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Thoughts on Building Strong Towns, Volume 1
Following World War II, the United States embarked on the great social and financial experiment of suburbanization. While it created tremendous growth, opportunity and prosperity for a generation that had just lived through economic depression and war, the way cities and regions were being built ? spread out across the landscape ? would ultimately be extremely expensive to sustain, far greater than the relative wealth the approach would generate. The harsh legacy of this reality is what nearly every U.S city faces today. A new approach to creating and sustaining prosperity is necessary. Charles Marohn is the author of the Strong Towns Blog and founder of the Strong Towns movement. As a civil engineer, land use planner, economic thinker and author, he brings a fresh perspective to the way America's cities have been built and financed. His work has been widely distributed and examined by decision-makers at all levels of society. Thoughts on Building Strong Towns is a collection of Marohn's thought-provoking essays from 2011, reworked and edited with some additional material and notes added by the author. There are 34 essays in all including: The Growth Ponzi Scheme, The Infrastructure Cult, Do we really care about children?, Complete Roads and The Diverging Diamond.
174 pages, Paperback
First published August 4, 2012
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
December 2, 2019
Thought-provoking; somewhat grim. Certainly everyone wishes to have infrastructure maintained; certainly that costs more than anyone thinks, and (apparently) more than any city can afford.
One thing I'm still in the process of learning is the degree to which small changes (one more inch of asphalt, one more bike lane) can incur such steep costs.
I look forward to reading Marohn's other books to see what solutions might be offered, though I also wonder how practicable those solutions might be.
One thing I'm still in the process of learning is the degree to which small changes (one more inch of asphalt, one more bike lane) can incur such steep costs.
I look forward to reading Marohn's other books to see what solutions might be offered, though I also wonder how practicable those solutions might be.
September 16, 2015
Most of Chuck Marohn's ideas and basic concepts are unique, innovative, and exceptionally insightful. He has definitely struck upon a new and powerful way of re-conceiving the growth and development of community in modern America. However, several of his arguments are a bit over the top, or are overly simplistic. But what really keeps 'Strong Towns' from being a truly *great* book is the apparent total lack of proof-reading or editing in the process of turning Marohn's web-published blog posts into a physical printed book -- grammar, diction, excessive rhetorical questions, and a writing style that's far too conversational and informal to be taken seriously by most educated readers. The choice of type-setting/printing/binding company also significantly detracts from the book, for instance, very poor reproduction of what should be very clear digital images, leading edges of italicized characters cut off, almost complete inattention to widow and orphan control, and a table of contents that could have been typed 20 years ago by a middle school student on a selectric typewriter. By far not a professional level product.
December 9, 2024
Just finished "Thoughts on Building Strong Towns: Volume 1" by Charles Marohn. Very insightful look into what suburban towns and cities are in for if they don't become financially self-sustaining in the near future. Very dry read though, wouldn't advise reading when tired or distracted.
December 8, 2015
Thoughts on Building Strong Towns
Thoughts on Building Strong Towns, Volume I
© 2012 Chuck Marohn
174 pages
$9.95
In California, school districts are being forced to suspend their bus routes. In Alabama, Jefferson County – home to the state’s largest city, Birmingham – has gone bankrupt. Basic functions of the government are no longer available because the money simply isn’t there. Across the nation, cities and counties are struggling to make ends meet – and although contributing reasons vary from case to case, Chuck Marohn would argue that the fundamental cause is the same: we’re no longer building places that can maintain themselves. Worse, we've tried to finance the present with loans made with the promise of future growth. Now those bills are coming due. Since 2008, engineer and urban planner Chuck Marohn has been writing about the weaknesses of America's urban places, partially out of professional interest but also as a concerned citizen and father, who is casting an eye toward the America his girls will inhabit. Thoughts on Building Strong Towns collects some of the blog's most essential pieces in a compact volume. Marohn is passionately earnest, but reliant more on data and sober arguments than fiery rhetoric.
