Starving Mumbai from infrastructure investments and new floor space: A critique of Mumbai’s Malth... more Starving Mumbai from infrastructure investments and new floor space: A critique of Mumbai’s Malthusian urban policy over the last 40 years. MUMBAI FAR/FSI CONUNDRUM: The perfect storm: the four factors restricting the construction of new floor space in Mumbai
downtown. Throughout the book, Travis describes the role of downtown and project planning, in con... more downtown. Throughout the book, Travis describes the role of downtown and project planning, in conjunction with effective market and feasibility studies, for guidance toward project implementation. The partnership and city brought in national consultants for market, design, project planning, and utilized both the 2010 and 2020 strategic vision plans. Travis emphasizes the importance of good institutional memory and program support by long-term directors of the Planning Department, the Downtown Ithaca Partnership, and Neighborhood Housing Services (which focuses on residential areas close to downtown.) I have worked in 10 states and 40 cities on public-partnerships as a consultant, city administrator, and as a nonprofit housing president for 17 years, and recently retired as an academic, teaching development planning and real estate development for 25 years. Although the book is written from one developer’s perspective, I believe it is a fair, insightful representation showing complexities, successes, and failures of various endeavors—not merely his own projects. Travis is a creative thinker and implementer with a civic-minded perspective. The story of downtown Ithaca’s evolution since the 1970s provides a practical perspective and guide for creating better downtowns at different scales. Shaping a City, covering a panoply of endeavors by private, public, and nonprofit actors shows that downtown revitalization may be the wave of the future for college towns and other localities with important institutional and cultural assets. It is refreshing to read a civic-minded developer discussing redevelopment history. I hope that this book stimulates more stories from developers perhaps with the assistance of scholars.
This paper analyzes the impacts and the welfare cost of building-height restrictions, providing a... more This paper analyzes the impacts and the welfare cost of building-height restrictions, providing a concrete welfare-cost estimate for the city of Bangalore. Relying on several theoretical results, the analysis shows that the welfare cost imposed on its residents by Bangalore's FAR restriction ranges between 3 and 6 percent of household consumption. This burden represents a signi¯cant share of individual resources, and its presence may push many marginal households
Cracow a city of 750,000, is well situated to benefit from Poland's integration into the Euro... more Cracow a city of 750,000, is well situated to benefit from Poland's integration into the European Union. It is a city near the center of Europe, with an exceptionally beautiful environment and a rich intellectual history. As such and as recognized by the city's master plan, it should be attractive to the development of high tech industries and services. The question is: are the city's development plans consistent with market-oriented development? In other words, does the city's approach to development enable it to exploit the new opportunities confronting the city? For example, do the proposed public investments and controls on private investments encourage and facilitate growth? And how efficiently do the city's public investments deal with the already significant air pollution problems in light of the almost certain increase in demand for automotive transport? The approach taken to consider these questions is one that focuses in considerable detail on the spati...
Central and Eastern European (CEE) cities have been under a command economy for a period varying ... more Central and Eastern European (CEE) cities have been under a command economy for a period varying from 45 to 75 years. During this period, the forces shaping the spatial structure of formerly socialist European cities were very different from the ones transforming their western counterparts. Densities and land allocation between different uses - mainly industrial and residential use - were not reflecting demand from consumers but were mostly based on administrative decisions. However, throughout the socialist period CEE cities have maintained their European cultural identity - defined as a prestigious center and an extensive radio-concentric transit network reinforcing the dominantly monocentric structure. In all CEE cities, land market forces are now again reshaping cities. Municipalities have often had difficulties in adopting a clear strategy between developing their suburbs to respond to demand for new housing and commercial facilities and maintaining and enhancing their historic...
