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Do we have the wherewithal and the political will to build anything that comes close to a Central Park in modern-day America? Central Park was built with public funds for the public. It seems that many of today's "public works" are really the result of public-private partnerships, and often the character of those works is not very public at all. It just doesn't seem like there's the will to build great libraries and great parks anymore (unless you can somehow squeeze Starbucks, Target and condos into the mix). That definitely seems to be the case in DC where every public work is a waste of money unless it involves mixed-use development where condos get built around and on top of it. If this country is richer today (despite the recession) than it was in the 19th Century, then why can't we produce public works on par with what was created back then?
The Big Dig in Boston, the new water tunnel for NYC, or the LA transit build are all very mamonth recent/underway undertakings
Also I believe both Dallas and Houston have substantial park development going on
On Central park I could be wrong but wasnt part of the inital allure some business that ran out of the ponds/lakes and had special interest help in getting the park going more fully, not totally different that Starbucks per se
On Central park I could be wrong but wasnt part of the inital allure some business that ran out of the ponds/lakes and had special interest help in getting the park going more fully, not totally different that Starbucks per se
I've never heard that. It's possible. Here's a brief history of its creation.
The difference is, I think, that DC will basically give a whole bunch of money to a developer to build condos on city-owned property and then the developer gets to turn around and sell it for a profit. It's like the city doesn't feel like any project is worthwhile unless it "pays for itself," which really just means that the project will be converted into a quasi-private use, not a public one.
The difference is, I think, that DC will basically give a whole bunch of money to a developer to build condos on city-owned property and then the developer gets to turn around and sell it for a profit. It's like the city doesn't feel like any project is worthwhile unless it "pays for itself," which really just means that the project will be converted into a quasi-private use, not a public one.
Well these will still produce tax revenue, citizend paying income tax etc. All cities incentivize things. DC is an oddity as a large chunk of the economy is driven by govt spend, so as govt spend increases DC and the area reap large rewards.
The Comcast building in Philly had large state and local subsidy via tax incentives, even believe a federal tax break by integrating with the underground PT (paid by the city) with Comcast and their rela estate holdings company I believe to reap the Federal Tax credit
There is push and pull on many things
Also generally the Federal Govt or local Gov'ts are typically not in the business of development and many of these show positive impacts to both the provate developer, users, and municipalities.
There are some hybrids like NY/NJ Port Authority that are land owners, PT and toll takers and also own things like the WTC complex
Well there has been a recent large scale project for the public, paid for ( I believe) by public funds. That would be the High Line in New York City. It was started in 1999 as Friends of the High Line by Joshua David and Robert Hammond as a non-profit. I don't believe there were a great deal, if any private funds used, however I could be wrong on that. I just started reading the book on the creation of it, so I'm a little short of info on it presently. Still, it is largely a big open space public park.
Well there has been a recent large scale project for the public, paid for ( I believe) by public funds. That would be the High Line in New York City. It was started in 1999 as Friends of the High Line by Joshua David and Robert Hammond as a non-profit. I don't believe there were a great deal, if any private funds used, however I could be wrong on that. I just started reading the book on the creation of it, so I'm a little short of info on it presently. Still, it is largely a big open space public park.
Somewhat related, there is a movement to redevelop the Reading Viaduct in Philly, some similarities to the High Line
From what I understand
It would cost ~35 million for the redevelopment
It would cost ~50 million to remove it
It costs about 400-700K per year to maintain it in the current state
In terms of funds, not secured, my understanding of the high Line was that there was some specific tax imposed by the local area (Maybe Chelsea but unsure) of which a similar proposal is in for the Reading Viaduct. Though I may be wrong on the High Line
I don't quite know what you guys are talking about for DC. The city government encourages in-fill and redevelopment of vacant areas but very little, if any, is on public property. As far as mixed use goes, that's the new hot lick in urban planning.
Public works projects, parks, rail to trails, passive recreation areas, outdoor areas, etc. are being built yearly all across the US in small and medium sized cities and towns. Just because New Yorkers don't see them doesn't mean they aren't happening. And very few, if any, are the result of public/private partnerships with Starbucks, et al.
Now is a great time to build. Plenty of idle construction workers, bids would be very competitive. There are, thankfully, some projects soon to start. IL Tollway will embark on a multibillion dollar capital plan, a billion-dollar CTA renovation, the Englewood flyover. That is in Illinois. I know Denver is working on transit improvements.
Well, it's a matter of management or I should say mismanagement.
In the 1900s, the tax per capita was under 1%.
Today, it's over 20%.
Folks can't afford much more government, no matter what the excuse is.
The Big Dig submerged 2 highways and made the Greenway.
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