The Doomed 1970s Plan to Desegregate New York’s Suburbs

Edward J. Logue (1921-2000) was a city administrator who led major urban-renewal projects on the East Coast from the 1950s into the 1980s, combining Robert Moses-like ambition with a deep commitment to progressive New Deal values. He oversaw the postwar redevelopment of New Haven’s ailing downtown and then moved on to Boston, where he built Government Center in what had been Scollay Square, and conceived the restoration of Fanueil Hall-Quincy Market.

From 1968 to 1975, Logue led the New York State Urban Development Corporation, which was endowed with strong powers such as the ability to override local zoning. The development of New York City’s Roosevelt Island was the most significant project of Logue’s UDC. But it also tried, and failed, to integrate the suburbs with affordable housing.