Is Joint Development the Chicken, or the Egg?

A major public work, such as a highway, must be able to stand on its own merits. No major highway project was ever sold to the community through which it passed by first touting the possibilities of joint development. The trick is to first get widespread support for the road, then joint development can follow quite naturally, and serve as an added attraction. Two major New York City joint development projects which were lost for a variety of bureaucratic and political reasons are considered in detail. Both of these projects illustrate the fact that any proponent of a major public work must be a better politician than the opposition. Only a lot of hard work and the touching of a lot of bases can advance a major joint development project.