Sorry, Greenies, Americans Still Like Sprawl

I'll stick to my 6 acres out in the country....8 miles from town.....The concept of living in an apartment building or condo is as alien to me as a born and bred New Yorker, would feel about not being in one...The way I was raised is that the "city" is where you go to shop for things you cant get locally....I lived in San Diego, and L.A., Long Beach, but it aint home Reply

I live in Portland Oregon, and I think they've kinda hit a sweet spot with the city living. I've heard a lot that it's a big city with a bit of that small town feel. I like how the city is broken into all these neighborhoods, where you can walk or bike to all this little cafes, shop, and restaurants, but you're not forced to live in super tight apartment complexes. Also, I don't think Brook's article is entirely accurate, because a lot of these cities he refers too just aren't that livable close in (traffic, crime, pollution, etc). Reply

Sardine-can living is inevitable if population isn't addressed. Some economists think 6 square feet is more than enough for a human to live in. Reply

I love open space, and green space. i also love space used well. dense urban populations are not appealing but neither is sprawl. my definition of sprawl is poorly used space, paved over, willy-nilly cul-de-sac subdivisions, strip malls, large industrial/commercial sheds...with no consideration for walkability, connectedness, community, just consumption. can't stand high-rises. love parks and trees and local diners/cafes. long commutes and heavy traffic and crowds are dealbreakers. the energy of a place is important, as is clean air, water, peace, quiet, nature. i have lived rurally, suburban, urban. my home is now chicago proper. well-built brick buildings with my feet close to the ground, old trees outside the window, good neighbors, half a block from 3 parks, and living close enough to get around but not on a busy street, make for pretty good living. i used to work in the neighborhood, too, so my commute was a 10 minute drive or a 30 minute walk. sweet! although i live 6 miles from downtown it takes 45-75 minutes on the train to get there, one-way, which i find unacceptable. mass transit efficiency is still lacking in chicago. it should not take the same amount of time to sit in traffic driving to the suburbs as it does to travel 6 miles within the city! all the more reason that neighborhoods should support their own populations, so that residents don't need to haul across town for supplies. and for the record, i do not eat fast food nor drink coffee so neither MacDonalds nor Starbucks holds any appeal for me. Reply