ysabetwordsmith (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
ysabetwordsmith) wrote2021-11-26 09:18 pm
ysabetwordsmith) wrote2021-11-26 09:18 pm
Entry tags:
Building Up
Historically, cities grew by adding height to existing structures, or replacing short ones with taller ones. More floor space on the same footprint meant more housing, more goods and services, thus more property tax money in the public budget -- with little or no increase in public cost for infrastructure.
Modern cities tend to sprawl outward, which increases the infrastructure expense and disperses the economic benefits. Not a good plan.
It would make sense to resume building cities up as much as possible. Trouble is, modern buildings are rarely designed for expansion the way older ones typically were. That makes it more expensive to expand, because usually you have to tear down the old building and raise a new one. It's even worse when you consider that modern buildings have about a 39-year lifespan.
A good first step, however, is setting the building codes to allow construction one story taller than the other buildings around it. This supports incremental growth rather than abrupt changes.
Modern cities tend to sprawl outward, which increases the infrastructure expense and disperses the economic benefits. Not a good plan.
It would make sense to resume building cities up as much as possible. Trouble is, modern buildings are rarely designed for expansion the way older ones typically were. That makes it more expensive to expand, because usually you have to tear down the old building and raise a new one. It's even worse when you consider that modern buildings have about a 39-year lifespan.
A good first step, however, is setting the building codes to allow construction one story taller than the other buildings around it. This supports incremental growth rather than abrupt changes.
no subject
Historically, cities used to have walls around them, which is why they built up rather than out. It's only relatively recently that wasn't the case. I.e within the last 400 years, depending on where you are.
Well ...
A key reason for concise cities in the past was to conserve resources. People have gotten careless about that in America, and it is a problem.
no subject
Thoughts
New York does a number of things right. They have one of America's best mass-transit systems, though nothing to compare with Europe. But all their food comes in through one hub, which is on the waterfront. Talk about begging for trouble. 0_o
Re: Thoughts