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town of 12,000 I knew in the late 1960s How to Mess Up a Town can we even begin to think about more had perhaps two or three franchised out- continued from page 20 complicated design issues, such as the lets. Commercial activity focused on a prosperous main street where most busi- alarmingly soon. Still, Saratoga is doing way buildings relate to each other and to nesses were locally owned.Visiting the very little to make the best of its true the street. In this area, by the way, we area ten years later,I was shocked to see virtues. I am convinced that Americans continue to fail spectacularly. he economic transformation. Where � have literally lost the ability to think The most important building to be fields and homes had stood,franchised about their surroundings, and for a spe erected on Broadway in this half of the outlets now lined the highways leading to cific reason. Historically Americans have 20th Century was the Ramada Renais- town. Downtown stores that had once not had a high regard for the public sance Hotel (since bought by the Shera- flourished had closed or moved to the three malls that had sprouted in outlying realm, and this is a very unfortunate ton chain). This hotel was designed with areas. thing, because the public realm is the no shopfronts on Broadway. Instead, it. From: Roadside Empires, by Stan Luxen- physical manifestation of the common presents four blank brown steel fire berg(Viking Penguin 1985). good. When you degrade the public doors (from the hotel's conference realm,as we have,you degrade the com- rooms). This is the face that this huge C1London, Ontario, mon good, and hence you impair the and important building shows to Sarato- * .Plans for Big Box ability of a group of people incorporated ga's most important street. Naturally,it is Retailers as a republic to think about the public a colossal failure as a matter of civic art. In an effort to develop a planning policy interest. The street at that end of town is dead at for"big box"retail outlets(i.e.,superstores), This is why we no longer possess the all times of the day and night, for the the City of London's Planning Division has most fundamental notions of civic art— simple and obvious reason that there are researched the locational needs and impacts civic art being the effort that we make to no destinations for people on foot, no of this form of retailing.The proposed policy honor and embellish the public realm in reason to be there. includes locating big box retailers within order to make civic life possible. This The knowledge necessary to build existing and planned commercial centers, shows very clearly in the way that we really great towns that people would instead of within quasi-retail/industrial areas. have treated the streets here in my town delight to live and work in, was fully in This would have the advantage of both utiliz- of Saratoga Springs.Design elements that place, was fully possessed by Americans ing existing public infrastructure and ensur- ina European child of twelve would grasp our grandparents' day. We have ing a"level playing field"between big box instinctively are completely mishandled thrown it all into the garbage can. It is as rlers and traditional retail development0 here by grownup experts in the design much of a struggle for us to regain this precluding the en.) and building professions. lost knowledge as it is for a stroke victim use of cheaper ,*5A.:. ' to learn how to speak all over again. We industrial land)._ ,M, For instance, a few years ago when P g are also in the unhappyposition of learn- The proposed poli . • :. ,;; the great mall incursion began, the town decided to "fight back"by installing Vic- ing that without a regard for the public © ij realm, for civic art, or civic life, we will cy also calls for designating"com rd torianoid lampposts and street benches R STORE on Broadway. Only they made one slight probably not have much of a civilization. mercial policy s The future will require us to do things areas" within the �` x _, mistake with the benches. They bolted a g City having area- '.;'- them into the outside edge of the side- better, or the future will belong to other • specific design guidelines and special policies walks facing toward traffic. This funda- people in other societies. to better address unusual mixes of commer- : mental error in thinking that people sit James Howard Kunstler is , cial uses,including big box retailers. outdoors to watch cars,not other people, the author of"The Geogra- ,, - According to John Fleming of the Plan- illustrates the pathetic level of civic art as phy of Nowhere,"a book ` ning Division, "the policy approach recog- it is practiced here. To make matters about the economic and `'`• i ,• nizes that big box retailers are part of the worse, the original problem has become social consequences of sub- retail market's continuing evolution, and incorrectable. As recently as this April, urban sprawl, and the I. need to change our current seeks to give them an opportunity to come members of the Downtown Business (. into the City,but in a way that is consistent Association begged the Department of methods of land use plan- with the City's goals of encouraging compact, Public Works to move the benches ning. He is the author of coordinated development within commercial around so they faced the sidewalk, and eight other books, all novels,a former editor with Rolling Stone Magazine,and a regular contributor nodes and associated corridors." the DPW refused on the grounds that sit to the New York Times Magazine. For a copy of London's policy framework ters might extend their legs and trip report, contact John Fleming,do Dept. of pedestrians! Planning&Development, City Hall, 300 The most pathetic aspect of all this is •fferin Ave., London, Ontario N6A 4L9; that if we can't solve minuscule problems 9-661-5343. like benches facing wrong way,thehow PL A N N I N G COMMISSIONERS JOURNAL / NUMBER 17 / WINTER 1 9 9 5 19