Chapter 6: Changing Metropolitan Form

Fordism

Henry Ford and his new system of mass production completely changed the economics of America. 

By producing goods in mass quantities, it increased the supply, which enabled manufacturers to lower the prices for the consumers. Most importantly, by using this 

system for his own automobiles, it allowed more people to purchase vehicles and let them live further from cities, increasing suburbanization. Further more, with the paving of roads, cities were becoming nicer and parkways were being constructed. This allowed previously inaccessible areas to be developed, furthering the settlement of America. 

Suburban Growth 

At first, suburbs were rather small and often built on a grid pattern, becoming known as infill suburbs. These suburbs were not built up very much, sometimes not having sidewalks, and the houses were often very small. Later, as suburbs became more popular and more densely populated, land-zoning requirements became more important, as the cities would try to control how the suburbs would grow and become inhabited. Also some developments were planned with certain demographics in mind, such as Boca Raton (FL) which was designed for the upper class. These kinds of planned suburbs have every imaginable detail mapped out, including what kinds of commercial buildings would be built and how elite these ventures would be. 

Freeways and Metropolitan Sprawl

With the advancement of automobiles and their design and capabilities, more people began to own them, and the average number of cars per household increased. This led to the creation of freeways and also to the amount of suburban growth. This sprawl that Peter Hall defines needs to meet 4 preconditions (150):

1.  the production of uniform residential tracts with stable property values

2. due to the postwar baby boom, there was an accumulation of people needing housing, as well as because of the amount of  people returning to domestic life from the war

3. the Veteran's Administration allowed returning veterans to have cheap long-term financing 

4. the Federal Aid Highway Act of 1956 allowed 41,000 mi of highway to be built, linking together all of the major cities

Mass Production of Housing

Using a new method of building homes called balloon frame construction, and applying the same philosophies of Fordism, construction companies were able to mass-produce homes for lower prices and in shorter amounts of time. The most famous of these was Levittown, Long Island, that housed 45,000 people. These suburbs, known as Fordist suburbs, are characterized by drive through establishments, such as fast food, banks, and mini marts, increasing the convenience of everyday life. 

End of Suburbia

Previously, central cities were surrounded by suburbs and had everything that these surrounding cities needed. However, their importance has since been eclipsed by the surrounding urban areas. The

re has also been an increase of the employment opportunities in the skilled job sector, which has increased the process of gentrification and sped up the process of deindustrialization in these central cities.