Panel: Jane Jacobs and the Future of New York: The Oversuccessful City, Part 2: Neighborhood Character in the Face of Change

Every neighborhood in New York is in want or need of something that it does not have. Pursuit of convenience or a better life motivates a great deal of development and growth. And yet, as Jane Jacobs warned, the satisfaction of these desires — actually achieving the careful balance that defines a great urban neighborhood — itself can imperil existing communities, both physically and socially. How can neighborhoods guard against the pitfalls of oversuccess, not least of which are gentrification and displacement? Who gets to say “Enough!” and when? This panel will look at recent controversies over specific large developments and tangle with the complexities of development’s benefits and its considerable perils and inequities.

• Matt Schuerman, New York Observer — moderator
• Rev. Calvin Butts, Abyssinian Development Corporation
• Errol Louis, New York Daily News
• Ron Shiffman, Pratt Center
• Michelle de le Uz, Fifth Avenue Committee