Reason Number 324 why Tulsa is (& places like it..

[pfox]

are)on the verge.

The creative class and those who enable them, the folks who used to flock to San Francisco and New York, can no longer afford to live there. It's as simple as that. The literary scenes are dying, and the gallery spaces are only available for the established artist.

These people are looking for places to live.  The time is now to attract these people to our city. What we can offer them is an ability to be a writer or an artist or a musician and still afford to live, and have a life... our challenge is to create a physical and cultural environment that accepts new ideas and tolerates differences.

This OP-Ed from The Next American City details the problem for our iconic cities.

While he uses Philadelphia as a example, I'd argue that Philly is on the verge of not being an affordable place to live either.

quote: PHILADELPHIA: The Cultural Contradictions of the Creative Age

by Daniel Brook  
     
As I stood cramped into a rush hour MUNI bus inching down San Francisco's Divisadero Street, I heard someone calling out, "Dan? Dan?" Considering I live in Philadelphia and my #64257;rst name is one of the nation's most common, I didn't jump up. But when I glanced towards the back of the bus, I saw an old college acquaintance named Mike.

Strange coincidence, we agreed.

"So what are you doing in San Francisco?" he asked.

"Research for my first book," I replied.

"How can you live in San Francisco and write a book?" he blurted out.

Though taken aback by Mike's question - which was tantamount to asking, "So, do you have a trust fund?" - I quickly replied, "I really live in Philly. I'm just out here for two months." He nodded at my perfectly reasonable explanation.

"How can you live in San Francisco and write a book?" is, to reluctantly borrow a phrase from Donald Rumsfeld, a 21st-century question. In the past, the City by the Bay was always considered a writer's metropolis. A hundred years ago, it was Jack London territory. Mid-century brought Jack Kerouac and Allen Ginsberg. Today, Michael Lewis, Amy Tan, and Michael Chabon call the Bay Area home. These established celebrity authors can afford to live in San Francisco, but an undiscovered Kerouac or a budding Ginsberg never could.

While San Francisco's dot-com boom may be over, the high cost of living rejects a "new normal." Post-bust rents remain 76 percent higher than the pre-boom rents. Writing a first book here sounds preposterous because it is preposterous. That basic commodity Virginia Woolf identifed as the prerequisite for the writing life - a room of one's own - is now a four-figure monthly proposition.

Reflecting on my run-in on the San Francisco bus, I felt a pang of guilt. A few months earlier in Philadelphia, I had a similar encounter with a twenty-something filmmaker working on her first book. Chatting with her after a screening of one of her films, I blurted out, "How can you live in New York and write a book?" - essentially the same question I faulted my college friend for asking. It turns out that she didn't have a trust fund either. Her parents in Georgia were letting her move back in, at least until the book was finished.

Having been on both sides of this question, I've concluded that we need to be seriously concerned with the cultural implications of hyper-gentrification in our most vibrant cities. It may be gauche to interrogate friends about the phenomenon, but one can politely raise the topic to a more general audience in a public forum like this magazine.

Tennessee Williams once purportedly quipped, "America has only three cities: New York, San Francisco, and New Orleans. Everywhere else is Cleveland." His witticism holds much less humor now that an aspiring generation of cultural creators can't afford to live in New York or San Francisco and New Orleans has been wiped off the cultural map, at least for the foreseeable future. Generations of flawed planning and transportation policy have extinguished vibrant urban life from all but a handful of American cities. For writers, who merely need an affordable room of one's own, the hyper-gentrification of places like New York and San Francisco is less of a disaster than it is for musicians and artists who need exposure in high-profile cities to get noticed.

One clear result of hyper-gentrification is relocation. Case in point: a flood of young New Yorkers are steadily transplanting themselves into Philadelphia's central neighborhoods, lured by cheap rents and an urban fabric reminiscent of pre-boom Brooklyn.

