We just came across a wonderful piece on the much talked about but rarely seen move from suburbs to the cities. It’s Greg Hanscom, Stranded in Suburbia: Why Aren’t Americans Moving to the City? Grist, October 17, 2011. Click here. It’s insightful and funny, and is must reading for anyone with an interest in land-use matters, particularly as they relate to sprawl.
It reminds us of the apocryphal story about the lady who wants to be within walking distance from a good Starbuck’s, provided she can actually live in a secluded cottage in the woods.
We won’t spoil your enjoyment by telling you what Hanscom’s real point is, but we will quote here his tongue-in-cheek conclusion.
“Shocking as it is, one eventually becomes acclimated and then numbed to the theme restaurants, cinema multiplexes, and warehouse-sized grocery stores.”
Yes, it’s bad out in the ‘burbs. But it’s not half bad enough.
Follow up. Atlanticcities.com reports that new immigrants, evidently being in their right minds, are eschewing the historical habit of settling in the cities next to their own kind, and are going to the suburbs. Nate Berg, Suburbia: Land of Immigrants, October 18, 2011 – click here.