quote:
Originally posted by MDepr2007
Ok I was wrong in my thinking of what the building was. So what has the new park really brought to the area that makes spending more money than is needed worth it?
Wait no - this is a valid question. Why not just have a utilitarian detention pond without the extra landscaping? It would both serve the goal of flood mitigation and cost the city less money, both in original construction cost and upkeep.
The answer, I think, lies at the heart of civic choice. When you're faced with projects like flood mitigation in the Pearl District, there are two ways to go about it. 1) You can get the job done in the most efficient way possible with no regard for any purpose other than the necessary. Or, 2) You can spend extra money to attempt to provide benefits from the project on the side.
In this case, the city chose number two. Beautiful parks are certainly a public good. They may not be a functional requirement for public infrastructure, but they raise the level for quality of life and city aesthetics. These are concerns that have real value and are worth monetizing.
Plus, I think there is a fiscally conservative case to be made for this sort of infrastructure work. I view it in terms of marginal cost.
Say the floodwater detention work costs the city 10x.
Say a new park typically costs the city 6x.
Say a floodwater detention project combined with a new park costs the city 12x.
There are two ways to look at this picture. In strict functionality terms, a lovely park is not a necessary part of civic infrastructure. So the city could take care of flood mitigation for 10x instead of 12x if it so chose.
BUT- the other way to look at the picture is in terms of marginal value. By spending 12x on flood mitigation + lovely park, instead of 10x on flood mitigation, the city actually SAVES 4x. Because to build the park and mitigate flooding separately would cost the city 16x.
I view the Pearl project as effective stewardship by the City of Tulsa. If you've got the bulldozers there and you're turning earth, you may as well spend the money now on the margins to make the end result beautiful.
Really, it's a bargain.