Al rights reserved Manufactured in the United States of America First printing March 1994 Discuss... more Al rights reserved Manufactured in the United States of America First printing March 1994 Discussion Papers present results of country analysis or research that are circulated to encourage discussion and comment within the development community. To present these results with the least possible delay, the typescript of this paper has not been prepared in accordance with the procedures appropriate to formal printed texts, and the World Bank accepts no responsibility for errors. Some sources cited in this paper may be informal documents that are not readily available. The findings, interpretations, and conclusions expressed in this paper are entirely those of the author(s) and should not be attributed in any manner to dhe World Bank, to its affiliated organizations, or to members of its Board of Executive Directors or the countries they represent. The World Bank does not guarantee the accuracy of the data included in this publication and accepts no responsibility whatsoever for any consequence of their use. The boundaries, colors, denominations, and other information shown on any map in this volume do not imply on the part of the Wodd Bank Group anyjudgment on the legal status of any territory or the endorsement or acceptance of such boundaries.
This paper examines the policy options for India as it seeks to improve living conditions of the ... more This paper examines the policy options for India as it seeks to improve living conditions of the poor on a large scale and reduce the population in slums. Addressing the problem requires first a diagnosis of the market at the city level and a recognition that government interventions, rather than thwarting the operations of the market, should seek to make it operate better. This can substantially reduce the subsidies required to assist low income households to attain decent living standards. The authors show that government programs that directly provide housing would cost, in conservative estimates, about of 20 to 30 percent of GDP, and cannot solve a problem on the scale of India’s. Using two case studies, for Mumbai and Ahmedabad, the paper offers a critical examination of government policies that shape the real estate market and make formal housing unaffordable for a large part of the population. It illustrates how simple city level market diagnostics can be used to identify pol...
The empirical findings presented in this paper result from a program of technical cooperation car... more The empirical findings presented in this paper result from a program of technical cooperation carried out between the Russian Federation and the World Bank. We are especially grateful to Joseph K.
In this review of Chinese urban land use issues I am often critical of current practices and regu... more In this review of Chinese urban land use issues I am often critical of current practices and regulations. While I am convinced that well functioning markets are the most efficient tools we have to allocate land and floor space, I do not want to give the impression that cities in countries with a long tradition of markets are necessarily more
Reducing pollution.................................................................................. more Reducing pollution..............................................................................................................3 Improving the efficiency of transport................................................................................. 4 Developing cultural amenities worthy of a large regional capital...................................... 5 B Why spatial structure matters.............................................................................................. 6 C Spatial structure and municipal objectives.......................................................................... 7 D Tehran municipality............................................................................................................ 8 1. Tehran spatial structure................................................................................................... 8 Land consumption per person............................................................................................. 8 Spatial ...
problems of pollution and congestion in Atlanta by proposing to expand the existing transit netwo... more problems of pollution and congestion in Atlanta by proposing to expand the existing transit network and to reform land use to promote a more intensive use of the existing built-up area. This paper argues that neither of these proposals is feasible: the current spatial structure of Atlanta is incompatible with a sizable transit market share; and Atlanta’s spatial structure cannot be changed significantly in the next 20 years, even if draconian land use regulations were adopted. As a result, in Atlanta technology and congestion pricing are the only way to solve the problems of congestion and pollution. The paper concludes that as long as voters believe that federally-subsidized transit and smart growth will solve the congestion and pollution problems they are unlikely to support solutions which address the problems. Acknowledgement and personal note I want to thank all the professionals who spent time with me during my visit to Atlanta in February 2001. Their candid discussions of Atl...
This paper analyzes the impacts and the welfare cost of building-height restrictions, providing a... more This paper analyzes the impacts and the welfare cost of building-height restrictions, providing a concrete welfare-cost estimate for the city of Bangalore. Relying on several theoretical results, the analysis shows that the welfare cost imposed on its residents by Bangalore's FAR restriction ranges between 3 and 6 percent of household consumption. This burden represents a signi¯cant share of individual resources, and its presence may push many marginal households
This paper is demonstrating a number of tools and spatial indicators to apprehend a city's s... more This paper is demonstrating a number of tools and spatial indicators to apprehend a city's spatial structure and to help formulate its potential for different development objectives
A. Brasilia: conceived as an abstract, self sufficient, finite and perfect object Lucio Costa des... more A. Brasilia: conceived as an abstract, self sufficient, finite and perfect object Lucio Costa designed Brasilia at a time when most planners thought that cities would reach an optimum size, beyond which they would become unmanageable. Many thought that it was the duty of planners and government to prevent cities from growing beyond this optimum limit. Brasilia population target, set at 500,000 inhabitants, was reached around 1970. Apparently a believer in the myth of a city’s optimum size, Costa designed Brasilia without any plans for expansions. Deliberate or not, the lake surrounding the center city to the South East and the enormous national park located to the North West are inbuilt immovable obstacles that prevent any contiguous spatial expansion. The concept of a meticulously designed city with a fixed population became later the curse of Brasilia. The decision by UNESCO to name Brasilia a World Heritage Site in 1987 contributed to further freeze Brasilia into an icon ofAugust...
