Downtown Population increased 25% since 2000 (Pittsburgh: 2013, private school, income)

[pman]

Originally Posted by SteelCityRising

You see, a long, long time ago in a galaxy far, far away people actually used to live in cities. Then came the automobile, and people decided "Hey, I don't want my kids going to school with those kids, so I'm moving to these newfangled things called suburbs to be with people more like myself". Soon savvy merchants followed their clientele out of the city as well to better serve them. Cities, in a desperate attempt to regain their prominence within the metropolitan areas they once dominated, tore down historic treasure after historic treasure for massive surface parking lots, hoping to entice ex-city residents to drive back into the city from time to time to help support its economic foundation.

Now nine times out of ten when the city tries to rebuild these lost treasures the end results look like garbage (i.e. the newer residential additions on Herron Avenue in Polish Hill).

urban renewal was a federal program and as I understand it, was very much modeled on what people had seen in europe with the complete destruction of cities and consequent rebuilding. some thought that simply remaking the way we live would drive our economy, and it did, for a while, though I'm not sure it really added any value for all its cost...years later many renewal areas have never recovered.

[SteelCityRising]

Originally Posted by pman

years later many renewal areas have never recovered.

Yep. That horrific Allegheny Center comes to mind.

[Blackbeauty212]

Mayor's roundtable to beef up Downtown retail district

Read more: Mayor's roundtable to beef up Downtown retail district

Yarone Zober, the mayor's chief of staff, said the goal is not to try to re-create the grandiose Fifth and Forbes plans floated by former Mayor Tom Murphy, but to appeal to retailers that might be a "good fit" for Downtown.

[BrianTH]

More boutique-type stuff could be a good idea.

[Blackbeauty212]

I would like to see a Daffy's go into the Lord Taylor/Mellon building......Sort of Discount Department Store if you will....They're very successful in other City Centers NYC and Philly

http://www.daffys.com/

[bradjl2009]

Originally Posted by Blackbeauty212

I would like to see a Daffy's go into the Lord Taylor/Mellon building......Sort of Discount Department Store if you will....They're very successful in other City Centers NYC and Philly

Daffy's

That would be something great for Downtown since it would be able to bring people down there to go to a store that's nothing like anywhere else in this region.

[ElijahAstin]

Originally Posted by SteelCityRising

You see, a long, long time ago in a galaxy far, far away people actually used to live in cities. Then came the automobile, and people decided "Hey, I don't want my kids going to school with those kids, so I'm moving to these newfangled things called suburbs to be with people more like myself".

Way to simplify the birth of the American suburb.

[pman]

Originally Posted by HeavenWood

Way to simplify the birth of the American suburb.

suburbs predate the automobile, in fact, the word itself dates to the railroad era..as does commuter which were people who paid commuted fares....now that term applies to people in cars as well.

[ElijahAstin]

Originally Posted by pman

suburbs predate the automobile, in fact, the word itself dates to the railroad era..as does commuter which were people who paid commuted fares....now that term applies to people in cars as well.

Not only that, but immediately post-WWII, many families, GI bills in hand, flocked to the suburbs seeking cheap land and some breathing room. White flight didn't take center stage until bussing came into play (mid-60s on).

[pman]

Originally Posted by HeavenWood

Not only that, but immediately post-WWII, many families, GI bills in hand, flocked to the suburbs seeking cheap land and some breathing room. White flight didn't take center stage until bussing came into play (mid-60s on).

that's not entirely true, white flight started with the great migration c WWI...and was exacerbated by new deal era policies like red lining that actually increased segregation. things like standard lot sizes meant that you couldn't get subsidized mortgages (also a new deal era invention) for city homes since they often didn't fit the lot requirements. white flight probably peaked in the mid-60's but it didn't start then. one reason people lived in small homes prior to the 30's is they had to get private loans without government subsidies..and they often required larger down payments...hence lower prices and smaller homes.