New Urbanism

This week, as we start this new year, my fiance and I are moving into our new home -- a pleasant one-bedroom apartment in Brooklyn, New York. As we settle into Brooklyn, I've been looking around trying to process not only where the supermarket is, and figuring out how to utilize every square foot of our smaller place, but I've also been studying the people in this strange, new environment. When I first watched the wave of denizens exiting our subway station after a work day, I realized that we're not in Los Angeles anymore.

I spent most of my childhood in New York, and I lived in the New York area (Northern New Jersey) for many years after law school. However, I've never actually lived in New York City -- always in "the burbs." And although we lived in Los Angeles proper, no matter how congested the "city" is, the place is still built for the automobile. Now that I'm here, I'm adjusting to the concept of walking a lot more than I'm used to, spending more time hunting for parking and climbing more stairs (particularly to our fourth-floor walk-up). My fiance lived in Manhattan for many years, so she embraces the opportunity. But as a lazy suburbanite, what am I to do?

The art of living in New York (and other similar urban settings), I'm quickly coming to realize, is how to minimize inconvenience. Unless you have a large source of funds, you will have to contend with daily questions that most suburbanites don't have to consider. The first choice we've made, at least to start, is that we will be keeping our car. Our little chariot has made the journey across the country, twice, along with traversing the landscapes on either coast. That means that I join the world of "street parkers," as we contend with street cleaners, parking meters and fire hydrants. Granted, we do live literal steps from the subway, and the bus runs outside our door. But there will be times when we will need that freedom of movement. That means we'll have to pay the price for that right. Transportation of us, and our stuff, will be a careful computation henceforth. Our daily routines will be governed by this reality.

For most of my years as a student and professional in the land use field, I have been a proponent of precisely this type of living -- pedestrian-friendly environments, mixed-use streetscapes and public transportation as the main method of moving people. Only now will I experience this style of urban life on a day-to-day basis. Sure, living in Northern New Jersey and West Los Angeles offers its share of headaches, but they are mostly connected to the all-mighty automobile and all the other cars with which one must contend. The issues that face us now are of a different nature.

But because our new living situation offers different challenges, it also offers a number of distinct advantages. Why would people choose to live this way otherwise? First, we are in the middle of a vibrant neighborhood, with cultural and shopping offerings within a block. We are a subway ride to anywhere within one of the greatest cities in the world, and all that it has to offer in terms of work and play. I can even get to Jersey by train quite conveniently. We are close to our families, and to a circle of friends. All this access, and we don't have to drive to get there. The thought alone puts a smile on my face. So for all the inconvenience, which I cannot ignore as a self-respecting suburbanite and a lawyer looking for all the possibilities, there is tremendous potential. I welcome the opportunity, and look forward to the experience because I know that it will only enrich my understanding of the built-up environment. Not to mention I can finally find a decent bagel and slice of pizza again.