And the Discussion on the Future of Suburbia Continues
On the Times’ Freakonomics blog, leading urban theorists are debating what we’ve been talking about around here lately: the future of suburbia. The “smart people” they gathered to pontificate include James Kunstler, Thomas Antus, Jan Brueckner, Gary Gates, John Archer, Alan Berube and Lawrence Levy, who offered these predictions: The suburbs have three destinies, none…
On the Times’ Freakonomics blog, leading urban theorists are debating what we’ve been talking about around here lately: the future of suburbia. The “smart people” they gathered to pontificate include James Kunstler, Thomas Antus, Jan Brueckner, Gary Gates, John Archer, Alan Berube and Lawrence Levy, who offered these predictions: The suburbs have three destinies, none of them exclusive: as materials salvage, as slums, and as ruins. Or: If [gentrification] continues in a significant way, large numbers of suburban households looking for urban stimulation may end up switching places with minority central-city dwellers, stirring the ethnic pot in both places. Or, this vision: Suburbia will be flexible, it will be smarter, and it will be hybrid. So which is it?
What Is the Future of Suburbia? [Freakonomics Blog]
Suburbia. Photo by Stacy Magallon.
“It’s easier and faster to get to midtown Manhattan from my lower Westchester community than it is from Park Slope.”
Took me 25 minutes today from Park Slope on the Q.
You really going to tell me it took you less than that from Westchester?
claude – here are a few reasons:
1. Public Schools
2. Safety from crime (depending where, both perceived and real)
3. Easier lifestyle (you might not get this but if you have 3 kids – loading up the SUV in one trip to Costco and Supermarket is FAR easier then the equivalent in city – plus consider those that commute within suburbs for work)
4. Space – people like space (both indoor and outsoor) and dollar for dollar – suburbs generally cheaper.
5.Affluence – both showing it and enjoying it – Virtually anyone making over 70K a year who is willing to commute can have a nice house (multiple BR and Bathrooms), with a nice yard and few extras – like a pool, or a “media room’, nice car etc…such extras are virtually only available to the truly rich in NYC – and people like those things both for there intrinsic enjoyment as well as to ‘show’ they are ‘successful’ – try looking ‘successful’ on 80K in NYC
lechacal…thanks…as early as it is I too thought this thread needed a little “juice” to kick start it!!! LOL
“It’s easier and faster to get to midtown Manhattan from my lower Westchester community than it is from Park Slope.”
And yet you are spending your time on Brownstoner. It’s OK to admit you secretly hate it up there. I moved “up there” two years ago and came back to the Slope in less than a year.
Laughably stupid. It’s easier and faster to get to midtown Manhattan from my lower Westchester community than it is from Park Slope. I own a normal-sized house on a 60 x 100 lot. I have two grocery stores within one-half mile and two dozen restaurants within one mile. A little wishful thinking from the suburb-hating author.
The Freakonomics blog gets all these arm-chair thinker wannabees who spout off these ridiculous ideas looking to be noticed because they are jealous that they didn’t have the foresight or just the brains to write “Freakonomics” the book, first.
i agree with the commenters, why would anyone want to live in the suburbs? It has to be the price of gas and a big backyard. I mean, if people simply liked outdoor activities like fishing, hiking, or boating, they could easily just head to prospect park or take a train a few hours out to long island. Like open, outdoor space? Try the garden at Gowanus Yacht Club or Frankie’s 457! Like majestic views? OMG YOU HAVE TO GO TO ALMA AND SEE THE SKYLINE THROUGH THE CRANES THAT VIEW IS WORTH THE SHITTY FOOD!!! What, do they want to get away from the friction of human interaction? The delivery options are INCREDIBLE here. I mean, even if they want a decent sized house for their families they can simply drum up a million dollars and get a brownstone in an up-and-coming neighborhood. Don’t they know how to manage a portfolio??
All I’m saying is, there are so so so many reasons why hundreds of millions of people choose not to live in a big city. It blows my mind the superiority complex some people have when it comes to matters of personal taste. as claude gueux would say, chacun a ses gouts
i agree with the commenters, why would anyone want to live in the suburbs? It has to be the price of gas and a big backyard. I mean, if people simply liked outdoor activities like fishing, hiking, or boating, they could easily just head to prospect park or take a train a few hours out to long island. Like open, outdoor space? Try the garden at Gowanus Yacht Club or Frankie’s 457! Like majestic views? OMG YOU HAVE TO GO TO ALMA AND SEE THE SKYLINE THROUGH THE CRANES THAT VIEW IS WORTH THE SHITTY FOOD!!! What, do they want to get away from the friction of human interaction? The delivery options are INCREDIBLE here. I mean, even if they want a decent sized house for their families they can simply drum up a million dollars and get a brownstone in an up-and-coming neighborhood. Don’t they know how to manage a portfolio??
All I’m saying is, there are so so so many reasons why hundreds of millions of people choose not to live in a big city. It blows my mind the superiority complex some people have when it comes to matters of personal taste. as claude gueux would say, chacun a ses gouts
“The suburbs have three destinies, none of them exclusive: as materials salvage, as slums, and as ruins.â€
ridiculous.