It is a residential home builder trumpeting their latest development. The exact subdivision is shown below, in the upper right portion of the photo. This is sprawl being created right before our eyes. Look at the freeway infrastructure required to support this kind of fiasco. Notice also that this "wonderful" new neighborhood in question has barely 3 ways in or out. And it is virtually impossible to walk - anywhere.
As you look at this new subdivision - of which the builder is SO very proud - consider the following graphic. I found it on Reddit, and have also posted it on LinkedIn. Yes, I do know I bang on and on about this.
But consider these facts:
People spend thousands on vacation to be on a cruise ship
People spend thousands on vacation to be in Disneyland or Walt Disney World
People spend thousands on vacation to visit European cities and places like Boston, New York, Chicago, and SF - and Savannah and New Orleans, too
It's not hard to see what these places have in common: you don't need a car and you can walk to most everything.
Add the fact that more dense and walkable neighborhoods nearly always command higher real estate values, and it does beg the question:
Why are we only offered more sprawl and more car dependency by America's developers?
More? Watch this video from my hero CityNerd. In this week's episode, he explains how the United States had the best passenger trains - by far - in the world.
In 1923.
But we let that go to shit. For cars . . . . . . and the comfort and luxury of jet travel. And for those who think that passenger trains are an elitist/coastal thing, I especially hope you'll watch the CityNerd video.
FROM THE UNWASHED MASSES
Let me just say our first rave f'ing kicked ass. As did its venue, The Midway, here in SF. I took this before they blew us all away. Thank you for reading this newsletter.
KLUF
Here's my big Thievery Corporation playlist. I get that these guys are nothing new, but wow, were we impressed. Maybe this all will encourage Nicki Vale (October 21 at The Mission Ballroom in Denver) or Steven Simon (October 22 at The Radius in Chicago) to be cool like us? I can assure them or anyone who enjoys music: You'll never regret it, and there's a reason why it's called chill. But Thievery Corporation live is also one hell of a groovy and real rock show, and easily Diamond Certified.
