Jeff, I completely agree with your sentiment, in fact I came here while writing this blog entry http://cathcam.wordpress.com/2011/06/16/app-internet-and-the-ft/ I couldn't resist asking though, do you have a facebook account now? I do...

In fact, I'm constantly amazed there are still so many jobs downtown. With working from home etc. I'm still amazed that so many people commute into downtown(through '04) I would add. Where are they going? What are they doing? I fail to see why in 10yrs time with continued advances in technology, why so many people will still be needed in downtown offices. Thats a problem the city needs to work on, to keep downtown jobs relevant...

But I think you are missing the point, if you don't mind me saying... You need to grow up in a city to feel comfortable living there. The days when '04 was the cheap, ass end of housing for the city and cheap public transport to the downtown jobs is gone. I live in '04, I grew up in public housing, my parents didn't paid rent until I was 16 and then got a favorable, rent to buy deal that included their past payments. I since lived in a number of cities and hate the 'burbs. I suspect that most non-"empty nesters" would be the opposite. When I look at my block in '04, 3 of the houses would not be allowed if built now under McMansion, a fourth has new babies, but the rest are all single occupancy/couples homes for the most part. For all the attractions that living in the '04 brings, it doesn't address the American dream of the 50's which is coming home to haunt city planners now. People with families are not prepared to "manage" in a 4-bed, 2.5 bath; they need a garage big enough for 2-cars plus all the bikes, snow gear, etc. They are not prepared to put up with their own "type" who come into town for a night out. Park on the public streets, reverse on their driveways, walk across their lawns, block their streets anytime something is going on at Auditorium shores. Their aspirations have risen inline with the land available to build on. We do need to maintain the schools, the public services within the '04 and yes, there needs to be some more objectivity applied to McMansion, but don't think it will bring back familes in droves to the '04, as much as Dad might want that, Mum might think it will be good when the kids get older, the other external status pressures will all win out. The Bouldin Neighborhood planning team unanimously opted all properties into the VMU Ordinace in a hope to get more affordable housing opportunities, but so far thats resulted in zip, zilch, nothing, nada... we'll see.