Utopia

I stumbled upon this tweet the other day. I’m always excited when I find anyone on Twitter talking about Columbia. There not a lot of that kind of conversation. We may think we’re a really big deal but searches on Twitter say otherwise. Of course there are daily job postings and real estate listings but - - actual conversations about Columbia? - - not so much.

So, here goes:

I’m fine with the upgrade to merriweather, expanding the mall over time. Maybe some more stuff by the lake. But all the high density housing is insane. They want to create a utopia where ppl live work and play in downtown Columbia.  Nobody does that.

Hmm.

Wasn’t Columbia always supposed to be some kind of utopia where you could live, work, and play? Is the difference now that the focus is on a “downtown”? Or is the objection to the concept that anyone would live, work, and play in the same location? Not sure.

I’m pretty sure that upgrades to Merriweather, expanding the Mall, more stuff by the lake can only supported by increasing the density housing-wise. I don’t see how the one can be successful without the other. Of course, if you liked everything the way it was before, then none of this is worth discussing. You just wish they had had the sense to leave well enough alone.

My recollection from school days is that utopias never quite work out the way their creators intended. Certainly Columbia didn’t, although I’d argue that Rouse foresaw that. He knew it would keep growing beyond his original concepts. Would he like what is going on now?

Feel free to go over his writing with a fine-tooth comb, or get a Ouija Board. I don’t think we will ever know for sure. 

Do you believe in a utopia where you can live, work, and play? Do people “do that”?