Could utopian ideology influence cities ’ spatial structure to the point of overriding basic self... more Could utopian ideology influence cities ’ spatial structure to the point of overriding basic self-organizing principles that have been thought to be quasi universal? In this paper, I define utopian ideology as a doctrine that is imposed by a central or local government and that aims at reaching a future state of optimum permanent equilibrium. Under my definition, the theory of free markets is the opposite of an utopian ideology because, first, free markets are spontaneously created by individuals and firms and cannot be imposed by governments, and second, because free markets imply constant adjustment toward an ever changing state of equilibrium which cannot be known in advance. The main points developed in this paper are that (i) in some cases ideology could become the main determinant of urban shape, (ii) the spatial outcomes of opposite ideologies are often identical and (iii) Cities shaped by utopian ideologies impose a measurable cost affecting adversely the welfare of their in...
This paper discusses the impact that population density in Atlanta (Georgia) has on Atlanta's... more This paper discusses the impact that population density in Atlanta (Georgia) has on Atlanta's policies for reducing traffic congestion in that city. It notes that the population density in Atlanta is significantly smaller than in other cities, both in the United States and around the world; and that public transit seems to work best in those areas of the world that have high population densities. The paper indicates that the best solutions for Atlanta's burgeoning traffic congestion and pollution involve increasing highway capacity through road construction, and utilizing road pricing schemes.
Starving Mumbai from infrastructure investments and new floor space: A critique of Mumbai’s Malth... more Starving Mumbai from infrastructure investments and new floor space: A critique of Mumbai’s Malthusian urban policy over the last 40 years. MUMBAI FAR/FSI CONUNDRUM: The perfect storm: the four factors restricting the construction of new floor space in Mumbai
downtown. Throughout the book, Travis describes the role of downtown and project planning, in con... more downtown. Throughout the book, Travis describes the role of downtown and project planning, in conjunction with effective market and feasibility studies, for guidance toward project implementation. The partnership and city brought in national consultants for market, design, project planning, and utilized both the 2010 and 2020 strategic vision plans. Travis emphasizes the importance of good institutional memory and program support by long-term directors of the Planning Department, the Downtown Ithaca Partnership, and Neighborhood Housing Services (which focuses on residential areas close to downtown.) I have worked in 10 states and 40 cities on public-partnerships as a consultant, city administrator, and as a nonprofit housing president for 17 years, and recently retired as an academic, teaching development planning and real estate development for 25 years. Although the book is written from one developer’s perspective, I believe it is a fair, insightful representation showing complexities, successes, and failures of various endeavors—not merely his own projects. Travis is a creative thinker and implementer with a civic-minded perspective. The story of downtown Ithaca’s evolution since the 1970s provides a practical perspective and guide for creating better downtowns at different scales. Shaping a City, covering a panoply of endeavors by private, public, and nonprofit actors shows that downtown revitalization may be the wave of the future for college towns and other localities with important institutional and cultural assets. It is refreshing to read a civic-minded developer discussing redevelopment history. I hope that this book stimulates more stories from developers perhaps with the assistance of scholars.
