Rebuilding Place in the Urban Space

"A community’s physical form, rather than its land uses, is its most intrinsic and enduring characteristic." [Katz, EPA] This blog focuses on place and placemaking and all that makes it work--historic preservation, urban design, transportation, asset-based community development, arts & cultural development, commercial district revitalization, tourism & destination development, and quality of life advocacy--along with doses of civic engagement and good governance watchdogging.

Friday, October 20, 2006

Down and dirty politics

Children play near a pipe pumping mud into a low-lying area in Dhaka, BangladeshChildren play near a pipe pumping mud into a low-lying area in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Reuters photo.

I just spent 5 hours at a Council hearing that makes me feel so dirty and despondent that I want to move out of the city tomorrow. I sure have a lot of sympathy for Suzanne Kelo right now. Too bad there weren't journalists in that room--the cavalier attitude towards takings, and the mendaciousness, well, I do this stuff out of felt beliefs... To hear people say that John Ray has vision, or that Fred Greene was a great DC Planning director. Gosh, how can one not vomit on the spot? And to see how they line up support (the ANC people, who face it, aren't that sophisticated, the bused-in seniors, the social service program directors, the civic associations that received some meager donations, etc.), again, it's all laid out in Dream City but to have your nose rubbed in it is really tough.

To see it is beyond belief.

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