US cities may have to be bulldozed in order to survive

[alkemical]

http://renegadefuturist.com/archives...er-to-survive/

US cities may have to be bulldozed in order to survive
Klint Finley

The government looking at expanding a pioneering scheme in Flint, one of the poorest US cities, which involves razing entire districts and returning the land to nature.

Local politicians believe the city must contract by as much as 40 per cent, concentrating the dwindling population and local services into a more viable area.

The radical experiment is the brainchild of Dan Kildee, treasurer of Genesee County, which includes Flint.

Having outlined his strategy to Barack Obama during the election campaign, Mr Kildee has now been approached by the US government and a group of charities who want him to apply what he has learnt to the rest of the country.

Mr Kildee said he will concentrate on 50 cities, identified in a recent study by the Brookings Institution, an influential Washington think-tank, as potentially needing to shrink substantially to cope with their declining fortunes.

Most are former industrial cities in the “rust belt” of America’s Mid-West and North East. They include Detroit, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Baltimore and Memphis.

[gyldenlove]

Originally Posted by amesj523

http://renegadefuturist.com/archives...er-to-survive/

US cities may have to be bulldozed in order to survive
Klint Finley

The government looking at expanding a pioneering scheme in Flint, one of the poorest US cities, which involves razing entire districts and returning the land to nature.

Local politicians believe the city must contract by as much as 40 per cent, concentrating the dwindling population and local services into a more viable area.

The radical experiment is the brainchild of Dan Kildee, treasurer of Genesee County, which includes Flint.

Having outlined his strategy to Barack Obama during the election campaign, Mr Kildee has now been approached by the US government and a group of charities who want him to apply what he has learnt to the rest of the country.

Mr Kildee said he will concentrate on 50 cities, identified in a recent study by the Brookings Institution, an influential Washington think-tank, as potentially needing to shrink substantially to cope with their declining fortunes.

Most are former industrial cities in the “rust belt” of America’s Mid-West and North East. They include Detroit, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Baltimore and Memphis.

I don't know why you need to justify the bulldozing, many would agree that just bulldozing places like Flint and Detroit would be good enough.

[UberBroncoMan]

Watching Robocop reminds me why Detroit needs to be bulldozed.

[Bronx33]

Start with oakland since it's already half done.

[C130Herkload]

Aurora.

[Tombstone RJ]

I wonder how many new jobs could be created by tearing down old and unused parts of cities and creating natural areas.

Anyone know if Godzilla needs a job?

[Mountain Bronco]

Obama will lose the votes of all of these cities if he is serious. Dumb move politically.

[Pseudofool]

If we're going to start bulldozing cities; we should start with the unsustainable monstrosties in the desert out West. At least Flint has it's own water table--economies are cylical (it can come back), water and energy are largely fixed and can only erode. Just saying.

[Tombstone RJ]

Originally Posted by amesj523

http://renegadefuturist.com/archives...er-to-survive/

US cities may have to be crushed into oblivion in order to survive
Klint Finley

The government looking at expanding a pioneering scheme in Flint, one of the poorest US cities, which involves razing entire districts and returning the land to nature.

Local politicians believe the city must contract by as much as 40 per cent, concentrating the dwindling population and local services into a more viable area.

The radical experiment is the brainchild of Godzilla, a giant fire breathing monster, which includes Flint.

Having outlined his strategy to Barack Obama during the election campaign, Godzilla has now been approached by the US government and a group of charities who want him to apply what he has learnt to the rest of the country.

Godzilla said he will concentrate on 50 cities, identified in a recent study by the Brookings Institution, an influential Washington think-tank, as potentially needing to be utterly demolished to cope with their declining fortunes.

Most are former industrial cities in the “rust belt” of America’s Mid-West and North East. They include Detroit, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Baltimore and Memphis.

And Tokyo.

[maher_tyler]

No more Flint Tropics??

