A Slight Change of Pace

So far this semester, this class has only focussed on the different views of sprawl and towns that are good examples of sprawl or traditional neighborhoods. But there are other types of town settings that I would like to focus on for a moment. Specifically, I am talking about the living environment of big city life and its positives and negatives. For my topic of discussion, I chose New York City.

New York is well known for being overcrowded, busy, and tough for those individuals who aren't ready for the "big city" atmosphere. Given these facts, it is easy to see why some call it "the concrete jungle." As far as the eye can see are big, towering buildings that seem to reach up until they peirce the sky. These structures were deemed more important than mother nature, so the once green feilds have now been covered by dark gray asphault.

Yet somehow, this city has won over the affection of so many who have given the city affectionate nicknames such as "The Big Apple," "The City of Dreams," and "The Melting Pot" just to name a few. But the nickname I chose to focus on is "The City That Never Sleeps."

The title, "The City That Never Sleeps," can be interpreted many different ways depending on the person. For those who dislike the city, they say this name was given to describe the how overwhelmingly busy the city is and how no one has time to sleep because they have work to do. But for those who enjoy there time in the city, they say that the name states how exciting the city is and how there is always something fun to do so no one goes to sleep. No matter how much each side of the arguement is defended and supported, it is impossible to change one's view of the city. Hopefully, this blog will prevent any quick conclusions for those who have yet to experience "The City That Never Sleeps."

As far as the criteria goes for a good traditional neighborhood, New York City does have a few positives. For instance, the sidewalks are nice and wide which allows plenty of space to walk. Also, there is parallel parking which was said to be a reassuring quality for those citizens who chose to walk. In addition, public transportation is everywhere in the form of taxi cabs and the subway train. Furthermore, the city wastes no space as buildings stand side by side with little to no gap in between. Unfortunately there is a minus for every plus.

The sidewalks are built so wide because of the heavy flow of pedestrians who must use it to walk to and from work or other desired locations. the parallel parking is a nice quality but there is no chance of ever finding a spot to park in the city. Every spot is constantly occupied and as soon as someone tried to leave a spot, another car would be pulling in. Furthermore, public transportation sounds nice but it too is almost impossible to obtain and is highly undesireable. An available taxi in New York is hard to come by and the subway is extremely crowded and frightening at times. And as far as good use of space goes, the the building are built so close together to allow space for more buildings.

Personally, I enjoy the city because there are plenty of things to do at night. Clubs will be open or one could go to Madison Square Garden and see a basketball game. And if the group is big enough, it is nice to just walk around and see everything lit up at night. Whether or not you'll enjoy the city is a decision you'll have to make for yourself.

--Michael Saunders