This paper analyzes the impacts and the welfare cost of building-height restrictions, providing a... more This paper analyzes the impacts and the welfare cost of building-height restrictions, providing a concrete welfare-cost estimate for the city of Bangalore. Relying on several theoretical results, the analysis shows that the welfare cost imposed on its residents by Bangalore's FAR restriction ranges between 3 and 6 percent of household consumption. This burden represents a signi¯cant share of individual resources, and its presence may push many marginal households
Cracow a city of 750,000, is well situated to benefit from Poland's integration into the Euro... more Cracow a city of 750,000, is well situated to benefit from Poland's integration into the European Union. It is a city near the center of Europe, with an exceptionally beautiful environment and a rich intellectual history. As such and as recognized by the city's master plan, it should be attractive to the development of high tech industries and services. The question is: are the city's development plans consistent with market-oriented development? In other words, does the city's approach to development enable it to exploit the new opportunities confronting the city? For example, do the proposed public investments and controls on private investments encourage and facilitate growth? And how efficiently do the city's public investments deal with the already significant air pollution problems in light of the almost certain increase in demand for automotive transport? The approach taken to consider these questions is one that focuses in considerable detail on the spati...
Central and Eastern European (CEE) cities have been under a command economy for a period varying ... more Central and Eastern European (CEE) cities have been under a command economy for a period varying from 45 to 75 years. During this period, the forces shaping the spatial structure of formerly socialist European cities were very different from the ones transforming their western counterparts. Densities and land allocation between different uses - mainly industrial and residential use - were not reflecting demand from consumers but were mostly based on administrative decisions. However, throughout the socialist period CEE cities have maintained their European cultural identity - defined as a prestigious center and an extensive radio-concentric transit network reinforcing the dominantly monocentric structure. In all CEE cities, land market forces are now again reshaping cities. Municipalities have often had difficulties in adopting a clear strategy between developing their suburbs to respond to demand for new housing and commercial facilities and maintaining and enhancing their historic...
Al rights reserved Manufactured in the United States of America First printing March 1994 Discuss... more Al rights reserved Manufactured in the United States of America First printing March 1994 Discussion Papers present results of country analysis or research that are circulated to encourage discussion and comment within the development community. To present these results with the least possible delay, the typescript of this paper has not been prepared in accordance with the procedures appropriate to formal printed texts, and the World Bank accepts no responsibility for errors. Some sources cited in this paper may be informal documents that are not readily available. The findings, interpretations, and conclusions expressed in this paper are entirely those of the author(s) and should not be attributed in any manner to dhe World Bank, to its affiliated organizations, or to members of its Board of Executive Directors or the countries they represent. The World Bank does not guarantee the accuracy of the data included in this publication and accepts no responsibility whatsoever for any consequence of their use. The boundaries, colors, denominations, and other information shown on any map in this volume do not imply on the part of the Wodd Bank Group anyjudgment on the legal status of any territory or the endorsement or acceptance of such boundaries.
This paper examines the policy options for India as it seeks to improve living conditions of the ... more This paper examines the policy options for India as it seeks to improve living conditions of the poor on a large scale and reduce the population in slums. Addressing the problem requires first a diagnosis of the market at the city level and a recognition that government interventions, rather than thwarting the operations of the market, should seek to make it operate better. This can substantially reduce the subsidies required to assist low income households to attain decent living standards. The authors show that government programs that directly provide housing would cost, in conservative estimates, about of 20 to 30 percent of GDP, and cannot solve a problem on the scale of India’s. Using two case studies, for Mumbai and Ahmedabad, the paper offers a critical examination of government policies that shape the real estate market and make formal housing unaffordable for a large part of the population. It illustrates how simple city level market diagnostics can be used to identify pol...
The empirical findings presented in this paper result from a program of technical cooperation car... more The empirical findings presented in this paper result from a program of technical cooperation carried out between the Russian Federation and the World Bank. We are especially grateful to Joseph K.
