Jane Jacobs, author of The Death and Life of Great American Cities passed away in Toronto yesterday at the age of 89.
Jane Jacobs wrote her landmark book after she had successfully opposed the destruction of her Greenwich Village neighbourhood in New York City, which was supposed to be bulldozed in favour of a mid-town expressway that would have deposited cars into the heart of lower Manhattan.
Her battle was echoed in Vancouver during the late-1960s, when local residents prevented the construction of the Carrall Street connector, a downtown freeway that would have been routed through the Downtown Eastside, slicing through Chinatown and Gastown.
When her book was published in 1961, Jane Jacobs' views challenged the prevailing theories of urban planning, which placed the automobile at the centre of city life. Instead, she noted the vibrancy and safety of the lively streets in her neighbourhood, leading her to coin the famous concept of 'eyes on the street'. Her views have gone on to influence urban planning in cities throughout North America, including Vancouver.
For an especially fascinating look at the planning environment she faced in 1950s New York, have a look at Part Six of the PBS documentary, New York.
Many of the lessons learned from this time have been applied and/or still remain relevant to Vancouver today. This is especially true in regards to the freeway expansion, and the construction of social housing. In brief: more freeways only lead to more urban sprawl; it is better to integrate social housing with mixed use developments, rather than create ghettos for the poor.
Jane Jacobs Dies [Globe and Mail]
Jane Jacobs, Urban Activist, Is Dead at 89 [New York Times]
Jane Jacobs Speaks [Curbed.com]