Marohn isn't alone in elaborating on the fiscal problems of American urbanism: Andrés Duany revealed the same in Suburban Nation, but Marohn's criticism cuts deeper to the bone, examining not only urban planning, but its very financing, and the beliefs of growth-devoted politicians and the civil engineers who aid them. His greatest contribution to the new urbanist cause is an analysis of "growth" as a Ponzi scheme, one wherein investors are paid not by productivity, but by more, future investment. Marohn puts forth a number of case studies which amply demonstrate how little return taxpayers receive on infrastructure spending, like the one below:
"A small, rural road is paved, with the costs of the surfacing project split evenly between the property owners and the city. We asked a simple question: Based on the taxes being paid by the property owners along this road, how long will it take the city to recoup its 50% contribution The answer: 37 years. Of course, the road is only expected to last 20 to 25 years. Who pays the difference and when?"
Who pays the difference, or who paid, is the federal government: a reliable means of expansion for the past half-century has been dependence on the state for funds to build roads, pipes, and other infrastructure, with the municipality benefiting from them only having to assume the costs of maintenance. But the kind of development that springs up from these grandiose projects doesn't even generate enough tax revenue to meet upkeep, and cities are going broke in their attempt to meet these obligations. But the federal government's own obligations are too numerous for it to continue to cover everyone else's losses.
A new attitude is required. We can no longer buy casually into yesterday's dreams of easy returns: reality is not The Field of Dreams, and throughout the work Marohn advocates toughminded frugalism while lambasting the if-you-build-it-they-will-come mentality that continues to pervade the minds of government officials and engineers. Instead of chasing growth (or hunting it, as he puts it elsewhere), we should maximize the value of what we have already, analyzing every project with the question: does this add value?
I've been a Strong Towns follower for the past couple of years now, being attracted to Marohn's work for its bluntness: while opponents to new urbanism can scoff at arguments made on aesthetic or quality-of-life grounds, Marohn's by-the-numbers criticism isn't partisan and can't be ignored. Like it or not, the urban fabric of America will change in the coming decades: it is up to the people whether their towns and cities will survive as leaner and more productive, or be ruined.
Thoughts on Building Strong Towns is definitely recommended to the serious-minded citzen, although I did miss the inclusion of Marohn's "The High Cost of Automobile Orientation", which points out how much more productive traditional city blocks are to those used in recent decades.
Related:
StrongTowns.org
Review at National Resources Defense Council
Thoughts on Building Strong Towns, Volume I
© 2012 Chuck Marohn
174 pages
$9.95
In California, school districts are being forced to suspend their bus routes. In Alabama, Jefferson County – home to the state’s largest city, Birmingham – has gone bankrupt. Basic functions of the government are no longer available because the money simply isn’t there. Across the nation, cities and counties are struggling to make ends meet – and although contributing reasons vary from case to case, Chuck Marohn would argue that the fundamental cause is the same: we’re no longer building places that can maintain themselves. Worse, we've tried to finance the present with loans made with the promise of future growth. Now those bills are coming due. Since 2008, engineer and urban planner Chuck Marohn has been writing about the weaknesses of America's urban places, partially out of professional interest but also as a concerned citizen and father, who is casting an eye toward the America his girls will inhabit. Thoughts on Building Strong Towns collects some of the blog's most essential pieces in a compact volume. Marohn is passionately earnest, but reliant more on data and sober arguments than fiery rhetoric.
Marohn isn't alone in elaborating on the fiscal problems of American urbanism: Andrés Duany revealed the same in Suburban Nation, but Marohn's criticism cuts deeper to the bone, examining not only urban planning, but its very financing, and the beliefs of growth-devoted politicians and the civil engineers who aid them. His greatest contribution to the new urbanist cause is an analysis of "growth" as a Ponzi scheme, one wherein investors are paid not by productivity, but by more, future investment. Marohn puts forth a number of case studies which amply demonstrate how little return taxpayers receive on infrastructure spending, like the one below:
"A small, rural road is paved, with the costs of the surfacing project split evenly between the property owners and the city. We asked a simple question: Based on the taxes being paid by the property owners along this road, how long will it take the city to recoup its 50% contribution The answer: 37 years. Of course, the road is only expected to last 20 to 25 years. Who pays the difference and when?"
