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A study in “dereliction” and placeJust north of the Calumet River
David Schalliol, University of Chicago IVSA 2004
J & W: Definition
• “[A] place may be considered derelict to the extent that the symbols of disinvestment, vacancy, and degradation dominate. Where disrepair, litter, emptiness, violation, and other signs of diminished habitat prevail, a derelict zone exists in mind, if not reality.”
Summary: Four Main Points
• Theoretical:– “Derelict” places are more complex than treated in
the literature• Methodological
– Spatial constraints of development are important– History is important for understanding present– Suggests need for future research and
conceptualizations
Broken Window Theory: Social “Bad”
• James Q. Wilson and George Kelling– Broken windows, vacant lots, etc.
• Signal psychological disinvestment and, subsequently, uncontrolled environment
• Lead to fear, social atomization, crime
• Sampson and Roudenbush – Social disorder
Urban Succession: Functionally Deteriorated
• Subset of Chicago School, Social Ecology– W.I. Thomas Burgess
• Zone of Transition– “Zone of deterioration” with “slums,” “badlands,” “underworlds of
crime and vice.”– But also regeneration through gentrification and assimilation
– Hoyt• White elephants, artifacts of neighborhoods unable to
defend themselves– Large homes broken up into “kitchenettes,” etc
Economic Perspective: Empty Space
• Benchmark: R.M. Northam’s “Vacant urban land in the American city,” 1971– Descriptive typology stresses:
• Current formal use– E.g. Corporate reserve parcels
• Undevelopability– E.g. “Natural” physical limitations, parcel size
– No reference to previous, current informal use
In Summary
• Broken Windows– Social “Bad”
• Urban Succession– Functionally Deteriorated
• Economic– Empty and waiting to be developed – Otherwise “inhospitable”
Improvements
• Wilk and Schiffer, 1979– Urban Archeology
• Positive and negative uses
• Bowman and Pagano, 2000– Value in “nonproductive use”
• “Convey … opportunity … informality”• Flora and fauna
• But how to link the accounts?
J & W: Beyond classification
• Most complete study of dereliction, adds dynamism• Created/allowed by social, economic and cultural
forces.• “Decline begins in a landscape when structures,
built to contain efficiently and symbolize prescribed functions, prove less efficient.”
• Industrial, economic: Dereliction used as strategy to gain profit from property that is becoming obsolete by withholding required maintenance.
J & W: Stages
– Inactivity, wherein plants are mothballed and guarded for future use.
– Activity persists, but disinvestment and underutilization are dominant.
– Activity persists, but structural abuse occurs. Locations used in fragmented ways, such as a couple of machine shops using small portions of massive factories.
– Inactivity, land and buildings are in complete ruin and owner is uninvolved.
– Demolition
Updated Stages– Pre-development, which is the character of the place before human activity.– New construction, human disruption of the environment and alteration of the land.– “Healthy” activity, during which the plant is operating efficiently. Maintenance and
replacement dominates, expansion is possible.– Activity persists, but disinvestment and underutilization are dominant.– Activity persists, but structural abuse occurs. Locations used in fragmented ways,
such as a couple of machine shops using small portions of massive factories.– Maintained inactivity, wherein plants are mothballed and guarded for future use.– Owner-monitored inactivity, wherein land and buildings are in ruin, but owner still
maintains control over grounds, perhaps through a security force.– Owner-absent inactivity, wherein land and buildings are in complete ruin and owner
is uninvolved.– Demolition.– Redevelopment, which corresponds to stage 2 above, albeit without the disruption of
the undisturbed environment.
Chicago
The Loop
The Works
Illinois Indiana
Exploration to Land Alteration
Department of War
Altered Calumet• Straightened• Dredged• Shaped southern edge
True Expansion Begins
Slips constructed
Ground added
Street grid changed
Detail of Expansion (“reclamation”)
Railroads• Miscellaneous Dirt
and Debris• Granulated Cinders• Hot Poured Slag
Expansion Completed
Current land shape
Operation 1938
No ability to expand
Dense use
Remained in similar state for decades
Demolition Under Way
Combination of factors
Land use issues
Only marginally useful
• Gary electricity
Demolition Continues, 1999
Given clean bill of healthby US and Illinois EPAsfor use in 1994:
• Residential• Commercial
Nearly Present Condition
1999, as Today
Ore Yards in 1970s
Ore Yards Today
Ore Yards Today
Ore Yards: Non-Human Animal Life
North Side: Human and Non-Human
North Side: Human and Non-Human
The future
• DevelopmentDevelopment– South siteSouth site
• Solo Cup factorySolo Cup factory• Army Corps of EngineersArmy Corps of Engineers
– North siteNorth site• New parkNew park• Reroute US-41Reroute US-41• Leaving most of the land open for anythingLeaving most of the land open for anything
Again, summary
• Theoretical:Theoretical:– ““Derelict” places are more complex than treated in Derelict” places are more complex than treated in
the literaturethe literature• MethodologicalMethodological
– Spatial constraints of development are importantSpatial constraints of development are important– History is important for understanding presentHistory is important for understanding present– Suggests need for future research and Suggests need for future research and
conceptualizationsconceptualizations
The end