Market Urbanism

Liberalizing cities | From the bottom up

“Market Urbanism” refers to the synthesis of classical liberal economics and ethics (market), with an appreciation of the urban way of life and its benefits to society (urbanism). We advocate for the emergence of bottom up solutions to urban issues, as opposed to ones imposed from the top down.

NYC & DC links

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New York City

1. A while ago I wrote about how Manhattanville’s blight, and therefore Columbia’s ability to use eminent domain, was the fault of bad zoning. The nearby neighborhood of West Harlem looks like it’s learned that lesson, and is seeking to protect itself against encroachment from Columbia by upzoning itself. Unfortunately it’s not a pure upzoning – there’re also affordable housing mandates, regulations against “sliver buildings,” and some unspecified protections for existing structures. The massive 100-block rezoning is the first in half a century.

2. A handful of buildings in Downtown Brooklyn may get historic district’d.

3. A massive parking garage in Jamaica, Queens is receiving huge tax breaks, ostensibly for reducing congestion. Why am I not surprised to see that it’s owned by an organization with “development corporation” in its name?

4. Janette Sadik-Khan wants to expand the “pop-up cafe” program that essentially lets businesses use parking spaces as seating areas. I personally think that anyone who’s willing to pay more than the current metered parking rates should be allowed to do whatever they want with the space.

Washington, DC

1. Security expert Bruce Schneier suggests closing the Washington Monument “as a monument to our fears,” and Matt Yglesias wants terrorists to blow it up – something I’ve suggested before. Maybe if that boring obelisk were gone, people would give up on DC’s height restriction and consider turning the Mall into a place that’s actually pleasant to be.

2. Unsuck DC Metro on why the Metro’s escalators suck – it’s the unions!

Comments

  1. Manhattanville isn’t really blighted. It’s not as lively as Morningside Heights is away from Columbia’s sterile university campus, and it’s auto-oriented, but it’s not really blighted. Much of the supposed blight is an invention of Columbia, so that people will support its bid for eminent domain.

  2. I’m not familiar with Manhattanville, but over the years I’ve come to the conclusion that one should be very, very careful before blithely tossing around charges of “blight”. In fact, I’m more doubtful than ever that the phenomenon even exists as anything other than a convenient excuse to pursue some combination of sweeping undesirable people under the rug, rewarding powerful interests, and enhance the city treasury (to name three common motivations I’ve deduced behind charges of “blight”). Yes, some neighborhoods aren’t as “nice” as we would like – but that’s inevitable unless you’re willing to trample all over some pretty fundamental basics like “property rights” and “the market”. The Supreme Court might be fine with that; I’m not.

  3. I’m not familiar with Manhattanville, but over the years I’ve come to the conclusion that one should be very, very careful before blithely tossing around charges of “blight”. In fact, I’m more doubtful than ever that the phenomenon even exists as anything other than a convenient excuse to pursue some combination of sweeping undesirable people under the rug, rewarding powerful interests, and enhance the city treasury (to name three common motivations I’ve deduced behind charges of “blight”). Yes, some neighborhoods aren’t as “nice” as we would like – but that’s inevitable unless you’re willing to trample all over some pretty fundamental basics like “property rights” and “the market”. The Supreme Court might be fine with that; I’m not.

  4. 4)

    Do you know of any regulations preventing this? Does paying the meter entitle one to the use of the space? Or does it only entitle you to park your car there? Could I set up my own little shop or seating area in an onstreet parking space as long as I paid the meter? In Houston would I just have to move every two hours like a car does? (Houston time limits meter paid on-street parking in downtown)

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