by Alex Marshall - articles and essays

The Pavilion of Fun - "The Pavilion of Fun was just one of the many glories that Coney Island, that strip of land on the outer reaches of Brooklyn, has housed in its 150 years of fame. Like some citadel city that has been sacked and burned repeatedly, the sands of Coney Island hold the traces or at least the memories of castles, ancient empires that have rose and fell, rose and fell. I imagine some future archeologist digging in its soil in centuries hence, finding the remnants of the Elephant Hotel, or Lilliputia, the city of midgets." Click on link for full article.

What Makes A Neighborhood Viable? "The guts of Duany's defense are that it is okay to tear this neighborhood down because it is troubled and the people are poor and the buildings aren't pretty. I disagree with this philosophy. I won't say that a government can never level a neighborhood, but the area's existing homes would have to be in worse shape than those in East Ocean View, and the people who live in them treated more fairly.... Regarding the Norfolk City Council, Duany defends the urban renewal decision because the political decision was unanimous. The same urban renewal in the 1950s and 1960s, which Duany joins in criticizing, was also approved by duly elected democratic governments. Does this mean it was right, or exempt from criticism? The fact is, the people in the condemned neighborhood had little political voice." Click on link for full article.

Long Boats and Undergroud Vaults - An Essay About Harvard - "The Harvard Faculty club looks as you would expect. Its building is a conservative brick house. The rooms are furnished in dark wood with heavy carpeting and serious paintings on the wall. In the main drawing room, you can lounge on big leather sofas while a nearby fire crackles, helping yourself to one of the many newspapers and magazines placed there daily. The men's bathroom has a supply of colognes out for use." Click on link for full article.