Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
No he's not! Anyone who doesn't live in a city, according to him, is a "sprawlite".
Good heavens no. How do you get to that? Certainly farmers and ranchers don't live in sprawl and aren't sprawlites. I could think of many more examples, but you get the picture.
The OP's stance is that any suburb built post-war is "evil" and only "sprawlites" live in them. In his or her view, the only "good" suburbs are ones built pre-war that were or currently are served by streetcars and are in close proximity to the urban downtown core.
I think my post's point was that post-war auto-centric car dependent suburbs are so different from the street car suburbs as to not be properly categorized as the same thing - I think that's very true and non-controversial.
Actually it is your problem, and your ilk that unthinkingly use the word suburb (usually when its an anathema to them of course) when they actually mean "auto-centric modern suburb", or even exurb. I live in an NYC suburb. The town was founded in the 1600s, it has a small walkable main street, a 35 min railroad ride to Grand Central terminal, bus service, sidewalks galore, small lot sizes, a bakers, a butchers .. the list goes on. You try telling anyone living in Manhattan that I don't live in a suburb. They'll laugh you out of the room. And they are correct, because I do live in a suburb. So when YOU talk about "suburbs" be more nuanced in your description, lest you appear ignorant.
You can ghold onto some 1950s defintion, but it isn't the 1950s. Its like someone using the word ghetto then getting frustrated that people don't realize he really means 16th century Venice. Its not their problem.
Fine- for now on I shall properly distinguish and refer to auto-centric post war low density suburbs as Sprawlburbs. Now we have a term that distinguishes them properly.
I think my post's point was that post-war auto-centric car dependent suburbs are so different from the street car suburbs as to not be properly categorized as the same thing - I think that's very true and non-controversial.
So do you feel there are only two types of suburbs?
So do you feel there are only two types of suburbs?
I'm sure there are as many subtypes as there are suburbs if you want to break it down that finely - though I'm not sure breaking it down to that level would be useful. I think most people understand the broad distinction between auto-centric/car dependent low density post-war suburbs and pre-war dense, largely walkable suburbs.
I'm sure there are as many subtypes as there are suburbs if you want to break it down that finely - though I'm not sure breaking it down to that level would be useful. I think most people understand the broad distinction between auto-centric/car dependent post-war suburbs and pre-war dense, largely walkable suburbs.
One car was the minimum for the 1950s suburbs, and 99% of people moving to places like a Levittown either had one or purchased one upon arrival (I'd be willing to bet there were package deals). Overall car ownership percentages won't really satisfy this point, but what we think of as post-war, veterans' preference, tract housing suburban development ABSOLUTELY was designed around familes owning A car. Just look at the brochures and magazines from the era.
Note the carport.
^ Not a lot of 0 car households in development of this shape.
^note the carport
Yes it was not common for more than one car for several years, but many women didn't work, and many more didn't drive. My grandparents had one car when they moved from NYC to a 'burb in the mid 50s. My grandmother didn't ever learn to drive, though the car was at her disposal all day because my grandfather also drove a truck (professionally) that he took home. Interestingly, a lot of HOAs probably would not permit parking of such a work vehicle these days.
Nice pictures; captures the post-war mood in America...
I noted the carports; if you're living on Long Island, your winters aren't realy that cold, so you don't need a fully-enclosed garage..
People need to stop generalizing. Is that really all that hard to comprehend?
Confounding, isn't it?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Katiana
I don't think I referred to any specific person on this forum as a "hipster"; none of the posters fit my mental picture of same.
I beg your pardon ...
Quote:
Originally Posted by Komeht
common elements in sprawl are: housing subdivisions, strip malls, office parks, fast food chains, shopping malls, and big box stores
Hell, you can find all that in Center City Philadelphia.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Komeht
I'm sure there are as many subtypes as there are suburbs if you want to break it down that finely - though I'm not sure breaking it down to that level would be useful.
Well, why don't you give it a whirl and see if being precise in your descriptions doesn't ease the conversation a bit? Given the fact that you've had to backpedal over and over again to make yourself understood, I'd say such detail would be useful.
Quote:
Originally Posted by MassVt
Shouldn't 1950s Dad be wearing a fedora, though?
The only time my dad ever wore a hat was if there was 2 feet of snow outside and he was trying to find the car.
Because ... our first home (c. 1953) in the suburbs -- actually a four-unit apartment building -- did not have a garage or a carport.
^^My dad always wore a hat, b/c he was bald. My FIL wore one, so DH says, b/c he was short (as was my dad).
Hands, the ads are to entice people to buy the product. They don't necessarily depict reality. I'm talking about the cartoon with the car full of Mom, Dad, at least 4 kids and a dog. But even the houses are depicted fully landscaped, with trees above the roof line. Do you know how long it took for our silver maples to grow over the roof? And silvers are fast-growing "trash trees".
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
