I find it helpful when considering the alternatives to look at the extreme cases.
Imagine if everyone in the county lived in one very large building. With all the shared walls, heating costs would be naturally low. Employment would naturally locate just outside and could be walked to. Service businesses would also be there or incorporated into the building. Transportation would be minimal and mostly on foot. Fields and associated food production and recreational facilities would be within a short walk. Of course with all 100,000 of us in one place, some f us would have to commute to more distant fields to satisfy our food needs, but that would only be a few of us since the most labor-intensive production would be located closest in. Now imagine the opposite extreme. We all live in single-family houses on minimum half-acre lots so as to avoid the need for water or sewer infrastructure. Of course, that means we need roads all over the place to get around. The population is so dispersed that businesses have to be spread around as well to avoid the congestion from all of us having to drive to them. Food production is fragmented and dispersed as well, making production and marketing a challenge. The energy cost of creating and maintaining the transportation infrastructure, the vehicles that use it and their operating cost, and the inefficiency of all those separated buildings would be (and is) huge. Unsustainably huge. That's why suburbia as we have known it is headed for some hard times, and that is why we did not structure our society that way back in the days before cheap energy. Unless we stumble upon a cheap alternative to fossil fuels, we will be headed back to a much more compact population distribution. Joel >If Ithaca had a density like that, where do you envision all of the goods we >buy coming from? How about all the things bought from Walmart, grocery >stores, and the malls? That would mean much more traffic, more people >driving, more resources for goods we probably didn't need in the first >place. > >I still don't understand why so many here are wishing for higher housing >density. Sure it means some systems will run more efficiently, but any >population gain is going to hurt us quite a bit in the long run. If that >housing density comes with people actually choosing better transportation >options, growing their own food to some extent, buying local materials, and >holding community events often, that I would welcome it, but I doubt that >scenario is anywhere near likely to happen as long as oil is still around. > >Maybe I'm pessimistic here? Somehow this population needs to reduce though, >and unless you are bringing the ouskirts closer to the city then higher >density does no good. > >-Andy > >On Fri, Aug 8, 2008 at 10:45 PM, <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > > > > > And it is a tragedy that we cannot imagine a density of housing in Ithaca > > that could build on 5 to 6 story or even 10 story buildings, like > > neighborhoods > > in Queens, Brooklyn and the Bronx that maintain vibrant shopping, parks, > > education centers, etc and a powerful sense of community. My sense is > > that is > > what our downtown needs and that need will encroach on places like Fall > > Creek, > > where I live, and I welcome it. > > > > Eric > > > > In a message dated 8/8/2008 4:56:24 P.M. Eastern Standard Time, > > [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: > > > > > > > > >From the New York Times: > > > > HEALTH / RESEARCH | August 5, 2008 > > Vital Signs: Patterns: In Older Neighborhoods, Less Weight Gain > > By ERIC NAGOURNEY > > A new study reports that people who live in older neighborhoods appear > > less > > likely to be overweight. > > > > > > > http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/05/health/research/05patt.html?ex=1218772800&en > > > =97a340e2bb95a503&ei=5070&emc=eta1<http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/05/health/research/05patt.html?ex=1218772800&en=97a340e2bb95a503&ei=5070&emc=eta1> > > > > The article does not mention that a critical factor in neighborhood > > walkability is 1) density; and 2) as a result of density the presence of > > many more > > activity centers within a 10-15 minute walk of home. > > > > The fact is that older neighborhoods such as Fall Creek, South Side and > > Bryant Park are anywhere from five to ten times more densely built than > > post-1960s suburbs such as in the Town of Ithaca, Town of Dryden abd Town > > of Lansing. > > That means that a lot more activities, such as schools, shopping, places > > of > > work, etc. are within easy walking and biking distance. > > > > Ergo, more exercise, less driving, less greenhouse gas emissions, etc., > > etc.., etc., etc. > > > > George Frantz > > > > > > > > --- > > George R. Frantz, AICP, ASLA > > Visiting Lecturer > > Dept. of City & Regional Planning > > Cornell University > > 604 Cliff Street > > Ithaca, New York 14850 > > (607) 256-9310 > > > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > For more information about sustainability in the Tompkins County area, > > please visit: http://www.sustainabletompkins.org/ > > > > RSS, archives, subscription & listserv information for: > > [email protected] > > > > > > > > > > > > Eric Clay, M.Div., Ph.D. > > Community Coach > > Shared Journeys, Inc. > > 832 North Aurora Street > > Ithaca, NY 14850 > > 607-592-6874_ [EMAIL PROTECTED] (mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]) > > > > Shared Journeys: Make a World of Difference > > > > > > Our mission is to help individuals, families, organizations and > > communities > > care more effectively for themselves and others who are not like them. > > > > > > > > **************Looking for a car that's sporty, fun and fits in your budget? > > Read reviews on AOL Autos. > > ( > > > http://autos.aol.com/cars-BMW-128-2008/expert-review?ncid=aolaut00050000000017) > > _______________________________________________ > > For more information about sustainability in the Tompkins County area, > > please visit: http://www.sustainabletompkins.org/ > > > > RSS, archives, subscription & listserv information for: > > [email protected] > > http://lists.mutualaid.org/mailman/listinfo/sustainabletompkins > > free hosting by http://www.mutualaid.org > > > > > > >_______________________________________________ >For more information about sustainability in the Tompkins County area, >please visit: http://www.sustainabletompkins.org/ > >RSS, archives, subscription & listserv information for: >[email protected] >http://lists.mutualaid.org/mailman/listinfo/sustainabletompkins >free hosting by http://www.mutualaid.org _______________________________________________ For more information about sustainability in the Tompkins County area, please visit: http://www.sustainabletompkins.org/ RSS, archives, subscription & listserv information for: [email protected] http://lists.mutualaid.org/mailman/listinfo/sustainabletompkins free hosting by http://www.mutualaid.org
