Thesis Statement

No matter how busy and diverse Flushing downtown area is, It is still in need for more business developments in order to fulfill all resident’s need. There still remains neighborhoods in Flushing that lack retail and wholesale outlets to cater for resident’s grocery and related needs.

Chapter 15

Jane Jacobs talks about Unslumming and slumming in this Chapter. "Slums and their populations are the victims." Starting with this sentence, she thinks that this problem has always been exist and will hardly go away in a big city. "Unslumming" occurs gradually, as people who could afford to move out choose to stay. Both slumming and unslumming are perpetual cycles which do not fit with current planning theory. And one of Jacobs main point is that: "The processes that occur in unslumming depend on the fact that a metropolitan economy, if it is working well, is constantly transforming many poor people into middle-class people, many illiterates into skilled(or even educated)people, many greenhorns in to competent citizens.” So we could see that the economic development is one big factor by making the Unslumming and slumming process. Otherwise nothing can really affect this phenomenon. And it will happen in all big cities like NYC.

Chater 13

In this Chapter, Jane Jacobs argued that it is very important and also difficult to maintain one city's diversity. She said that:” The self-destruction of diversity can be seen at outstandingly successful little nodes of activity, as well as along street streches." And to keep up on the good work of a city's diversity, it has to depend on all the people live in that city. The author gave the example of 3rd Ave., 8th Ave., and some other street in New York City to show the readers how to distinguish between a success and failure city diversity. “Streets (especially if their blocks are short) sometimes can weather much duplication of successful uses, or else can regenerate themselves spontaneously after declining and stagnating for a time.” From all these examples Jacobs want to tell us that “examples of the self-destruction that follows outstanding success are more usual in downtowns.” And therefore, the city planners need to find way to change it in order to maintain our multi-diversity.

The Interview

The object person for this interview is my land lord. And his name is Andy Ho. A 40 years old Hong Kong business man lived in New York City for more than 15 years. He moved to this neighborhood with his whole family like 5 years ago from Brooklyn. When I asked why, he said that, nowadays just more and more business opportunities here found in Flushing, and more than anywhere else. People are getting richer and richer everyday in Flushing. Their demand for the quality of life is also getting higher. So there are great business opportunities for the real estate development in this whole area. And that's what he is mainly doing to make a living here. Well that's another story, back to our interview, Andy likes about this neighborhood very much, and he said it's quiet and safe, far away from the crowds. Well, since he is my landlord, I guess he just won't say anything bad about this place.=_= Anyway, the only thing he found out changed a lot are the increase of Korean retail stores and restaurants around this neighborhood. Actually the Korean Street is only a couple blocks away from where I live. So he told me it was always convenience if I want some Korean food or something like that. Andy had two cars, one for him, one for his wife, they just drive to everywhere. I am sure he thinks driving will make life much easier than take the bus in this neighborhood. As we all know, we have a pretty bad bus service around this area. The closest bus is Q12, which is two blocks from my place. If I want to get another bus, I have to walk for another 4 or 5 blocks. Andy also thinks the service of Q12 is quiet unpredictable. Sometimes you wait for 30 minutes, they will just never come. He truly felt that there are definitely problems with their bus schedules. As I already said, during most of this interview Andy is in favor for this neighborhood. He said he is very satisfied with his life here live in this place. He gave ten points for his quality of life in the scale of one to ten.