Density Is A Virtue

Writing in a Boston Globe editorial, David Dixon explains why Americans' fear and loathing of density is ironic and dangerous.

1 minute read

July 8, 2003, 11:00 AM PDT

By Chris Steins @planetizen


"We need to reclaim density as a solution to, not the cause of, problems facing our cities and suburbs... Density is essential to achieving the very qualities that make communities more livable - and cohesive. Neighborhoods in cities like Boston have lost as much as 50 percent of their pre-1950 population, which in turn supported the lively commercial districts with a sense of community that people seek to recapture. Worse, in an era of big-box retail and Internet shopping, it takes more people living within walking distance to support lively streets in 2003 than it did in 1950."

Thanks to Chris Steins

Monday, July 7, 2003 in The Boston Globe

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