by Carol Kaufman Segal
After viewing this documentary, I
am not so certain that the word "myth" is an especially correct word for
its title. Rather I would think of it more as a "debacle." How could
such a waste of time, money and good intentions fail so dastardly, and
cause heartaches for so many lives?
The story of Pruitt-Igoe is
heartbreaking for many reasons. It began as a marvelous idea, a public
housing development in St. Louis, MO, one that was proclaimed a model
public housing project of the future, "the poor man's penthouse." But two
decades later, the project was in such disarray, it ended in rubble by
completely being razed.
The film shows footage of the
land, fifty-five empty acres near downtown St. Louis, before it was
cleared and before thirty-three, eleven-story modern buildings were
constructed on the site in 1954. In viewing the pictures, it appears to
be a beautiful place with lovely units and outdoor space for children to
play and to keep busy and out-of-trouble. But after World War II, the
city of St. Louis suffered urban decline, and this became a big factor in
the problems that faced the project; there was no money to keep the
property in good condition. When things began to fall apart with no
maintenance, many of the tenants vandalized the buildings, garbage piled
up, and many of its facilities became broken down. Violence, crime and
drugs plagued the housing project, they say, from nearly the beginning as
it became a "dumping ground" for the poorest city residents. They say
that many could not adapt to the high rise buildings. Whatever was the
cause, it is the results that are so bitter, and Pruitt-Igoe does seem to
have left a lasting effect on all future public housing.
The Pruitt-Igoe Myth is a
most interesting documentary that tells of a declining city, a nation
where people are leaving the cities for the suburbs which changes the
urban economy, but also a hope for the future and residents who fought
back in their ways, not just being passive victims of what they were up
against. These are the heartbreaking stories of many of the tenants whose
lives were radically changed by the demolition of Pruitt-Igoe. The
fifty-five acres are still empty to this day with only an overgrowth of
trees and brush.
The Pruitt-Igoe Myth is a
film by Chad Freidrichs. It is in English, and runs 83 minutes. It
opened in New York January 20. Watch for its release soon in Los
Angeles.
