Challenges for cities after pandemic

For many large global cities, such as Seoul, New York, and London, the cost of real estate, both residential and commercial, is the biggest challenge. — Bloomberg

AS the Covid-19 pandemic gripped New York City in March, articles discussing the future of cities came into vogue. Most articles predicted that the pandemic would change cities “forever” and that large, dense cities like New York would enter a period of protracted decline as people escaped to the suburbs. Pandemic-enforced working from home, it was argued, would free people to live in cheaper places and spare them the grind of a daily commute.

In the rush of covering the pandemic, most articles missed an essential point: Humans are social animals. Cities and humans have a symbiotic relationship that will revive quickly after the pandemic ends. Throughout history people have gathered in cities in pursuit of mutual advantages. Trade and commerce are far more vibrant in a city market than in a rural village. Learning and the arts thrive on the gathering of talent in cities.