Chapter XIII

The title of chapter thirteen is “The self-destruction of diversity”. I agree with the author, Jane Jacobs’s, argument of self-destructing streets. I am observing today what Jacobs is describing in her book. In my own neighborhood at the cross section of Austin St. and 71^st Continental Ave in Forest Hills, there use to be all sorts of small privately owned stores, two or three banks and maybe one or two corporate chains. I remember there use to be this one convince store on 71^st Continental Ave. that I would frequent back in junior high. Now it is a Duane Reade. Most of the block has turned into large corporately owned chains. In the two blocks from Queens Blvd. to Forest Hills Station there are now six or seven banks, a Duane Reade, a Ride Aid, a Boston Market, a McDonald, a Radio Shack and six or seven small stores. So far these two blocks are almost completely taken over by big money and I hope it doesn’t grow any further and completely squeeze out all small businesses.