Suburban Slums

I was excited to find this article, which I read a few months ago and has consequently been stuck in the back of my mind. There is a satisfying irony to the idea of suburbs and exurbs becoming the slums that they were all running away from. With hundreds of homes foreclosed in the far-out burbs of America, broken window theory would suggest that these soon-to-be-dilapidated neighborhoods will be like the inner city was in the 1980’s.

As lifestyle centers are popping up everywhere, it is interesting to realize how these thoughtfully constructed centers of “lifestyle” (not to be confused with malls) are modeled after the large, established city/towns that we find just outside of major cities. The North Shore towns have always boasted a main drag and plenty of public transportation; if you’re lucky enough to have a short commute, you can find most of your basic necessities within a few blocks of home. These towns were developed long before the self-conscious urban development of the past 60 years, and as far as suburbs go, this structure has managed to stick.

While the North Shore of Chicago, the inner-ring of Boston, or the outer boroughs of New York boast a timeless quality that seems a failsafe, there is still no good answer for what will happen to the McMansions sitting off of I-94, 60 miles outside of the nearest city.

Here are some totally gorgeous, pre-war Wilmette homes that are actually near things:

100 13TH ST.
WILMETTE, IL 60091
Price: $739,000
Beds: 3
Baths: 2.1
Year Built: 1932

935 OAKWOOD AVE.
WILMETTE, IL 60091
Price: $925,000
Beds: 5
Baths: 2.2
Year Built: 1923