When so many of our creative-types move to places like Philadelphia, it creates a disconnect between locations where culture is created and those where it's shown - a Philly booster myself, even I am hard-pressed to call it a world stage for art. I found a publisher for my own book almost as a fluke. Like a campesino coming to town for market day, I took the Chinatown bus from Philadelphia to New York for lunch with a magazine editor. With my publication credits, he said, I should have no trouble getting book agents to meet with me. The problem was that I didn't know any agents. I chalked this up to not living in New York and just figured that I was missing the right parties - where the hob-knobbing literati congregate.

Months later, when I told this story to my book editor, she replied, "those parties don't happen anymore." As the younger writers have moved out of New York (or more likely, never moved in) and editors have been squeezed by rising rents, New York's literary scene has been snuffed out. It survives in period pieces like the recent film Capote, more than in real life. There are no cheap bars anymore, and any apartment big enough for entertaining is owned by a Wall Street banker.

What happens when the culture creators get geographically separated from the culture financiers and purveyors? Will more and more cities resemble Washington, D.C., a place where great art is displayed but never created, and Philadelphia, where it is created but rarely displayed?

From my experience in Philadelphia, I'm not entirely pessimistic. While the eyes of the world aren't on Philadelphia, the city is creatively stimulating without being economically stifling. I wonder, though, whether in a few years Philly too will also become unaffordable as the wealthy elite - currently ensconced in suburbs like Gladwyne and Bryn Mawr - "discover" the central city. Dinner with a few fancy bottles of wine at the upscale Italian restaurant half a block from my apartment can cost nearly as much as my monthly rent. Something's gotta give - and I suspect it will be my cheap rent.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Draut, Tamara. Strapped: Why America's 20- and 30-Somethings Can't Get Ahead. New York: Doubleday, 2006.

Pressler, Jessica. "Philadelphia Story: The Next Borough." New York Times 14 Aug. 2005.

[Kiah]

So we've come full circle -- back to the Chamber's standard marketing pitch . . . "Tulsa, lordy it's cheap!"

Just kidding, I see your point.  We can't rely on "cheapness" in isolation, just as we can't rely on Richard Florida's "coolness" or Joel Kotkin's "bread n' butter infrastructure" in isolation.  And, I think the Chamber is coming around to that realization.

[snopes]

Good post and good point.

[pfox]

quote: "Tulsa, lordy it's cheap!"

Funny stuff.  But there is some truth to it.  I don't think playing to your "strengths" is a bad thing, if it is done in the right context.  You have to consider your target.  "Lordy, it's cheap" might work for a starving artist.  Not such a big deal for an oil exec.

Here's another funny anecdote.

My wife, my son and I walked to Wild Oats the other day. Approximately a mile from our house at 31st and Peoria.  Required us to walk down Brookside, past the restaurant patios and street construction.  Quite pleasant.  During our trip, we were stared at with amazement by the patrons of these establishments as we carried our bags of groceries past them.  We were even stopped by a passer by in a vehicle to ask if we needed a ride. No we didn't, but thank you very much.

We realized that, even in Tulsa's most urban environments, walking someplace not directly associated with exercise (or drunkeness)is a highly unusual form of transportation.

My wife had the highly astute observation, I think, that in such situations in Tulsa, Oklahoma, people don't look at a family walking down the street with bags of groceries and think "look at those folks, aren't they hip and urban?". They look at them and think "they must be poor, otherwise they would have driven to the store."

[]

http://www.americancity.org/article.php?id_article=52

quote: URBAN ATTRACTION: The "Advancement and Amenity Dollars" Benchmark

by David S. Hirschman  
Printable Version  
 

     
John Collins moved from New York to Norfolk, Virginia, this year to start a small business. "Apartments, office space, taxes, insurance all cost 40 to 50 percent less here than they would in New York," says Collins. "I can have my own car, there are more outdoor activities, and there's an easygoing quality of living here in the South."

During New York's recent boom, between 1995 and 2000, 1.37 million city residents like Collins moved someplace else in the United States. In the same time period, just 825,904 residents moved into New York from elsewhere in the country-a net loss of 545,269 residents. Only New York's incredible success attracting immigrants mitigated this loss.

