Publisher's Synopsis
From the 1950s through the 1970s, over 200 pedestrian malls were constructed across the nation, yet very few of these original spaces remain. As one of the most successful pedestrian malls in the nation, State Street of Madison, Wisconsin, is a thriving, provocative, and exciting urban space. On this corridor connecting the capitol of Wisconsin with the flagship university of the state, live the homeless, the enfranchised, and a cornucopia of characters that collectively make this eight block strip-- according to urban planner Ignacio Bunster--"without equal in the country." David Rusk, author of "Cities Without Suburbs, calls State Street "a very rare bird," while David Brooks, author of "Bobos in Paradise, describes it as the public venue "where people want to go out and be seen, where people want to walk in the evening, where they can get their coffee or ice cream and sit out at an outdoor cafe."
But there are changes afoot on and around State Street, including the current infrastructure redesign, the growing corporate presence, and the $100-million Overture Hall. While change and growth are not bad in and of themselves, the very character that has allowed State Street and Madison to prosper may become indelibly transformed in the process.
