Today, a pair of fascinating radio pieces focus on two different neighborhoods who share a common denominator of economic woe.
First, take a few minutes to tune into a superlative This American Life episode from a couple of weeks ago about the spiraling effects of speculative development and foreclosure on Rogers Park, Chicago--both inside the "luxury" condominium conversions themselves, and outside, throughout the neighborhood. The physical and economic effects of countless "sexy on the outside, crappy on the inside" renovations extend throughout the neighborhood. Listen.
Above, Clark Street in Rogers Park. (via)
Across the country in Los Angeles, an architect and "social designer" plans for wholescale societal transformation at the scale of the suburban cul-de-sac. NPR contributor Jennifer Sharpe investigates why Stephanie Smith believes the way out of the alienation and waste of the suburbs starts by rethinking the commune:
Ever since my next-door neighbor sent me hate mail, threatening to sue if I didn't cut down my eucalyptus tree, I've been having paranoid fantasies about how badly we'd do together in an apocalypse.
Stranded on a residential street in Santa Monica, Calif., where the neighbors hardly ever interact with each other, I realized we might all die as casualties of our own self absorption.
So when I heard about a social experiment urging people in Los Angeles cul-de-sacs to start communes together, I had to see if this strange suburban mutation could possibly survive.
Cue Smith, founder of Ecoshack, and the project simply called Wanna Start A Commune?, wherein neighbors pool resources for the common good:
From the WSAC manifesto:
Wanna Start a Commune? is a movement dedicated to bringing a communal lifestyle to the forefront of American culture.
A commune is defined simply as "a community where resources are shared." We think the commune idea deserves a much broader audience. Sure, many
commune experiments failed. We say don't throw the baby out with the
bathwater! Let's learn and move forward. The commune is an idea too
good to waste. Let's take this old idea and give it a new attitude.
The good news is that we're already turning towards each other more
than ever before; for inspiration, for comfort, for help, for joy. It's
a simple act to take that 'turning towards' and make it official. The
act of starting a commune can be literal, or symbolic. Becoming more
collective is the goal. Join with those around you and together decide
how and where.
The radio pieces were very interesting.
I photograph and write about Rogers Park daily. This neighborhood needs a new Alderman for starters, if things are ever going to get better.
Posted by: Bill Morton | 03/02/2010 at 23:06