Let a Hundred Cities Bloom

WITH the exception of a few of the largest metropolitan centers, American cities no longer truly exist. Maps still locate them, airports take their names from them, some people even venture into them during daylight hours. But they have declined to the point where they represent little more than focal points around which suburbs are organized.

From a distance the former cities present a plausible appearance. Roads lead in and out. One sees houses and, in the center, office buildings, hotels, and government buildings. Take a closer look and the buildings reveal themselves as individual fortresses. If there is a downtown mall it is certain to be visitable for but a few hours each day.

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Peter Shaw

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WITH the exception of a few of the largest metropolitan centers, American cities no longer truly exist. Maps still locate them, airports take their names from them, some people even venture into them during daylight hours. But they have declined to the point where they represent little more than focal points around which suburbs are organized.

From a distance the former cities present a plausible appearance. Roads lead in and out. One sees houses and, in the center, office buildings, hotels, and government buildings. Take a closer look and the buildings reveal themselves as individual fortresses. If there is a downtown mall it is certain to be visitable for but a few hours each day.