book, I found that characteristics of a healthy city were provided, rather than methods to achieving this.

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