Many major American cities are defying the conventional wisdom that suburbs are the communities of the future. But as these urban centers prosper; they increasingly confront significant constraints. In City Bound; Gerald E. Frug and David J. Barron address these limits in a new way. Based on a study of the differing legal structures of Boston; New York; Atlanta; Chicago; Denver; San Francisco; and Seattle; City Bound explores how state law determines what cities can and cannot do to raise revenue; control land use; and improve city schools.Frug and Barron show that state law can make it much easier for cities to pursue a global-city or a tourist-city agenda than to respond to the needs of middle-class residents or to pursue regional alliances. But they also explain that state law is often so outdated; and so rooted in an unjustified distrust of local decision making; that the legal process makes it hard for successful cities to develop and implement any coherent vision of their future. Their book calls not for local autonomy but for a new structure of state-local relations that would enable cities to take the lead in charting the future course of urban development. It should be of interest to everyone who cares about the future of American cities; whether political scientists; planners; architects; lawyers; or simply citizens.
#2719619 in eBooks 2011-08-01 2011-08-01File Name: B00DQF9XYK
Review
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful. Engrossing and Enlightening!By M. DooleyThis is a fascinating approach to visual art and its beneficial effect on six southern cities; Atlanta; Charleston; Louisville; New Orleans; Austin and Miami from 1865-1960 or so. Ive never seen anything about this subject before and so I would agree with the reviewers who call it groundbreaking. The author maps out an interesting pattern of each citys similar progress due to artists;womens organizations; philanthropists; and developers. They were linked together by the same sort of idealistic notions and made their dreams happen by their association. Pollack also mentions other cities in which the same thing happened and intertwines race and gender issues which occurred at the same time. One of the most interesting aspects to me was the part about Oscar Wilde lecturing in almost all of the six cities. I had no idea that he could be so influential to other southerners; but he was. I also wont forget the story about the Voodoo queens portrait; the anger caused by some artwork; the plight of Edwin Harleston; the formation of the Lowe Art Gallery; and the Louisville statue of "Woman Triumphant." Much of the art is analyzed and Pollack relates it to art that went before it and after it. This book is not for the shallow reader but highly recommended for those who want to learn a great deal about life and art in southern cities from the Civil War unit the 1960s.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Brings art to the forefront of southern urban historyBy Marjie WassermannVisual Art and the Urban Evolution of the New South brings to light the artistic influence on the evolution of six southern cities; Atlanta; Charleston; New Orleans; Louisville; Austin; and Miami. Deborah Pollack provides art historical analysis of public monuments; murals; and other forms of urban design and also explains how the efforts of art supporting groups influenced their cities. Many of us are familiar with the Charleston Renaissance but not many know that other southern cities experienced the same sort of cultural awakening during the late nineteenth to mid twentieth centuries. She explains how aestheticism pervaded southernersrsquo; taste; mostly because of Oscar Wildersquo;s presentations throughout the South. She uses an impressive bibliography of both primary documents and secondary scholarly sources and explores beyond public art and artistic input. Racial injustice; the struggle for suffrage; and other social issues during the New South are in conflict with art development that ironically portrays social improvement. She is constant in her objectivity and simultaneous sensitivity in these matters; for example she sympathizes with what southerners felt about artistic expressions of the ldquo;Lost Causerdquo; but also with what African Americans and women had to face mdash;both groups seen as ldquo;second class citizensrdquo; during the New South. Acknowledging the devotion of womenrsquo;s groups that raised funds for the Lost Cause; Pollack also shows empathy to African Americans and others who still see them as symbols of inequality. In the Atlanta chapter she comments that the popular illustrated book Uncle Remus is ldquo;excruciatingly not politically correct to our sensibilitiesrdquo; but that characters Brrsquo;er Rabbit and Brrsquo;er Fox maintain universal charm. She also compares Atlanta public pride with Charleston public outrage in regards to similar racially-themed statues; and shows how Henry Flagler and other city builders were guided by both Henry Gradyrsquo;s New South investment vitality and an aesthetic awareness. These are just a few of the many fresh ideas the author introduces. I recommend this excellent book to anyone interested in the New South; urban history; art history; and social history.2 of 2 people found the following review helpful. I was recently fortunate to discover and read Visual Art and the Urban ...By Mickey FinebergAs an avid painting and sculpture collector with interest in art history; I was recently fortunate to discover and read Visual Art and the Urban Evolution of the New South By Deborah C. Pollack.This is an extremely well written and researched piece that depicts the development of Visual Art in several Southern cities and the fabric of political; entrepreneurial and cultural influences. It is truly an engaging and fascinating; five-star read.Mickey Fineberg; Ph.D.Business PsychologistKing of Prussia; PA