An overpowering current, in the eyes of businessman Tory Gattis, is drawing more and more people out of expensive cities like New York to places with a lower cost of living. To get a better handle on this trend, Gattis has devised a new index, along the lines of Richard Florida's celebrated "creativity index," that ranks cities based on the "Advancement and Amenity Dollars" (AA$) they offer. The AA$ benchmark calculates the amount of extra money that an average city resident has after subtracting essential costs like housing, healthcare, and food. Gattis's hometown of Houston tops his ranking of the 29 largest metro areas in the United States, followed by Baltimore, Denver, Atlanta, and Dallas. New York finishes 28th, while Richard Florida's top pick-San Francisco-finishes at the very bottom.

Gattis believes that the AA$ index quantifies the degree to which a city's residents can advance their education and careers by taking risks, such as starting a business or quitting a job to go back to school. If you have to keep paying $2,000 per month in rent for a Manhattan apartment, Gattis argues, your opportunity to take such risks will be limited. But if you have already paid off the mortgage on a $125,000 house in a Houston suburb, you have much more freedom.

Gattis further argues that this calculation can gauge a city's "tax headroom"-the extent to which local government can increase taxes before taxpayers revolt. While tax increases themselves reduce the level of AA$ in any city, they are disproportionately burdensome in a city like New York, where people already strain to pay rent each month, as compared to a city like Houston. Thus, a city with higher AA$ will have a greater ability to raise taxes, if needed to improve schools, to lure businesses, or for creative public ventures that will create a "hip" environment and attract Richard Florida's coveted young professionals.

"More AA$ in the market," Gattis says, "stimulates more companies, non-profits, and government agencies to offer more advancement and amenity options to improve the lives of individual citizens. More restaurants and museums form, more continuing education schools open, and more performing arts groups are supported."

But most people do not think of Houston, Baltimore, or Dallas as the cultural meccas that Gattis's theory would predict. Perhaps the cultural establishments on both coasts underestimate these cities-Houston, after all, did rank seventh on Florida's creativity index. Still, many people leaving New York miss the hefty public amenities that the city's high taxes help support.

Kathleen Pierce decided to leave New York for graduate school at the University of North Carolina largely because of what one might term greater AA$. She thought New York cost too much for a poor graduate student, noting that she could barely afford to live there even when working full-time. But she perceives a trade-off of amenities in leaving New York for Chapel Hill. "You can't rely on [public transportation in Chapel Hill] for anything outside of the hours of 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday to Friday," Pierce says. "Eventually, I will have to buy a car."

John Collins, the entrepreneur who moved from New York to Norfolk, notes that there are fewer entertainment options in Norfolk-which, though cheap, ranks next to last on Florida's creativity index-and fewer young people. And he finds that people seem "less informed on current events, both local and national."

Pierce has had a similar experience. "Although Chapel Hill isn't really provincial, it's far from cosmopolitan, and that's reflected in the people," she says. "There's a lack of drive here. Everyone in New York is looking for the next, new, better thing, and that energy is incredible."

It may be that the amenities that New York offers-putting many people in close proximity to massive public infrastructure-create a unique social and cultural environment that other cities could not replicate unless they were willing to impose similarly high taxes. Why else would the country's three largest cities-New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago-all rank relatively low on the AA$ ranking? Gattis cautiously surmises that past a certain size a city may simply get more expensive as it grows.

Portland, Oregon, demonstrates that city governments that work hard to provide great public amenities often raise the cost of living in doing so. In an effort to tame land-devouring sprawl, the Oregon legislature passed a landmark urban growth boundary law in 1973, requiring each municipality to draw a perimeter beyond which there could be no urbanization. Portland established its boundary in 1979. The city's population exploded as it gained a reputation for being a livable city with nature close by-a reputation largely sustained by the growth boundary. But as the population swelled, competition for the same houses within the growth boundary caused prices to soar.

One can think of the difference in costs and the attendant reduction in AA$ between New York and Houston, Portland and Baltimore, as the relative value that people ascribe to such places. If so many people choose to live in a place where they have less extra cash, something about these places must make living in them worthwhile. Or, conversely, one might conclude that Houstonians need the increased AA$ to convince them to keep living there.

