Urban Renewal: A Tragedy
A key theme that stretches across the Museum is that of loss, and in visiting the West End now, we can clearly draw upon the site as a palimpsest in that the neighbourhood that once existed is now merely a trace confirmed by memory. Sennett and Arendt’s view, that a dense centre allows for the creation of the public realm, and the idea of anonymity and equality of the citizens making way for greater connection to be made were visible pre-Urban Renewal. Similarly, Urban Renewal’s toll on the city led to a lack of community spirit due to the complete renovation of the area.
Urban Renewal itself was an attempt to redesign the area, and make way for new housing projects that promised a better standard of living for all. The Urban Renewal that occurred specifically in the West End tackled the housing conditions by way of demolishing ‘almost a third of the old city … to make way for a new highway, low-and-moderate-income-high-rises (which eventually became luxury housing), and new government and commercial buildings’[5] .
The Museum takes a negative view with regards to Urban Renewal, and in assessing other writers’ works it is possible to understand this negative sentiment as well as the reasons why Urban Renewal was justified. The justifications for Urban Renewal, the policy of demolishing the West End neighbourhood in order to make way for new housing projects, was largely fueled by the appalling conditions of the pre-existing housing. According to housing surveys, ‘61% had trash strewn about; and 60% showed signs of rat infestation’[6], thus indicating that change was necessary.
However, though these reasons existed, there was a general consensus that the plans were ‘designed to rid the city of unwanted slums, replacing these areas of modern housing’[7]. This is a common sentiment, and it adds to the tragedy of the West End. The community that had risen out of the densely packed neighbourhood was based on a foundation of traditional values, and their sudden displacement, for many, was a blow to the entire community.
[6] Boston Housing Authority (Urban Redevelopment Division), Declaration of Findings Relative to West End Land Assembly and Redevelopment Project (Boston: Boston Housing Authority, 1955) 14 – 16 from http://www.urbanreviewer.org/media/Abramson%20West%20End.pdf
[7]Boston’s West End, Sammarco, Anthony M., Arcadia Publishing, 1998