Gateway Urbanism

from the Next American City blog:



Gateway Urbanism
Dan Reed | Greater Greater Washington | Mar 7th, 2012


This piece originally appeared on Greater Greater Washington.




People sometimes complain that “New Urbanist” or “town center” develop­ments like Maryland’s Downtown Silver Spring are fake and sterile. But these projects are to urbanism as Green Day is to punk rock. They may not be “authentic,” but if done well, they can get people to seek out the “real stuff” later on.

That’s what happened to me. When I was 13, I became increasingly curious about the outside world but had no real means to explore it. Then two things happened that would change my life.

First, I got a copy of Green Day’s Inter­national Superhits! And second, my friend had a birthday party at the Washingtonian Center, a “lifestyle center” in Gaithersburg, Md.

Between my parents, who listened to adult contemporary, and my friends who were getting into musical theatre, I was anxious to hear music I could actually relate to. Green Day was pretty easy to find: On the radio, on television, and in the halls of Blake High School, on t-shirts and patches sewn to jean jackets. .................(more)

The complete piece is at: http://americancity.org/buzz/entry/3423/