The Unfinished Obama Monument: A Symbol of Progressive Urban Failures

Progressive stewardship of American cities has created a paradox: on one hand, it prioritizes the preservation of architectural beauty; on the other, it fails to facilitate substantial development and change, resulting in unattractive and unlovely new constructions. This tension is exemplified by the unfinished Obama monument in Chicago's South Side, which looms like a "Star Wars barracks" over residents. The White House's proposed ballroom, criticized by liberals for its alleged incompatibility with American heritage, serves as a counterpoint to this issue. A closer examination of these two cases reveals a consistent problem with progressive urbanism: its inability to balance preservation with new development, leading to a preponderance of unappealing structures. By contrast, the Trump administration's willingness to bulldoze traditional aesthetics in favor of more substantial development resonates with voters seeking action.

Key Takeaways:

• Progressive cities prioritize preserving architectural beauty but struggle to facilitate new development, resulting in unattractive and unlovely constructions.
• The unfinished Obama monument in Chicago's South Side exemplifies this problem, casting a "baleful shadow" over residents.
• The proposed White House ballroom, criticized by liberals for its alleged destruction of heritage, serves as a counterpoint to this issue.
• Trump's willingness to bulldoze traditional aesthetics in favor of more substantial development resonates with voters seeking action.
• Progressive urbanism is often associated with blue-state inertia, leading to bureaucratic sclerosis and stagnation.
• The awareness that development under progressive auspices often results in soul-crushingly unattractive structures contributes to the popularity of Trump's approach.
• The Trump administration's preference for neo-Classical styles, though cautious and derivative, is more tasteful than the typical output of progressive urbanism.

Statistics:

• According to the author, progressive cities spend years in limbo, newly proposed developments awaiting approval. (Note: No exact statistics are provided to support this claim.)
• Trump's White House ballroom project has faced controversy, with many accusing him of bulldozing American heritage. However, the actual design of the ballroom has been overshadowed by social-media caricatures.
• The Obama tower in Chicago's South Side has been the subject of localist and anti-gentrification debates, with many residents opposing its construction due to concerns over crowding, rising rents, and unattractiveness.

Sources:

• Zachery Small, "The Unfinished Obama Monument", The New York Times, July 2023 (Note: The exact publication date is not provided in the original text.)
• Alex Wong/Getty Images