----- Original Message -----
Sent: Friday, December 20, 2002 2:20
PM
Subject: Re: Small-town urban
renewal
"Urban Renewal" is most often now a pejorative phrase and a
euphemism
for the
poor planning and often unrestrained demolition done
in the name of
social
re-engineering. It was a pure product of the
glorious `60s when we all
thought
progress meant starting over from
scratch. One of the largest examples
of the
downside of Urban renewal
(proportionally speaking) is in downtown Glens
Falls,
where in 1969,
approximately a quarter of what constituted the business
district
was
leveled, and a bit later a hole blown in what remained of the
main
street
(Glen Street-- US Rt. 9) to allow for a massive avenue to
be
constructed. The
resulting interchange, where 4 streets meet, is a
nightmare. The
demolished area
is still nearly empty, its scores of
original historic buildings, among
the
oldest in the city and including
theaters and probably every imaginable
kind of
business (hundreds of
them), gone. In its place reigns a failing civic
center,
all but put out
of business by the Pepsi arena, a fast food restaurant
and a few
"new"
buildings whose brick facades poorly mimic the older
Italianate
19th
century structure they face. There is late sixties
Swedish television
show that
documented the beginning of the project,
which began in 1967. To see the
buildings that stood then and then to drive
the street now and see the
same
site, well al I can say is that it could
depress Pollyanna.
Incidentally, the interchange now shoots traffic
through -- not to --
downtown.
Pedestrians are at risk crossing the
streets...either from the speeding
traffic
or from dying from old age
while waiting for the lights to change.
Nor was this the only example
of Urban renewal in Glens Falls. But this
one, so
central to the small
city's core, served to gut the vitality of it and
the
reason for people
to come. Subsequent decades have seen continuing
demolition,
which if
left unabated, will gradually render a once building-dense,
historically
important downtown, so vital to the region's economy, into
a
huge
parking lot.
For those who wish to overcome countries that
support terrorists and
other
evils, consider sending them an Urban
Renewal project. Although not
faster than
any military operation, it is
cheaper, lasts longer, and is totally
effective in
rendering mass
stretches of urban areas vacant without ever taking one
human
life. And
it's guaranteed to do it in the name of progress.
mike
engle wrote:
> I wasn't around during the Urban Renewal
times, But I do quite a bit of
> traveling in NY
State.
>
> Not only urban renewal, but the building of
bigger roadways, and
> interchanges is a big effect.
>
>
Roadways.
>
> Utica, effects the end of the downtown
and west towards Whitesboro
> Albany area, I-787 took
out much of the downtown of Watervliet.
> Binghamton.
Rt 17 and I81 definately displaced people, probably more
>
residential areas (??)
>
> Urban
Renewal.
>
> I'll second North Adams, MA. a
resident commented about urban renewal in
> North Adams, and said "they
took the heart out of the community"
> Ogdensburg. I
was taken back by this town. I swear, there are maybe
> literally
5 or 6 two story business block buildings left! They built a
>
plaza and covered the walkways. It's REALLY ugly.
>
Amsterdam, NY - Downtown was basicly a main street, and what they did
was
> cut it in half, and put a mall in the middle. not only
is downtown basicly
> dead, but it's a chore to get to what is
left.
> It would seem they took a good chunk of Hornell,
NY
> Elmira, Corning were hurt by the Agnes Flood of 72. but
Corning has done a
> good job of preserving their main st of Market
St.
> Glens Falls tore down a whole section to put up an
Arena, mostly used for
> Hockey, a parking lot and a burger king at the
main intersection in town
> (yawn)
>
> mike
Engle
>
> Hungry? - Upstate NY Diners
> http://www.nydiners.com
>
>
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