Robert Moses, the man who rebuilt New York

Urban planner Robert Moses (1888-1981) was the unelected official who single-handedly reshaped New York City and its environs with his massive public works projects – highways, bridges, tunnels and parks that redrew the map – while displacing tens of thousands whose homes stood in his way. Correspondent Martha Teichner talks with Robert Caro, author of the classic Moses biography "The Power Broker," and with actor Ralph Fiennes, who stars as Moses in a new play, "Straight Line Crazy," at The Shed theater in New York.
#robertmoses #ralphfiennes #straightlinecrazy

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[keysersoze]

The man who pushed the Dodgers to California with the Giants following. The man who wanted to build a highway through Greenwich Village. The man who F.D.R. called too arrogant to hire for the New Deal reconstruction. The man who never saw a neighborhood that shouldn't be gutted by a highway. A man who loved highways but couldn't drive.

[stun]

He didn’t just shape nyc, he shaped many American cities and has done irreparable damage to many, many US cities

[logang]

If you want to learn more about Robert Moses and the dramatic impact he had on all of NY, and really the US, I highly recommend you sit and read the entirety of the Power Broker. All 1, 300 pages. It’s probably one of the best books that I’ve ever read.

[Charo]

If Robert Moses had his way, he would have destroyed the iconic Washington Square Park. He wanted to continue 5th Ave by running it straight through the park. He had no interest in the park's incredible history of protests, politics, or what it meant to the large community of people who loved and used the park regularly, including travelers from afar who came to visit WSP. Thankfully, several people opposed him, including the magnificent Doris Deither, a self taught, city planning and zoning maven. She took Moses on and beat him. From that time on, she was regarded as the Queen of Washington Square Park. She was there almost everyday, greeting people, listening to the music, feeding the squirrels and birds, right up to her death at age 92. The 1 year memorial of her death was just celebrated, and a bench in the park was designated in her honor.

[brucekrause]

I read the Power Broker many years ago and recommend it .one of the greatest biographies ever written.

[soundshaper]

As a native New Yorker my response to Robert Moses is -

[nickbarcheck]

The Power Broker may be the greatest nonfiction book ever written. A stunning work.

[stevemiller]

Remember "We had to destroy the village to save it"? Thank you for this. How wonderful that somebody found a way to put on this play. This history needs to be learned from.

[edwardparkhurst]

Such a time honored show each time on Sunday morning. Thank you for sharing.

[steveconn]

Robert Moses did enormous damage to the natural estuaries and public health of Manhattan with his unchecked freeway building and developments (he nearly went over Central Park until public outcry stopped him). This was sort of covered in Ed Norton's Motherless Brooklyn, with Alec Baldwin as Moses. Not sure Fiennes a good fit, but he should've won his Oscar for Schindler's List (other movie tips: Clooney goes into 'Burn After Reading' mode in Paradise. Good sad monologue, beautiful Bali recreations, touching. And Black Adam surprisingly good; dignified Middle Eastern characters, beautiful cinematography, costumes, Brosnan good as Dr. Fate, didn't run too long. Just a fun super hero movie. Recommended.

[lp-xlld]

My parents knew the pre-Robert Moses NYC. I only knew the post-Robert Moses NYC. You can't really miss what you never had...but you *can* be aware it was there and realize what's missing.

[jasminearmstrong]

Fascinating. In graduate school, I looked at another city impacted by urban renewal's blunt tools-Oakland California. Significant historic and thriving Black neighborhoods like West Oakland were destroyed to build freeways and links with the Bay Bridge. The West Coast cities were taking a page out of Moses's book. Now in the 21st Century, we are trying to undo much of what was done to make us a car-dependent culture. We're still grappling with inequality and the Working-Class and people of color being shoved around with little concern from the movers like Moses.

[stephenhenion]

I'm one of those Folk musicians who has played music in Washington Square Park. Long after it was saved..🎶🎵🎶

[ZeacorZeppelin]

Reading the power Broker you read how Moses would have Gutted most of Staten Island for a a high down the middle of the island. Staten Island Said no, and before the overpasses were torn down, they were stark reminders to how close he got to gutting the island for his highways.

[philipciaffa]

As a native and former New Yorker, I whiled away many hours on many of the 627 miles of highways, toll plazas, Jones Beach and Robert Moses State Park, the 1964 NY World's Fair, Lincoln Center, the Auto Shows and the United Nations Delegates' Dining Room. For many, life is a Spectator Sport and a few select individuals have determined our quality of life for better or worse.

[romanclay]

Read POWER BROKER by Robert Caro, the greatest and most revealing biography ever written.

[sharlagardner]

The efficiency and the perils of unelected bureaucrats. Fascinating story of an unelected powerbroker. Parallels the "empire citys" contradictions and struggles with elitism and democracy.

[mililaniman]

I didn't know anything about the legacy of Robert Moses until I watched this report.

[jonsmtrs]

Ironically, Moses never learned to drive a car.

[DavidWilliamsaz]

If you are going to portray the villain that is Robert Moses in a broadway play you might as well hire Ralph Fiennes who played Voldemort.