The late 1900’s were bad for upstate New York’s old cities.  The new highways and mobility of the car culture took money and investment out of the city in favor of the new suburban landscape.  Instead of being hemmed in by city blocks, developers could expand onto acres and acres of open land, creating the malls and suburban cul-de-sac neighborhoods that are now ubiquitous in modern America.  Many of the old factories that supported the old cities closed, left behind in the march for progress out to the exit ramps and the strip malls.  The Geography of Nowhere, a book by local author James Howard Kunstler makes the case that our “happy motoring”  lifestyle that is built upon cheap fuel, cheap money, and cheap imports, has in fact, cheapened our very existence.  Despite the expanse of sprawl in our midst, there is a movement back to the city, most exemplified in Saratoga Springs.  People want to live and work downtown and there’s a renewed sense of community.  Some call this New Urbanism, the catch phrase for creating a sense of place that makes for happy human habitation. The New Urbanism is a reaction to sprawl. A growing movement of architects, planners, developers, and others, the New Urbanism is based on principles of planning and architecture that work together to create human-scale, walkable communities.  One of the key players in the New Urban revitalization of Saratoga Springs is the team at Bonacio Constructtion.  They are responsible for the rehabilitation of many of the old buildings in Saratoga Springs, as well as the residential and commercial spaces that has recently sprouted up around town.  Sonny Bonacio’s vision is for Saratoga to be a vibrant blend of old and new urbanism, where history blends gracefully with the present, and sets the stage for a sustainable future. Bonacio has done more for re-localizing Saratoga Springs than practically anyone else, so we are proud to feature he and his team are our eco-localizers for this Winter edition.