But framing city's choices as a simple trade-off between AA$ and cultural amenities overlooks the complexity of cost-of-living issues. On the one hand, if residents of high AA$ cities spend the bulk of their extra cash on projects that neither make the city more attractive nor create more jobs, then the city probably will not flourish. Just because people in Houston have more cash at hand does not mean they will use those dollars to create the jobs and community amenities needed to attract more residents.

On the other hand, New York and Portland's AA$ measures need not be so high: some of the extra cost of living in both cities comes from unnecessary extra expenses. For example, Michael Schill, a New York University professor, has extensively documented how New York's complex building code adds significant cost to housing while providing few discernible benefits to anyone but a small group of favored industries and contractors. And 1000 Friends of Oregon, the pioneering smart growth group behind the Urban Growth Boundary in Portland, has shown how artificial restriction on density-particularly in desirable areas near transit and parks-prevents the housing supply from rising to meet demand. If New York and Portland changed these policies, they could offer the same amenities at lower prices. Indeed, one could explain the out-migration from New York in the late 1990s in this light. For many people, New York's added amenities did not justify the extra cost that misguided policies tacked on top of the normal market cost of living there.

Gattis's theory casts the future of economic development as a race. Will cities that already have great amenities find a way to make their lifestyles cheaper by building more housing and lowering taxes, or will cities that already have a low cost of living find a way to use some of their extra AA$ to create better amenities?

Gattis bets that cities like Houston will make the first move.

"[Houston doesn't] need to convert the whole city into New York," Gattis says, "but we should create a core with a lot of the features of New York for those who want that urban, dense, walkable, mass transit lifestyle."

Indeed, Houston already has started a light rail project with substantial mixed-use urban development around it. But until Houston and cities like it prove themselves capable of producing the kind of flourishing culture and diversity that New Yorkers take for granted, many people will continue to accept a smaller supply of "advancement and amenity dollars" in exchange for better, more abundant public amenities.  

[BixB]

Many people point to Portland, OR, as the example of a city that attracts the young urbanites so desired by cities. The following is an excerpt from an article in today's Christian Science Monitor:

By Brad Knickerbocker| Staff writer of The Christian Science Monitor

PORTLAND, ORE.
A flotilla of 100 fishing boats, rafts, and kayaks crossed the Willamette River to a downtown park in Portland, Ore., the other evening to rally for the Pacific Northwest's reigning icon: wild salmon, now plummeting toward extinction due to development across much of the Columbia River basin.

It was a typical event for a "green" city that has one of the best records in the United States for recycling, reducing greenhouse-gas emissions, using alternative energy, and providing public transportation and bike paths.

But Portland's amenities - its natural setting along the Willamette River and its youthful techie vibe - are drawing a surge of new people, threatening to erode the very qualities that drew people here in the first place. * * *

So in addition to the factors cited in your posts, there is a growing environmental factor that will effect some of the cities currently seen as desirable by young pros. Whether Tulsa  can get itself in a position to benefit from this is qustionable, but it is something else to consider.

[Kiah]

quote:Originally posted by pfox


My wife had the highly astute observation, I think, that in such situations in Tulsa, Oklahoma, people don't look at a family walking down the street with bags of groceries and think "look at those folks, aren't they hip and urban?". They look at them and think "they must be poor, otherwise they would have driven to the store."
[]

Try riding the bus if you want to experience a particularly enjoyable combination of abject pity and mild scorn from drivers-by, as you wait at the bus stop.

[OurTulsa]

quote:Originally posted by pfox



My wife had the highly astute observation, I think, that in such situations in Tulsa, Oklahoma, people don't look at a family walking down the street with bags of groceries and think "look at those folks, aren't they hip and urban?". They look at them and think "they must be poor, otherwise they would have driven to the store."

[]

 

Next time you guys walk down there let me know ahead of time and my gals and I will plan a walk to Blockbuster.  We do often encounter similar reactions.

We can plan a "Family Walk on Brookside day"; create some critical pedestrian mass (caveat being that you can't drive to Brookside, park, get out and walk).  We'll dress fairly fashionably and make sure that we are carting some sort of baggage.    

