The Christian Science Monitor has an interesting interview with Joel Kotkin, author of “The City: A Global History,” in which Kotkin prescribes a focus on basic middle-class amenities like schools and infrastructure rather than constructing extravagant cultural centers. We thought it was relevant given all the discussions surrounding stadiums in New York:

To [Kotkin], attracting and keeping people in urban environments is less about projecting an image of “cool” and more about providing the basics that encourage and support a strong middle class: jobs, schools, churches…”No urban civilization has flourished long without middle-class families,” he says in a recent interview in New York.

He also goes on to worry about “ephemeral cities” (often marked by expensive, small apartments) which appeal to the single and the young who then leave when it’s time to settle down. Sound like a certain borough to anyone?
Secret to a Thriving City [Christian Science Monitor]