Who pays the difference, or who paid, is the federal government: a reliable means of expansion for the past half-century has been dependence on the state for funds to build roads, pipes, and other infrastructure, with the municipality benefiting from them only having to assume the costs of maintenance. But the kind of development that springs up from these grandiose projects doesn't even generate enough tax revenue to meet upkeep, and cities are going broke in their attempt to meet these obligations. But the federal government's own obligations are too numerous for it to continue to cover everyone else's losses.
A new attitude is required. We can no longer buy casually into yesterday's dreams of easy returns: reality is not The Field of Dreams, and throughout the work Marohn advocates toughminded frugalism while lambasting the if-you-build-it-they-will-come mentality that continues to pervade the minds of government officials and engineers. Instead of chasing growth (or hunting it, as he puts it elsewhere), we should maximize the value of what we have already, analyzing every project with the question: does this add value?
I've been a Strong Towns follower for the past couple of years now, being attracted to Marohn's work for its bluntness: while opponents to new urbanism can scoff at arguments made on aesthetic or quality-of-life grounds, Marohn's by-the-numbers criticism isn't partisan and can't be ignored. Like it or not, the urban fabric of America will change in the coming decades: it is up to the people whether their towns and cities will survive as leaner and more productive, or be ruined.
Thoughts on Building Strong Towns is definitely recommended to the serious-minded citzen, although I did miss the inclusion of Marohn's "The High Cost of Automobile Orientation", which points out how much more productive traditional city blocks are to those used in recent decades.
Related:
StrongTowns.org
Review at National Resources Defense Council
October 14, 2012
I have been a close follower of the Strongtowns.org website for over two years now, so most of what I read in this book was a second, third or many more look for me. If you are concerned about the state of the economy, and the impact it could mean on you and your neighbors, if you are tired of the usual political games that are played out on our TVs every day, if you want to see people who are out there, and making the world a better place, then you should be paying attention to Charles Marohn and his colleagues at Strong Towns.
Frankly, I've been so inspired by Strong Towns, I've started my own organization in Mound, MN using the ideas laid out in this book and trying to put them to good use in my city. You can see what we are doing at our website, www.aplaceinmound.com
When someone asks me what Strongtowns is about, I tell them it's about creating a city that is built for the people who live in it. Strong towns is about a city giving it's residents options in transportation, and economic opportunities. It's about creating places in those cities that bring value to the city as a whole, in both economic means, as well as at a deeper level. It's about having a city that is resilient, and successful.
The book is a collection of blog posts Chuck has put together on topics as small as the neighborhood you live in, to worldwide economics. As Chuck often writes, these ideas are not new. The advent of the automobile has caused us to build cities that are fractured, disjointed, and just plain not economically viable. He gives us solid strong reasoning for building cities that focus on both creating places for people and giving people options for transportation. A solid case is made in this book about the "Growth Ponzi Scheme" that is creating a scene in our neighborhoods, as well as our country's infrastructure, that is fiscally unattainable, and can't be 'fixed' with simple tax increase or budget cuts.
Thoughts on Building Strong Towns is definitely worth your time reading if you are new to these arguments. I purchased a paper book, as I'm not current enough to have it as an e-book. I imagine the e-book would be better, as then I assume you could click the links he shares from time to time to read further. The paperback book quality was a bit disappointing, as italicized words were often faint, and difficult to read sometimes.
You should also follow their website, and Facebook page. Great discussions happen at both websites you wouldn't want to miss.
This will be a book I hope to pass on to other officials in my city of Mound, MN.
