Major American cities like New York, Philadelphia, and Chicago are turning urban wastelands and into pedestrian paradises. The City of New Haven, famously home of Yale University, is jumping on the High Line train. The City has a $135 million redevelopment plan to build streets and sidewalks on platforms above existing highways to create a more pedestrian-friendly environment through the heart of downtown.
New Haven applied for a $21 million federal grant but received only $16 million. Rumor has it fundraising-wizards at Yale will jump in to help. (The university just completed its $135 million renovation and expansion of its art museum.) One fun idea: sell all 100 of the 1947 George Bush Yale baseball rookie cards (worth $10,000 each) and there’s $1 million to get the wrecking ball rolling.
