Getting Things Done - The Towson Redevelopment Project For followers of politics and urban renewal, one of the best books written is Robert Caro’s “The Power Broker” about New York’s Robert Moses. Moses is credited, and criticized, for shaping the physical New York that we see today. To Caro, Moses destroyed the fabric of established neighborhoods to build highways and bridges. At the same time, he built beautiful community swimming pools, created recreation facilities, parks and parkways. For better and sometimes worse, most of the major improvements that you see in the New York area today are a result of Moses’ vision and ability to get it done.

What is really extraordinary about Moses is how quickly he was able to get projects completed. Some projects took just three years from planning to reality. In today’s political environment, it is rare to see projects go from the drawing board to completion without years of review and delay. Not for nothing is the World Trade Center site still a hole in the ground.

Moses was ruthless in the exercise of power. Moses didn’t care about “process”. Like our own William Donald Schaefer, Moses cared about results. He was impatient and with only a few exceptions, was unyielding to community opposition to his plans. But Moses got it done and for the most part, the city of New York is a much better place for his efforts.

The other evening I attended the unveiling of plans to revitalize the center of Towson. County officials handed out an impressive brochure that depicted imaginative design ideas to make Towson more attractive for people to live and play, and for business. In speeches by public officials, much praise was given to the inclusive process that resulted in the designs.

That’s all well and good, but then I asked one of County’s staff people assigned to the planning process what the timetable was for implementing the ideas in the brochure. He laughed and replied that there was no timetable, and that even if there were, it wouldn’t be met. First, there is no money to turn these plans to reality. Second, more community review is required. With no timetable and no money to get it done, it will be difficult for investors and business people to make commitments to the area. The process may be terrific, but it’s hard to be optimistic that these plans will be implemented, at least in a reasonable time.

The Towson redevelopment project clearly needs a Robert Moses or a William Donald Schaefer. And so does the city of Baltimore.

Baltimore faces an important election this fall. At the risk of being labeled a Yankee fan (I like Derek Jeter, not the Yanks), I think the city of New York can provide a model for Baltimore. There, an accomplished businessman, Michael Bloomberg, has turned that city around. Business is booming, crime is down and schools are getting the money they need.

Labels: redevelopment, Towson

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