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02/19/2006: "First Suburbs"

An interesting piece in the New York Times urges us to "Remember these words: "First Suburbs." The term refers to places known variously as "inner-ring" suburbs or pioneer suburbs or Cheever country or Levittown or places where ideals of white picket-fence perfection coexist with madness and alienation and dysfunction and despair. Around here, we know them as Westchester and Nassau, but they exist across the country, on the outskirts of cities that saw an exodus of young families in boom years after World War II."

interesting side topics 20th century, Urbanism and Suburbs

The aging topic is certainly something to keep an eyeon ... what WILL happen when the boomers move on? In fact FannieMae says this and more about Boomburbs ... "A new type of large, rapidly growing suburban city (or "Boomburb") emerged in the latter part of the 20th century along with the Sunbelt and the suburban-dominated metropolis. When late 19th and early 20th century satellite cities reached a large scale, they developed as dense urban cores. But as Boomburbs grow into big "cities," most remain essentially suburban in character. Just as satellite cities reflected the dominant urban pattern of their time, Boomburbs may be the ultimate symbol of the sprawling postwar metropolitan form." [see also Boomburbs: The Rise of America's Accidental Cities -- by Robert E. Lang, Jennifer Lefurgy]