Milton Bradley School of Development vs. Town Hall Anarchy

I think the dichotomy between the developer mindset and neighborhood-organized planning is misguided.  As much as I would love to believe that a group of concerned and empowered citizens in a town can rally together to find the best solution for a vacant lot or dilapidated row, I would argue that that is the exception rather than the norm.  Maybe that’s pessimism.  Or maybe that’s a personal lack of knowledge about communities that have done so.  But I’m not so sure, and the reason I am prone to this belief is because of human nature.  It is difficult enough to get two people to agree on the same thing when both have a vested interest in the outcome but different perspectives.  Try extending that same model of decision making to an entire community, and you will find that everyone has a different opinion about how something can be used. 

The developer takes some of this choice away.  He or she autonomously decides what would make the most profit, and then develops the parcel.  While the developer may be guided by money, it is possible that the community still benefits.  If it is most profitable that a parcel be developed into a café, then it is probably because there is significant demand for cafes and not enough supply.  I won’t pretend that the developer’s model works perfectly (I don’t think we need another fast-food restaurant or crude mid-rise apartment building), yet the developer is still reacting to a need in the community.

The difference is that the developer is often short-sited and misinformed, while the community holds a cacophony of diverging views.  If only there was someone that had the best interests of the community in mind, while still being visionary enough to see the potential of underutilized spaces…  I think communities need developers (people who take a tremendous risk by spending serious capital, in exchange for profit) that are attuned to the needs and conditions of the community.  I know this is hard. But communities and those making decisions for the community need to be selective about what they develop, how they develop it, and who they let develop it.  In short – what is the motivation?  A quick buck or a lasting impact?