Lessons not yet learned from Jane Jacobs

I hate to admit that I’m nearly 38 years old and I am just now reading Jane Jacobs’ classic, “The Death and Life of Great American Cities.” I’ve read plenty of books on city planning and urbanism in particular. Most reference this 1961 classic.

This morning at brunch I started chapter 5, “The uses of neighborhood parks.” In just over four chapters I can see why this book is so well regarded in urbanist circles. Unlike many urban planning text books she has yet to use the word demographics nor has she presented countless charts on age, race, population, etc… Instead, she comments on what she observes in cities – what works and what doesn’t. How refreshing. Unfortunately, she knew in 1961 what many architects, planners, developers, politicians, and civic ‘leaders’ in St. Louis still don’t get. Over forty years later her lessons are still being ignored.

Future entries in this blog will detail specific examples throughout St. Louis and the region of such mistakes and how those making the mistakes should know better.