Brian Siano wrote:
Well, this does raise a couple of interesting questions about creative
communities. The general pattern we're discussing is that there are
marginal or run-down areas of cities. Bohemians, artists, gays, and
radicals move in, because it's cheap to live there. Some of them are
motivated enough to fix the places up, make'em appealing, and suddenly
affluent people decide they want to live there as well; after all, they
have some taste, artists need audiences, and maybe they can bring
something to the community that's not necessarily artistis or radical,
but useful (grocery stores, coffee shops, boutiques, etc.) Now there's
more money in the nabe, the demand for housing goes up, and the bohos,
artists and radicals who _didn't_ get in on the ground floor can't
afford it anymore. So they move on... maybe to some other place, where
the next Talented Tenth will do the work to make things more interesting.
There's just one small change I'd make to the above account. Instead of
saying that the Creative Class moves in because it's cheap to live
there, I'd add that the areas are also _easily changed_. Which is easier
to reshape to your own desires-- a fully-preserved Victorian rowhouse in
West Philadelphia, or a run-down two-story row home in Northern
Liberties? Which is a blanker canvas-- an unused warehouse, or a
recently-built set of condos? Which is more fun to customize-- a
brand-new Lexus, or a vintage '68 Mustang? Where are creative people
more likely to exercise their creativity for the community-- a
tightly-regulated and policed Historic District, or a community with a
laissez-faire attitude towards one's fellow man?
There's a lot that bothers me about this creative-class discussion. For
one thing, if we cite these nomads of creativity as an engine for urban
improvement, and wail about their being priced out of neighborhoods, we
tend to forget about the _really_ poor people that _they_ displaced in
the first place. For another, it plays up a distinction between
creatives and non-creatives-- which appeals to a lot of peoples' taste
for snobbery and self-importance. You know: someone who designs posters
for metals bands is an artist, while someone who edits commercials for
an ad agency is a corporate drone. The guy who makes wall mosaics with
pottery is more an artist than an computer game designer. Thing is, for
every creative community, you need an audience. So why disparage people
who have taste merely because they don't create the same kinds of things
that artists-- real or imagined-- create?
(Which brings up another interesting question. How do we know when a
community qualifies as creative or not? Apparently, it's when the stuff
they create is _commercial_ enough.)
I think the way to look at this is the way olin himself
looks at it:
"It's not a law, but it is a generally accepted principle
that more complex environments tend to be richer and more
productive and more stable than simplified environments," he
reflects. "Monocultures are unstable. Diversified
environments are more stable -- you can see it in oceans,
you can see it in forests, you can see it in cities."
and mitchell gordon (the urban planning journalist) was
writing letters to uc review to say this:
"Agencies campaigning to bring in more students and the
Creative Class to this city must take initiatives to
preserve and extend affordble housing, no matter how small
the initial step....So many of the people who kept American
cities alive and creative through dark decades, when capital
abandoned the city, have become victims of capital's recent
triumphant return to the city. Let's give this next
generation of talent a fighting changce to creatively
prosper in this city."
we're all inter-connected here, even if you or I are not
bohemian and even if you or I are in a position to shrug
while newcomers who can't afford it need to move on. and I
think we could all pause and wonder what would have happened
if laurie olin, back in 1976, had not been able to find that
space on market street over a bar next to a strip joint
opposite a bus station.
we may never know -- but there are people (including olin)
who are saying look, when it comes to cities, one thing we
do know is that we shouldn't be stacking the deck.
..................
UNIVERSITY*CITOYEN
[aka laserbeam®]
[aka ray]
SERIAL LIAR. CALL FOR RATES.
"It is very clear on this listserve who
these people are. Ray has admitted being
connected to this forger." -- Tony West
----
You are receiving this because you are subscribed to the
list named "UnivCity." To unsubscribe or for archive information, see
<http://www.purple.com/list.html>.
