A study in “dereliction” and placeJust north of the Calumet River

David Schalliol, University of Chicago IVSA 2004

J & W: Definition

• “[A] place may be considered derelict to the extent that the symbols of disinvestment, vacancy, and degradation dominate. Where disrepair, litter, emptiness, violation, and other signs of diminished habitat prevail, a derelict zone exists in mind, if not reality.”

Summary: Four Main Points

• Theoretical:– “Derelict” places are more complex than treated in

the literature• Methodological

– Spatial constraints of development are important– History is important for understanding present– Suggests need for future research and

conceptualizations

Broken Window Theory: Social “Bad”

• James Q. Wilson and George Kelling– Broken windows, vacant lots, etc.

• Signal psychological disinvestment and, subsequently, uncontrolled environment

• Lead to fear, social atomization, crime

• Sampson and Roudenbush – Social disorder

Urban Succession: Functionally Deteriorated

• Subset of Chicago School, Social Ecology– W.I. Thomas Burgess

• Zone of Transition– “Zone of deterioration” with “slums,” “badlands,” “underworlds of

crime and vice.”– But also regeneration through gentrification and assimilation

– Hoyt• White elephants, artifacts of neighborhoods unable to

defend themselves– Large homes broken up into “kitchenettes,” etc

Economic Perspective: Empty Space

• Benchmark: R.M. Northam’s “Vacant urban land in the American city,” 1971– Descriptive typology stresses:

• Current formal use– E.g. Corporate reserve parcels

• Undevelopability– E.g. “Natural” physical limitations, parcel size

– No reference to previous, current informal use

In Summary

• Broken Windows– Social “Bad”

• Urban Succession– Functionally Deteriorated

• Economic– Empty and waiting to be developed – Otherwise “inhospitable”

Improvements

• Wilk and Schiffer, 1979– Urban Archeology

• Positive and negative uses

• Bowman and Pagano, 2000– Value in “nonproductive use”

• “Convey … opportunity … informality”• Flora and fauna

• But how to link the accounts?

J & W: Beyond classification

• Most complete study of dereliction, adds dynamism• Created/allowed by social, economic and cultural

forces.• “Decline begins in a landscape when structures,

built to contain efficiently and symbolize prescribed functions, prove less efficient.”

• Industrial, economic: Dereliction used as strategy to gain profit from property that is becoming obsolete by withholding required maintenance.

J & W: Stages

– Inactivity, wherein plants are mothballed and guarded for future use.

– Activity persists, but disinvestment and underutilization are dominant.

– Activity persists, but structural abuse occurs. Locations used in fragmented ways, such as a couple of machine shops using small portions of massive factories.

– Inactivity, land and buildings are in complete ruin and owner is uninvolved.

– Demolition

Updated Stages– Pre-development, which is the character of the place before human activity.– New construction, human disruption of the environment and alteration of the land.– “Healthy” activity, during which the plant is operating efficiently. Maintenance and

replacement dominates, expansion is possible.– Activity persists, but disinvestment and underutilization are dominant.– Activity persists, but structural abuse occurs. Locations used in fragmented ways,

such as a couple of machine shops using small portions of massive factories.– Maintained inactivity, wherein plants are mothballed and guarded for future use.– Owner-monitored inactivity, wherein land and buildings are in ruin, but owner still

maintains control over grounds, perhaps through a security force.– Owner-absent inactivity, wherein land and buildings are in complete ruin and owner

is uninvolved.– Demolition.– Redevelopment, which corresponds to stage 2 above, albeit without the disruption of

the undisturbed environment.

Chicago

The Loop

The Works

Illinois Indiana

Exploration to Land Alteration

Department of War

Altered Calumet• Straightened• Dredged• Shaped southern edge

True Expansion Begins

Slips constructed

Ground added

Street grid changed

Detail of Expansion (“reclamation”)

Railroads• Miscellaneous Dirt

and Debris• Granulated Cinders• Hot Poured Slag

Expansion Completed

Current land shape

Operation 1938

No ability to expand

Dense use

Remained in similar state for decades

Demolition Under Way

Combination of factors

Land use issues

Only marginally useful

• Gary electricity

Demolition Continues, 1999

Given clean bill of healthby US and Illinois EPAsfor use in 1994:

• Residential• Commercial

Nearly Present Condition

1999, as Today

Ore Yards in 1970s

Ore Yards Today

Ore Yards Today

Ore Yards: Non-Human Animal Life

North Side: Human and Non-Human

North Side: Human and Non-Human

The future

• DevelopmentDevelopment– South siteSouth site

• Solo Cup factorySolo Cup factory• Army Corps of EngineersArmy Corps of Engineers

– North siteNorth site• New parkNew park• Reroute US-41Reroute US-41• Leaving most of the land open for anythingLeaving most of the land open for anything

Again, summary

• Theoretical:Theoretical:– ““Derelict” places are more complex than treated in Derelict” places are more complex than treated in

the literaturethe literature• MethodologicalMethodological

– Spatial constraints of development are importantSpatial constraints of development are important– History is important for understanding presentHistory is important for understanding present– Suggests need for future research and Suggests need for future research and

conceptualizationsconceptualizations

The end