Dead heroes, it seems, can be used by anyone. For example, George Bush who promotes war on Iraqis abroad and war on low and moderate income people here, praises the late Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King – who, had he lived, would be marching in Bush protest. (See a funny dissection of a Bush invocation of King here [1].) Similarly, NYC Planning(sic) Chair Amanda Burden, who facilitates such monster over-developments as The West Side Stadium, Ratnerville, Yankee & Shea Stadiums and Columbia U’s northward march into Harlem, hides Mr. Bloomberg’s destructive unplanning goals under the mantle of Jane Jacobs [2]. (Norman Oder has made lots of good fun Ms.Burden’s rather appalling attempts to body snatch Ms. Jacobs work and life here. [3]
Those of us who remember Jane Jacobs, her fights for people-sized development and against eight-lane urban expressways or who read “The Death & Life Of Great American Cities†as a guerrilla guide to saving our city, will love the Municipal Art Society’s heroic attempt to bring Jacobs and her work back to life: Jane Jacobs & The Future Of New York [4]
The exhibit, which opens Tuesday September 25, 2007, at the Municipal Art Society’s Urban Center which is located in the remnants of the wonderful Villard Houses behind St. Patrick’s Cathedral, 457 Madison Avenue at East 51st Street. Subway: 6 to 51st Street; E, V to Fifth/53rd (Madison Avenue exit); B, D, F to Rockefeller Center. The exhibit, for which a $10 donation is suggested, runs till January. But don't wait. Go Now because the exhibit is accompanied by seven seminars [5] and eight walking tours. [6] All of the seminars and tours cost money – although less for MAS members (Is this a good time to consider joining? [7])
The exhibit, of course, has it’s official book: Block by Block: Jane Jacobs & The Future of New York [8] ($18, includes photos by Danny Lyon [9] and others) and a wonderful website with a take-action page and more hot-links than anyone – but a graduate student – could follow: here. [10] The whole shebang has been paid for in part by the Rockefeller Foundation which supported Ms. Jacobs’ work during her lifetime as well.
Those of you who’ve read this far may be urban fanatics like me. Save the weekend of Oct. 6-7 for Open House New York [11] your once a year opportunity to see NY’s built treasures up close and personal about which I will write more shortly.
People interested in a plan for Brooklyn in which the Atlantic Yards development does not go forward may want to read Norman Oder's report on one alternative: Unity 2007 [12] which is at the SoapBox Gallery 636 Dean Street (Carlton/Vanderbilt) through October 3, 2007. The reimagining of the of space includes a Walking Tour on September 29, 2007 with Ron Shiffman and Norman Oder at 2PM which meets in front of the Williamsburg Savings Bank building, Hanson Place at Ashland Place
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