The (London) Telegraph mentions Memphis among cities to be included in a grand experiment of urban downsizing. Dan Kildee, treasurer of Genesee County, Mich. -- which includes Flint -- and founder of the Genesee County Land Bank, wants to apply a "shrink to survive" approach to 50 cities identified in a recent study by the Brookings Institution as needing to shrink substantially. The Telegraph reports that the U.S. government and private charities are interested in the approach:
The Washington Independent has been covering the "shrinking cities" phenomenon closely, and has plenty of links to follow to find out more about the concept.
"The real question is not whether these cities shrink - we're all shrinking - but whether we let it happen in a destructive or sustainable way," said Mr Kildee. "Decline is a fact of life in Flint. Resisting it is like resisting gravity."In flint, this approach has involved bulldozing entire blocks and letting nature take over. Other cities mentioned in the Telegraph article include Baltimore, Detroit, Philadelphia and Pittsburgh.
The Washington Independent has been covering the "shrinking cities" phenomenon closely, and has plenty of links to follow to find out more about the concept.
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