A Little Clutter Sometimes Helps

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A few decades ago, Jane Jacobs wrote a whole book on what makes a city tick. Not grandiose planning, she wrote, not vast, empty malls framed by express roads The life of great cities reflects al the clutter and confusion and sometimes purposeful activity of the people who live and work in them. You can get most anything you want in a great city, sometimes within easy walking distance, and often at any hour of the day or night.

I suppose it flatters Wilmington to call it a great city, or even what remains of a great city. It always felll a litle shy of that mark, even in the days (not too long ago) when more than 100,000 souls called it home, and not just during working hours. Its proximity to Philadelphia probably had something to do with that. The big hitters of business and culture, like the big ships on the Delaware, passed by on their way to Philadelphia.

In reference to: Op-Ed Columnist - What Makes Cities Live - NYTimes.com (view on Google Sidewiki)