>I'm not going to say her insights are universal for everyone, but it might help you understand why you like that grid you like.

Jacobs is really interesting. My one caveat is that I think a lot of people who applaud her helping to block Moses' highway plans for Washington Square Park would probably be less enthusiastic about her support for what was effectively community self-determination. I suspect many would call it NIMBYism because I'm pretty sure making the West Village more affordable wasn't her top priority.

(That said, it was a very different environment in NYC in the 1950s than it became in the 70s/80s than it is today.)