The problem with dense packing people is simple. NO ONE LIKES IT. Given a choice most people will choose open space over a closet. Except for that person on television that lives in a place slightly larger than a doll’s playhouse. But for us normals, we prefer something larger.
Dense Packing
What is dense packing or as it was referred to in a New York Daily News article, “increased density”? My take is that it is the art of squeezing a lot of people into a small area. But the article goes a bit further. To accomplish this it points to warehousing people in closely constructed tall buildings. If this is allowed to happen it is only a matter of time before non-commercial residential buildings are a thing of the past.
Daily News Article
In the New York Daily News article the guest writer, whose name escapes me, touched on many items. But the gist of the article is that more buildings, tall buildings must be constructed to house an ever-growing population. It also suggests that the buildings be constructed in a manner” to increase density” aka dense packing.
And it suggests that building codes be relaxed or changed. This is so it would be easier for developers to build these things. Effectively turning the fate of New York housing to the kind and compassionate hands of developers. Yeah, let’s not do that.
Change the Building Codes?
As stated in the article New York building codes make it difficult for developers to build. The problem is that developers are never stopped by these codes. Well, not the big developers they have staff that have the sole responsibility of dealing with the building department. Developers use “expeditors” and have the funds to pay these people to run the gauntlet that is the building department.
Small builders have a much harder time because they must navigate the building department on their own. This is indeed time-consuming and frustrating. I worked with a small developer once. And yes, he spent days trying to accomplish the simplest things at the building department. So if the writer was talking about the small developer I agree to a point. The building codes need to be relaxed in some areas especially if the goal is to build truly affordable housing.
The Building Codes: Here for our protection
Again referring to the Daily News article the writer fails to note that building codes are here for our protection. Otherwise, builders would construct anything they wanted in any condition that favored their bottom line.
The McMansion
Building codes prevent the construction of buildings that should not exist. Who can forget the McMansions? Have you seen one of these? They don’t fit the community and they artificially raise property taxes. A building code against such monstrosities would have stopped them before they got off the drawing board.
Respect The Code
As for the buildings suggested in the article; restrictions on building type, height, location, and capacity must remain tightly regulated. And dense-packed tall and or low-rise building developments should be banned. There must also be a set amount of buildings that can be constructed in an area.
For example: None in East New York because of all the projects and developments that already exist here. These include the Linden Houses, Boulevard Houses, Fairfield Houses aka Meadow Wood Condos, Pink Houses, etc. Unfortunately, as I write this series of articles a dense-packed development is already being constructed. See my next article The East New York Neighborhood Plan in Pictures.
Note: All told over 90 NYCHA developments exist in Brooklyn alone. This number does not include private developments.
Do we really need more? Click here to see the list of NYCHA Developments in Brooklyn
Never a good idea
As I said earlier warehousing people is never a good idea. But as usual, the experts don’t see it that way. In the article, the writer suggests that these changes are needed to “provide another way to increase density”.
It’s nice the way people come up with phrases that sound good but represent terrible things. “Increase density” doesn’t sound bad, does it? Until you’re the one living it. If this is the path that the city has chosen then it’s the wrong one. And more importantly, it must be stopped.
Yes, we need to address the housing problem; no we should never dense pack people. And until that option is removed from the table no one, not developers, housing experts or the city will try anything else. There are better solutions out there. But in order to find and implement them, we must remove the incentive to use bad ones.
You Live There First
The mayor and others who push the idea of increasing population density should live it first. I’m not talking about a few days or weeks but a full year or more. No special treatments, no special apartments. Just living like the “common folk”. But of course, this will never happen because none of these people can walk the walk. They just talk and so the “Tale of Two Cities” will continue.
You just read: The Problem With Dense Packing People
Next: The East New York Neighborhood Plan in Pictures
Disclaimer: I am not a lawyer and nothing stated here is legal advice. This article applies to the five boroughs of New York. All information deemed accurate but not guaranteed. Always check the real estate laws in your part of the country.
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