Actually, Inner Harbour can be viewed as a success story, especially comparing to previous plans. If the powers under the leadership of the then mayor Schaeffer had their way, today's Inner Harbor would be a gigantic interchange of I-95, I-83 and I-70. It was the community action that stopped that development.
Mayor Schmoke had little to do with Inner Harbor - it was Schaeffer's child. His only contribution was Harbor East (anchored by a hotel between Inner Harbor and Fells Point) - which the detractors claimed was the preparation for casino gambling (which Schmoke supported). Gambling is still illegal in MD - so Harbor East gained a more residential nature.
As a matter of fact, Mayor Schmoke had little to do with anything in Baltimore, he is seen mainly as a do-nothing mayor. He presided over the biggest decline in Baltimore history while the rest of the country experienced the longer boom, and his fellow Democrat was sitting in the White House. I think he was a big disappointment to the black community in the city.
>
> The problem with American cities, exaggerating slightly, is that
> they're either ravaged dumps or playgrounds for the rich (to quote
> Iggy Pop). It's the urban physical manifestation of the polarization
> in the U.S. socioeconomic structure.
NYC certainly does not fit that model, and neither does Philly or even Baltimore. Boston comes a bit closer, but still has enough middle class left, even after MA abolished rent control.
I think the main issue is the land use, which imho can explain two thirds of US politics. Developers and car manufacturers push for the model that thrives on cheap land, cheap construction, and vast open spaces and to pursue their agenda, they kill any measure that makes cities viable. Cities with enough clout (like NYC or Philly) can resist that trend, but Baltimore is loosing its clout, as evidenced by the last gubernatorial election. I think that manifestation of the polarization in the U.S. socioeconomic structure is urban/suburban divide - cities being starved and suburbs and its truly wasteful lifestyles receiving lavish government subsidies.
Wojtek