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Globe architecture critic on future of Boston

Globe architecture critic Robert Campbell prognosticates on the future of Boston.

Lots of things here for people to crit.

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This article made my day. I'm predicting that a lot of UH regulars will soon be commenting about how awful and corrupt Boston is and throwing a lot of bile at the author of this article for writing about the "impossible." But I like the optimism. I love this this city and like Campbell see a lot of potential in emphasizing Boston's strengths.

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The Creative Class just gets thrown in as a generalized revenue solution. It's a concept with nothing behind it. Why does the creative class -- which includes lawyers by the way -- want to live here? What is the advantage of having them as opposed to anybody else?

Very little about the rest of the city outside downtown and the waterfront. Reminds me a little of all the "save the Globe" entries, written by reporters and ignoring the revenue side.

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I think this city could become the place Campbell imagines or head into a period of decline.

For a very interesting, and more in-depth commentary on the city's future, I recommend a report funded by the Boston Foundation and written by Neal Peirce and Curtis Johnson, Boston Unbound: Tapping Greater Boston's Assets and Talents to Create a World-Leading Citistate (2004).

Here's a snippet:

If the Boston region were to apply sufficient imagination and collaborative leadership to the critical challenges that now face it, it’s within its power to become one of the most rewarding places on earth to live, work, learn and prosper in the 21st century.

It's 24 pp., with lots of photos and boxed items to break up the text. Pre-recession, obviously, but still relevant. And available via a freely downloadable pdf: http://www.tbf.org/uploadedFiles/Citistates_final.pdf

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I would add as a companion piece to that Boston Foundation report the study done about the power (or lack of power) Boston has over its own destiny - the problems with its home rule charter.

http://is.gd/pIow

From tbf.org:

Boston Bound: A Comparison of Boston’s Legal Powers with Those of Six Other Major American Cities. That report was written by David Barron and Gerald Frug, Harvard Law School professors and nationally recognized experts in local government. It documents Boston’s competitive disadvantage in terms of its freedom to design a comprehensive tax strategy, when compared to New York City, Chicago, San Francisco, Atlanta, Denver and Seattle.

The authors of the study expanded on this in a book, as well.

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Campbell keeps writing the same article over and over again - mainly with the idea of convincing us City Hall is good architecture. C'mon Bob!

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