I witnessed a pedestrian Tulsa this past weekend during the art fair on Brookside.  It was nice to walk among others on sidewalks that are usually lonely.

Kiah, I've seen you walking over to the downtown Bus Station before and almost pulled in to offer you a ride and then thought against that idea to allow you to be the shining example that you are.

[T-TownMike]

Tulsa is an oil city, walking isn't woven into our fabric of life, driving is. I do think that could change with more pedestrain-friendly areas and more visual stimuli outside.

[AVERAGE JOE]

quote:Originally posted by Kiah

quote:Originally posted by pfox


My wife had the highly astute observation, I think, that in such situations in Tulsa, Oklahoma, people don't look at a family walking down the street with bags of groceries and think "look at those folks, aren't they hip and urban?". They look at them and think "they must be poor, otherwise they would have driven to the store."
[]

Try riding the bus if you want to experience a particularly enjoyable combination of abject pity and mild scorn from drivers-by, as you wait at the bus stop.

It really does throw motorists for a loop, especially if you're standing at the bus stop in a coat and tie. Some people all but rubber-neck,  jaw dropped all the way to their lap, as they drive by. Others look visibly nervous and try not to make eye contact, but sneak a glance out of the corner of their eye. It's like they're wondering if they should lock their doors... while whizzing past you at 40mph. [}:)]

[si_uk_lon_ok]

quote:Originally posted by AVERAGE JOE

quote:Originally posted by Kiah

quote:Originally posted by pfox


My wife had the highly astute observation, I think, that in such situations in Tulsa, Oklahoma, people don't look at a family walking down the street with bags of groceries and think "look at those folks, aren't they hip and urban?". They look at them and think "they must be poor, otherwise they would have driven to the store."
[]

Try riding the bus if you want to experience a particularly enjoyable combination of abject pity and mild scorn from drivers-by, as you wait at the bus stop.

It really does throw motorists for a loop, especially if you're standing at the bus stop in a coat and tie. Some people all but rubber-neck,  jaw dropped all the way to their lap, as they drive by. Others look visibly nervous and try not to make eye contact, but sneak a glance out of the corner of their eye. It's like they're wondering if they should lock their doors... while whizzing past you at 40mph. [}:)]

I remember a comedian saying the shocking thing looking back at Rosa Parks was that once there was a time when white men rode on buses. Think it was Chris Rock.

[robbyfoxxxx]

I always had someone honk or flip me off as I walked down the road in Tulsa,Wow, this is the only place this has happened, and many other people have had the same experience. What do those people want from me? What are they trying to communicate to me by honking? Flipping the bird as I walk by? What is that all about? (Yea, I know, Im walking, what do you want?)

[PonderInc]

When I was in my early twenties, I used to walk to the laundromat with my clothes in a backpack.  One time, I needed to make a grocery run at the same time.  You haven't been stared at until you walk down the street with a full backpack and a loaf of bread and assorted grocery bags dangling from all sides!

[Jammie]

Oh-oh[:O] I'm glad that you pointed this out. We often walk places for the exercise and just because we like to go out walking. I didn't realize it was looked at unfavorably down there.[] But I say, "Keep on walking". When we get there, we'll do the same and eventually it may be considered acceptable.[}:)]

[Jammie]

Oh yea, and I agree with you totally that Tulsa will someday be where a lot of people will be heading to. Marketing it as cheap could be a bit tacky, but you could market it with all your parks and gardens and architecture. That's what draws our friends to keep visiting down there.[]

[swake]

quote:Originally posted by Jammie

Oh-oh[:O] I'm glad that you pointed this out. We often walk places for the exercise and just because we like to go out walking. I didn't realize it was looked at unfavorably down there.[] But I say, "Keep on walking". When we get there, we'll do the same and eventually it may be considered acceptable.[}:)]

Walking in Tulsa is fine, many, many people do it. It's a very accepted practice so long as you walk on residential streets or on some of our miles and miles of trails.

It's when you are walking along a major street and look like you are actually going somewhere that it's looked down on.