It's time to give our unloved cities some love.
The Essence of Our Cities is a series of short books on the Rust Belt burgs that built the US and are now rebuilding themselves.
Buffalo, New York, as the story goes, is equal parts rust and snow. But what if that story is incomplete? Or just wrong? The understated city on the eastern shore of Lake Erie is so much more, to the point of surprising—or plain shocking—those willing to listen. Of course, the place isn’t perfect. A region this textured deserves an honest, three-dimensional look. It’s time, in other words, to capture the essence of Buffalo, New York.
Rochester, New York, is synonymous with the downfall of Kodak and snow. But the humble city on the southern shore of Lake Ontario, in its typical under-the-radar fashion, has changed the world. A few decades of stagnation may have dampened that entrepreneurial and artistic spirit, but a new chapter is showing it to be alive and well. While challenges are obvious, the metro area is screaming not to be overlooked. This is the real Rochester, New York.
Syracuse, New York, as the story is told, is that place of basketball, economic decline, snow, and more snow. A visit to the anchor of Central New York reveals a town that admittedly doesn’t always pass the eye test. But beneath that exterior is a city of immense depth, one that rose, stumbled, and is slowly figuring out how to rise again. It is a city of intellect and creativity, where locals cherish the surprising secrets. In other words, it is a place worthy of having its story told correctly. This is the essence of Syracuse, New York.