Wednesday, September 26, 2012
More upgrading
Following up two earlier notes on the opposite of the 'broken-window effect'. Most recently I photographed the start of work on a sidewalk in this neighborhood, and noted that it seemed to have a positive effect. Before the sidewalk, a dozen parents would typically park along here each morning and evening, ferrying their kids to school. With the sidewalk, only one or two cars. Presumably the parents feel better about letting their kids walk. Lack of exercise is THE PROBLEM, and anything that causes more walking is THE SOLUTION.Now that the sidewalk has been in place for a month, it's also showing some physical 'upgrading' effects. Last year I noted:
Right now, just within my daily 5-block walk, I count 3 flips, 3 existing-owner remodels, and one brand new house under construction. As mentioned before, something positive is happening quietly around here. ... Probably no way to pin down the cause, but the area of newness appears to be 'propagating' from Wellesley, which was beautifully repaved and residewalked last year.This one block of new sidewalk has already caused one neighbor to finish painting his house, which had been caught between two colors for years. (I suspect it wasn't exactly the cement that caused the paint, but the removal of a eucalyptus tree that was blocking the right-of-way. The tree had been hiding the side of his house.)
Labels: Heimatkunde
¶ 12:14 PM
