I know parents think they're doing a good thing by raising their shitty little kids like me out in the land just past the city limits, but until I got my drivers license I felt trapped within the confines of a bland neighborhood that didn't exactly cater to my needs as a pre/early teen. Public transportation was virtually non-existent, I got kicked off every piece of land that was skateboardable, and it inconveniences parents since even a simple trip to the movies involved major planning that involved them.
And guess what parents? Just because we lived outside the city we still found "city trouble". Particularly since there was never a shortage of drugs and booze outside the city limits.
It’s a trend demographer Bernard Salt says is growing, as more Generation X and Y families shy away from the suburban dream.
‘‘There’s a shift coming in apartment requirements,’’ Salt says. ‘‘Traditionally, the model is as soon as you have the child at about the 12-month mark you sell up and you move out to the ’burbs."
‘‘I think what we’ll now see is a generation of apartment inner-city aficionados who cannot abide the thought of suburbia and who will make compromises to their lifestyle and living arrangements in order to remain in the inner city. I think that’s going to place pressure on the types of apartments that are being built"
4 comments:
I just always lived in small towns - don't really understand the whole urban vs. suburbs thang. But apt. living would be the pits. And yes, there were drugs in the small towns too.
Yeah, 'drugs' weren't what the 'burbs were built to escape. At least on the east coast. Think....'eegrows-nay.'
I don't think it's any accident suburban development EXPLODED after 1968. If your grandparents were like mine, they wouldn't let a family gathering go by w/o bringing up the '68 riots 'til well into the Oughts.
Where I am, young people move to Baltimore so they can party w/o the DUI problems, but move back to the 'burbs as soon as kids come along -- it's a school thing (see later seasons of 'The Wire').
Although city-bred people aren't dumb; they move out to the 'burbs for the schools, to find themselves demonized by Board of Ed.-types who can't handle that their schools have problems previously filed under 'inner city.'
Having grown up totally in the country, all I wanted was to live in town -- I thought that would be a dream come true!! Neighbors right next to you and sidewalks! Whoo-hoo!
Ok, yeah, that didn't work out so well. Went and lived on a boat for the peace and quiet (and cheapness)and parties all weekend. Now, that's the way to have neighbors. And it was what a small town would have.
Never lived in an apartment, but have no desire to, either.
BB- basically if someone wants drugs someone will fill the supply.
Rockie- forgot about the "moving to the burbs for the schools" excuse. Yeah, that's a good one.
K- for some reason I had you pegged with a suburban background? Well good for you, I'm glad you didn't grow up next to a lame strip mall.
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