The Battle Over What Gets Built, Chicago & New York City

Cities are changed and developed by those holding political power. In this study group, we will compare and contrast the impact of Richard M. Daley on the development of Chicago with that of Robert Moses and Jane Jacobs on the development of New York City. We will examine the challenges faced by the modern city, and we will consider the question of who actually controls development versus who should control development. Our texts are: Building the City of Spectacle: Mayor Richard M. Daley and the Remaking of Chicago by Spirou Costas and Dennis R. Judd (Cornell University Press, 2016) and Wrestling with Moses: How Jane Jacobs Took On New York’s Master Builder and Transformed the American City by Anthony Flint (Random House, 2009). Join us for fascinating discussions on city development.