Milano's was packed tonight (-->insert comment about irony<--) for tonight's screening of Fresno: A City Reborn. My mid-movie tweet pretty much sums up what I thought, but for those who couldn't make it, I offer a brief recap.
The first half of the movie talks about the qualities of successful cities, and the threat of sprawl imposed by the au-to-mo-bile. The second half highlights the innovative thinking of Fresno's leadership (-->insert comment about irony<--) and the "newly formed Redevelopment Agency and Downtown Association."
In the early-mid 1960s, city leadership recognized the threat of sprawl, and countered with a redefined downtown, which included the closing of the mall to traffic. (Side note: evidently, cars pose a serious threat to old people, and metered parking is a deterrent to downtown activity). According to the video, foot traffic increased 115% in the twelve months following the mall's opening, with some stores reporting a 40% increase in profit. Happy little white kids were everywhere. The water features and statues represented calm and cleanliness…purification.
So what the fuck happened?
When/where did we go wrong?
Where do we go from here?
And why are we now the epitome of sprawl?
