Youngstown - Garden District photo tour (56k beware!)

[Chef Boyardee]

I don't know much about Architecture, but all those houses look so different. It seems like Architectual Anarchy!

[truemuck]

Originally Posted by Chef Boyardee

I don't know much about Architecture, but all those houses look so different. It seems like Architectual Anarchy!

Thats whats great about the old neighborhoods around here, every house is a little bit different. My neighborhood is much the same.

[Chef Boyardee]

Originally Posted by truemuck

Thats whats great about the old neighborhoods around here, every house is a little bit different. My neighborhood is much the same.

Maybe that's because all the homes were built at the same time

[JR_C]

Originally Posted by Chef Boyardee

Maybe that's because all the homes were built at the same time

Most of the houses were built between 1910 and 1930. There was a smaller building period between 1945 and 1960+/-. Most of these later homes were built on Glacier, Maryland, and Belle Vista.

[Beavercreek33]

Hey, its all better than that suburban sprawl crap! Nothing like a bit of diversity in a neighborhood, I like that.

[Chef Boyardee]

What's the beef? Homes today are built extremely rapidly and very efficiently. This leads to much lower prices and greater affordability for all. You should be grateful for that. Remember, the government gobbles up a lot of the price benefits gained from increases in Productivity through Inflation, presumably too supply us with social programs like Medicare, Social Security, Education, etc, etc. You see, when the government says, Inflation = 2%, they fail to mention that 3% Deflation would be normal, because of increases in Productivity. So, 2% Inflation really = 5% or 0% Inflation really = 3%. Of course, we could go back to the old way of building houses, but today, with all the Inflation, they would cost too much. So, I think it is better we can have 2000 square feet of "plain" living space, instead of 400 square feet of "ornate/unique/traditional" living space.

[truemuck]

Originally Posted by Chef Boyardee

So, I think it is better we can have 2000 square feet of "plain" living space, instead of 400 square feet of "ornate/unique/traditional" living space.

The problem is we have too many old houses that would be just fine for most families sitting vacant because of the "newer is better" mentality a lot of folks have. My house is big and has that "old house" charm and houses like it can be had for cheaper than a new house in some subdivision somewhere.

[Chef Boyardee]

Originally Posted by truemuck

The problem is we have too many old houses that would be just fine for most families sitting vacant because of the "newer is better" mentality a lot of folks have. My house is big and has that "old house" charm and houses like it can be had for cheaper than a new house in some subdivision somewhere.

I agree the problem exists, but I'm not sure about the cause you attribute it too. I think Rust Belt Blight is caused by a loss of Industry and the ensuing quest for a job (often in places like, California). However, neighborhood destruction, appears to have been driven by, The Civil Rights Movement of The 1960s. That, of course, was exacerbated by getting 60s soft on Crime. Either of these seems a potent cause, but together they seem devastating.