Remembering Jane Jacobs

There is perhaps no person in the 20th Century who was more influential in raising the benchmark for our quality of life in cities than Jane Jacobs, who died on April 25, 2006 at 89.

Jacobs’ defining book, Death and Life of Great American Cities may have been written in 1961, but it still serves as a must-read and reference guide for contemporary urban planning.

Ms. Jacobs’ importance was recognized here a couple of years ago in the entry, Every town needs a Jane Jacobs.

I saw her speak at the National Building Museum, Washington DC, and I’ll always remember her response to the question of what can we do to implement wholesale change to improve our quality of life in cities and towns. Her reply was that it’s not up to the current generation in charge, but the next.

Jane lives on here.

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neilkt