@ceresbzns @bikepedantic but is that what it was? The default explanation is "racism".

@dr2chase @bikepedantic

Zoning governs a lot about what can be built where in the city. When I went to go look at the zoning regulations, what caught my eye is that there is a LOT of language about specific industries that are not allowed to operate in the City of Cambridge. Things like slaughterhouses, glue factories, smelters, etc. etc.

"Zoning because racism" is a reductive answer. Yes, there's zoning ordnances in place that reinforce racist and classist hierarchies in the city, but also, there's some amount of urban governance that happens through zoning that makes it so that we're not all constantly choking on the stench of rotting beef offal and smoke from brickyards.

Now, there's a separate discussion to be had about "Well, we need bricks, so where are they coming from if zoning says we can't make them here?" and I think that's an important discussion. Again, it's more expansive than "racism."

@ceresbzns @bikepedantic @dr2chase "In a strictly industrial zone, presumably set some distance away from the city, set near a railway junction for company exchange" should be the answer to that brick question.

Industries that do not involve a significant toxic, biohazard or explosive risk are (mostly) fine in mixed areas, but there are some that really shouldn't be near other stuff.

@lispi314 @dr2chase @bikepedantic

Per usual, I agree with you

@lispi314 @ceresbzns @bikepedantic You get one guess where Cambridge located their old very-many-story affordable housing projects. Hint: they are made of (covered in, perhaps) bricks.

https://maps.app.goo.gl/ZqWe7RCCtscowtf76
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jerry%27s_Pond

@dr2chase @lispi314 @bikepedantic

Point taken.