Providence, The Renaissance City

Two decades ago, Providence, Rhode Island, was a gritty wasteland of neglected waterways, derelict railroad yards, and vast parking lots derided as a smudge on the road from New York to Cape Cod. Today, this historic New England city boasts a lively panorama of graceful river walks, revived commercial activity, and celebrated public arts--and has been named among the best places to live in America. This breakthrough portrayal of urban rebirth reveals the ideas, opportunities, people, and projects behind the twenty-five-year Providence renaissance. Laying the historical, economic, and political groundwork, Francis J. Leazes Jr. and Mark T. Motte describe in detail the many disparate events that came together to transform Providence's downtown into one of the nation's most attractive urban environments at a time when other nearby former industrial centers continued to decay despite valiant renewal efforts. Through extensive interviews with elected officials, civil servants, entrepreneurs, and citizen activists, a complete picture takes shape for the first time of the myriad actors, complex goals, and intergovernmental cooperation involved in developing such lauded successes as the new Capital Center, the Providence Place mall, and the award-winning light sculpture, WaterFire. Featuring dozens of illustrations, including many striking before-and-after images, the book reveals that the Providence renaissance is far more than mere smoke and mirrors perpetrated by flamboyant former mayor Vincent "Buddy" Cianci. Leazes and Motte employ the "garbage can" policymaking model to show how contingent coalitions, made up of public and private sector leadership, can adapt more effectively than a single grand redevelopment scheme or market-driven privatization alone. The evidence uncovers a true comeback of a city solidly remade, not merely a grimy urban skeleton with a postmodern veneer. Meticulously documented and engagingly written, Providence, the Renaissance City is valuable reading for policymakers, administrators, political scientists, urban planners, and all concerned citizens of our nation's cities.
ASIN: 1555536042
VSKU: BVV.1555536042.A
Condition: Acceptable
Author/Artist:Leazes, Francis J.|Garrahy, J. Joseph|Sundlun, Bruce|Evans, Barnaby|Motte, Mark T.
Binding: Hardcover
Note: Any images shown are stock photographs and product may differ from what is shown.
Condition Notes: The item is very worn but is perfectly usable. Signs of wear can include aesthetic issues such as scratches, dents, worn and creased covers, folded page corners and minor liquid stains. All pages and the cover are intact, but the dust cover may be missing. Pages may include moderate to heavy amount of notes and highlighting, but the text is not obscured or unreadable. Page edges may have foxing age related spots and browning . May NOT include discs, access code or other supplemental materials.