Urban Renewal in Saratoga Springs: A Glance at the Present...A Glimpse of the Future...

Urban Renewal in Saratoga Springs: A Glance at the Present...A Glimpse of the Future...

1965

Smith, Benjamin L., Consulting Engineer
DeLisle, Kenneth R., Planning Consultant

Pamphlet

The 1960s in Saratoga Springs was marked by a need for change to combat years of previous decline. Saratoga Springs fell into a period of decline after World War II and urban renewal was the clear response to update the city’s reputation. The Federal Housing Act of 1949 set a standard for American cities to be beautiful and aesthetically pleasing. As cities across the country at this time were seen as centers of urban decay, an economic boom generated the funds for rebuilding. Federal subsidies allowed local governments to invest in urban renewal projects and in turn local governments receive money for public infrastructure.

A pamphlet created in 1965, “Urban Renewal in Saratoga Springs,” proposed to citizens that “beautiful” and “new houses” were needed in a core area downtown, off Broadway. The Agency distributed 1,000 copies to property owners to provide basic knowledge of “urban renewal.” The main objective as described in a March 24, 1965 article by the Saratogian, was “to provide the plasma to inject the incentive for private investors to revitalize both residential and commercial segments of the heart of the city.

Saratoga Room, Saratoga Springs Public Library

Smith, Benjamin L., Consulting Engineer
DeLisle, Kenneth R., Planning Consultant

Urban renewal

Property and Development

4/6/15