Gavriel Rosenfeld says rushing to reconstruct the World Trade Center towers would be a mistake. He cites historical examples of urban destruction, the importance of ruins, memorials designs, and the need to have authentic reminders of a tragedy.
"Already, there have been calls for the reconstruction of the towers as a sign of American resolve, and that wish to begin the physical recovery is perfectly understandable. But we also have a civic and moral obligation to commemorate the destruction...For while it is understandable, the rush to reconstruction complicates the process of mourning.the disappearance of authentic sites of tragedy makes coping with the past more difficult...I think if the European experience of reconstruction after the Second World War teaches us anything, it is that there is room for preserving the memory of tragedy alongside the pursuit of recovery."
Thanks to Abhijeet Chavan
FULL STORY: A True Memorial Lies in the Ruins

Alabama: Trump Terminates Settlements for Black Communities Harmed By Raw Sewage
Trump deemed the landmark civil rights agreement “illegal DEI and environmental justice policy.”

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

The 120 Year Old Tiny Home Villages That Sheltered San Francisco’s Earthquake Refugees
More than a century ago, San Francisco mobilized to house thousands of residents displaced by the 1906 earthquake. Could their strategy offer a model for the present?

In Both Crashes and Crime, Public Transportation is Far Safer than Driving
Contrary to popular assumptions, public transportation has far lower crash and crime rates than automobile travel. For safer communities, improve and encourage transit travel.

Report: Zoning Reforms Should Complement Nashville’s Ambitious Transit Plan
Without reform, restrictive zoning codes will limit the impact of the city’s planned transit expansion and could exclude some of the residents who depend on transit the most.

Judge Orders Release of Frozen IRA, IIJA Funding
The decision is a victory for environmental groups who charged that freezing funds for critical infrastructure and disaster response programs caused “real and irreparable harm” to communities.
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