Spare me the violins

Taking Back the Vacant Lots

...could this event be construed as evidence a shift from auto-centric and generally top-down development patterns to a more community-based future, focusing on the needs and desires of current residents?

No. Or "No" until "the neighborhood" puts up the cash and competence to build things. Which amounts to "No."

Comments

[keith]

In the interest of maintaining context, I think it's proper to share the answer from the following sentence:

"I doubt it, but it is refreshing to see positive use coming out of spaces that sit empty in one of the most active neighborhoods in the city."

As the author, and an erstwhile member of the "design community," I know that "the neighborhood" neither has the cash nor the competence...nor the time, commitment, or interest to actually develop something here. The point is that we are the ones most affected by what does or doesn't happen here, and that cooperation, coordination, civil discussion -- rather than complaints and lawsuits -- between the developer and the community seems to be a step in the right direction.