The Battle for Gotham

In the 1970s, New York City faced severe challenges, but its recovery is often attributed to the decline of Robert Moses's influence, which allowed for a more organic renewal aligned with Jane Jacobs's urban principles. Urban critic Roberta Brandes Gratz challenges the traditional view, highlighting how this shift fostered community-led revitalization. Drawing from her on-the-ground experience, Gratz emphasizes the importance of Jacobs’s ideas for future urban renewal amid ongoing economic crises.