In this review of Chinese urban land use issues I am often critical of current practices and regu... more In this review of Chinese urban land use issues I am often critical of current practices and regulations. While I am convinced that well functioning markets are the most efficient tools we have to allocate land and floor space, I do not want to give the impression that cities in countries with a long tradition of markets are necessarily more
Reducing pollution.................................................................................. more Reducing pollution..............................................................................................................3 Improving the efficiency of transport................................................................................. 4 Developing cultural amenities worthy of a large regional capital...................................... 5 B Why spatial structure matters.............................................................................................. 6 C Spatial structure and municipal objectives.......................................................................... 7 D Tehran municipality............................................................................................................ 8 1. Tehran spatial structure................................................................................................... 8 Land consumption per person............................................................................................. 8 Spatial ...
problems of pollution and congestion in Atlanta by proposing to expand the existing transit netwo... more problems of pollution and congestion in Atlanta by proposing to expand the existing transit network and to reform land use to promote a more intensive use of the existing built-up area. This paper argues that neither of these proposals is feasible: the current spatial structure of Atlanta is incompatible with a sizable transit market share; and Atlanta’s spatial structure cannot be changed significantly in the next 20 years, even if draconian land use regulations were adopted. As a result, in Atlanta technology and congestion pricing are the only way to solve the problems of congestion and pollution. The paper concludes that as long as voters believe that federally-subsidized transit and smart growth will solve the congestion and pollution problems they are unlikely to support solutions which address the problems. Acknowledgement and personal note I want to thank all the professionals who spent time with me during my visit to Atlanta in February 2001. Their candid discussions of Atl...
This paper analyzes the impacts and the welfare cost of building-height restrictions, providing a... more This paper analyzes the impacts and the welfare cost of building-height restrictions, providing a concrete welfare-cost estimate for the city of Bangalore. Relying on several theoretical results, the analysis shows that the welfare cost imposed on its residents by Bangalore's FAR restriction ranges between 3 and 6 percent of household consumption. This burden represents a signi¯cant share of individual resources, and its presence may push many marginal households
This paper is demonstrating a number of tools and spatial indicators to apprehend a city's s... more This paper is demonstrating a number of tools and spatial indicators to apprehend a city's spatial structure and to help formulate its potential for different development objectives
A. Brasilia: conceived as an abstract, self sufficient, finite and perfect object Lucio Costa des... more A. Brasilia: conceived as an abstract, self sufficient, finite and perfect object Lucio Costa designed Brasilia at a time when most planners thought that cities would reach an optimum size, beyond which they would become unmanageable. Many thought that it was the duty of planners and government to prevent cities from growing beyond this optimum limit. Brasilia population target, set at 500,000 inhabitants, was reached around 1970. Apparently a believer in the myth of a city’s optimum size, Costa designed Brasilia without any plans for expansions. Deliberate or not, the lake surrounding the center city to the South East and the enormous national park located to the North West are inbuilt immovable obstacles that prevent any contiguous spatial expansion. The concept of a meticulously designed city with a fixed population became later the curse of Brasilia. The decision by UNESCO to name Brasilia a World Heritage Site in 1987 contributed to further freeze Brasilia into an icon ofAugust...
Could utopian ideology influence cities ’ spatial structure to the point of overriding basic self... more Could utopian ideology influence cities ’ spatial structure to the point of overriding basic self-organizing principles that have been thought to be quasi universal? In this paper, I define utopian ideology as a doctrine that is imposed by a central or local government and that aims at reaching a future state of optimum permanent equilibrium. Under my definition, the theory of free markets is the opposite of an utopian ideology because, first, free markets are spontaneously created by individuals and firms and cannot be imposed by governments, and second, because free markets imply constant adjustment toward an ever changing state of equilibrium which cannot be known in advance. The main points developed in this paper are that (i) in some cases ideology could become the main determinant of urban shape, (ii) the spatial outcomes of opposite ideologies are often identical and (iii) Cities shaped by utopian ideologies impose a measurable cost affecting adversely the welfare of their in...
This paper discusses the impact that population density in Atlanta (Georgia) has on Atlanta's... more This paper discusses the impact that population density in Atlanta (Georgia) has on Atlanta's policies for reducing traffic congestion in that city. It notes that the population density in Atlanta is significantly smaller than in other cities, both in the United States and around the world; and that public transit seems to work best in those areas of the world that have high population densities. The paper indicates that the best solutions for Atlanta's burgeoning traffic congestion and pollution involve increasing highway capacity through road construction, and utilizing road pricing schemes.
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