[Dukes]

Eminent domain at it's finest

[ZONA]

Originally Posted by Pseudofool

If we're going to start bulldozing cities; we should start with the unsustainable monstrosties in the desert out West. At least Flint has it's own water table--economies are cylical (it can come back), water and energy are largely fixed and can only erode. Just saying.

I hope you don't mean Phoenix. This actually is one of the best places you could want to build a city. Totally sustainable. There are almost no natural disasters of any kind that costs this city billions of dollars in damage. No tornados, hurricanes, earthquakes, floods of immense size, freezing rain, avalanches, etc..

If people just were more smart about water use, there would be plenty to go around. We have one of the sunniest states there is so solar power is going to be huge here when that gets going full strength.

[Broncojef]

Originally Posted by Mountain Bronco

Obama will lose the votes of all of these cities if he is serious. Dumb move politically.

Lower taxes, encourage investing in America and allow companies to succeed. Stop taking them over and trying to run them with red tape guidelines to dictate an agenda. They need to worry less about demolishing cities and more about encouraging business both small and large to bring America back to what it was.

[watermock]

Bulldoze New Orleans.

I'm sure Al Gore is on board. Hell, bulldoze the pipelines and refineries, go green!

If we didn't have the subprime bubble, and jack detroit around while giving favors to mports building new plands elsewhere...

Seriously, some hoods should be razed, but shouldn't it be the private sector? Once again, the gov't decides who wins and who loses.

[Dudeskey]

Originally Posted by C130Herkload

Aurora.

North of 6th ave anyway. Don't need no bulldozers near my house

[Meck77]

Originally Posted by C130Herkload

Aurora.

Over my dead body. North Aurora baby!

[enjolras]

Originally Posted by ZONA

I hope you don't mean Phoenix. This actually is one of the best places you could want to build a city. Totally sustainable. There are almost no natural disasters of any kind that costs this city billions of dollars in damage. No tornados, hurricanes, earthquakes, floods of immense size, freezing rain, avalanches, etc..

If people just were more smart about water use, there would be plenty to go around. We have one of the sunniest states there is so solar power is going to be huge here when that gets going full strength.

There is not enough water to sustain the growth.

Also, you could hardly intentionally grow a city in a worse way than has happened in Phoenix. It's a testament to the horrific effects of exurban sprawl.

[watermock]

Pheonix or Las Vegas. My bet is on Vegas.

Besides being upstream, it has ya know, money?

[Hercules Rockefeller]

Originally Posted by Tombstone RJ

I wonder how many new jobs could be created by tearing down old and unused parts of cities and creating natural areas.

Exactly what would the people do once the cities have been torn down and the natural areas created? Those are short-term jobs, not long-term.

[watermock]

There are some crumbling sections of the rust belt, but is it the Gov't's job?

Imagine the eminent domain issues.

[CoBear23]

Originally Posted by Mountain Bronco

Obama will lose the votes of all of these cities if he is serious. Dumb move politically.

How so?

[Killericon]

Coming from a domain name like renegadefuturist.com, you KNOW this article is good.

[TheElusiveKyleOrton]

Originally Posted by enjolras

There is not enough water to sustain the growth.

Also, you could hardly intentionally grow a city in a worse way than has happened in Phoenix. It's a testament to the horrific effects of exurban sprawl.

Phoenix is great. I was born there and have family there.

But insisting that they have incredible, immaculate lawns in the middle of a desert is absurd.

[broncofan7]

About ****ing time. Growing up in the mid-atlantic/North East and living for the past decade in a flourishing southern city--the quality of life and infrastructure is noticeably lacking in those once great cities..a novel idea that just may work.........

[alkemical]

Originally Posted by ZONA

I hope you don't mean Phoenix. This actually is one of the best places you could want to build a city. Totally sustainable. There are almost no natural disasters of any kind that costs this city billions of dollars in damage. No tornados, hurricanes, earthquakes, floods of immense size, freezing rain, avalanches, etc..

If people just were more smart about water use, there would be plenty to go around. We have one of the sunniest states there is so solar power is going to be huge here when that gets going full strength.

Uhm, where does PHX get the water from? Rain? It's not sustainable.