Frankly, I've been so inspired by Strong Towns, I've started my own organization in Mound, MN using the ideas laid out in this book and trying to put them to good use in my city. You can see what we are doing at our website, www.aplaceinmound.com
When someone asks me what Strongtowns is about, I tell them it's about creating a city that is built for the people who live in it. Strong towns is about a city giving it's residents options in transportation, and economic opportunities. It's about creating places in those cities that bring value to the city as a whole, in both economic means, as well as at a deeper level. It's about having a city that is resilient, and successful.
The book is a collection of blog posts Chuck has put together on topics as small as the neighborhood you live in, to worldwide economics. As Chuck often writes, these ideas are not new. The advent of the automobile has caused us to build cities that are fractured, disjointed, and just plain not economically viable. He gives us solid strong reasoning for building cities that focus on both creating places for people and giving people options for transportation. A solid case is made in this book about the "Growth Ponzi Scheme" that is creating a scene in our neighborhoods, as well as our country's infrastructure, that is fiscally unattainable, and can't be 'fixed' with simple tax increase or budget cuts.
Thoughts on Building Strong Towns is definitely worth your time reading if you are new to these arguments. I purchased a paper book, as I'm not current enough to have it as an e-book. I imagine the e-book would be better, as then I assume you could click the links he shares from time to time to read further. The paperback book quality was a bit disappointing, as italicized words were often faint, and difficult to read sometimes.
You should also follow their website, and Facebook page. Great discussions happen at both websites you wouldn't want to miss.
This will be a book I hope to pass on to other officials in my city of Mound, MN.
February 14, 2014
Great content on what went wrong with the built environment in post WWII America (focused principally on the revenue loosing impacts of suburbanization and poor approaches to road infrastructure design, planning and funding), and how it's compromized the vitality and financial viability of our towns and cities.
The physical book itself has a self-published feel to it: poor choice of clashing typefaces, difficult to discern black and white photos, low resolution diagrams, and a lack of basic typo editing. Not enough to distract from the content though.
The physical book itself has a self-published feel to it: poor choice of clashing typefaces, difficult to discern black and white photos, low resolution diagrams, and a lack of basic typo editing. Not enough to distract from the content though.
March 17, 2015
Good, interesting thoughts on why "sprawling" America continues to happen. Emphasizes fiscal responsibility when planning, pinpointing the wide gap between immediate results from increase in tax base to long term needs for infrastructure maintenance. Discussions of self-sustaining towns of old vs. the sprawling suburbs of today and the results it has on our roads, communities, etc. While the reader might not agree with some of the subjective comments, it is a great read for someone who's town is in the planning stages.
January 20, 2016
As a city planner this is one of the most interesting and depressing books I've read. I've heard the author speak twice and I love listening to his thoughts. His message is dismal when it comes to city finances and the American way of developing land, but it's very tough to argue with. One thing I really appreciated is that he backs his theories up with facts and case studies. It's written in a way that is simple to follow so I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys economics, politics, planning, or just thought provoking writing.
January 22, 2013
Be careful if you decide to read this book as you will never look at suburbs the same way again. I always pictured the suburbs as a productive respite from the crime and drudgery of the urban core.
However, I see through the facade and can see the fragility and lack of long-term viability inherent in the layout of suburbs.
The most eye-opening is the suburban financial structure. The periphery of our cities has a rough 10-30 years ahead of it. Don't say you weren't warned.
However, I see through the facade and can see the fragility and lack of long-term viability inherent in the layout of suburbs.
The most eye-opening is the suburban financial structure. The periphery of our cities has a rough 10-30 years ahead of it. Don't say you weren't warned.
September 18, 2012
Interesting essays, but significant overlap since they are from published blog posts.
October 24, 2012
As my friend said, "if you pay taxes or if you spend other people's taxes, you should read this book."
Read
August 6, 2015Blog posts from 2011 provide a useful introduction to the Strong Towns paradigm.
June 3, 2016
It repeats content but it's worth to read - especially how Ponzi scheme work in transportation and urban planing.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews