Pruitt-Igoe was a public housing project in St. Louis, Missouri, that was built in the 1950s and demolished in the 1970s. The story of Pruitt-Igoe is often used as a cautionary tale about the failures of public housing and the dangers of urban renewal.
The Pruitt-Igoe project was a collection of 33 high-rise apartment buildings that were intended to provide affordable housing for low-income families in St. Louis. The project was designed by Minoru Yamasaki, who later went on to design the World Trade Center in New York City.
However, the Pruitt-Igoe project quickly fell into disrepair and became known for its crime, poverty, and overall decline. Many of the buildings were vandalized and became unlivable, and the project was eventually demolished in the 1970s.
There have been several documentaries about the Pruitt-Igoe project, including one called "The Pruitt-Igoe Myth," which was released in 2011. This documentary explores the history of the project and the factors that contributed to its failure.
One of the main themes of the film is the idea that Pruitt-Igoe was doomed from the start due to a lack of adequate planning and funding. The project was built quickly and cheaply, and the buildings were poorly constructed and lacked the necessary maintenance and support services.
Another theme of the film is the role of racism and segregation in the decline of Pruitt-Igoe. Many of the residents of the project were African American, and the project was located in a predominantly black neighborhood. The film suggests that the project was abandoned by the city and allowed to decline because of the racial segregation that was prevalent at the time.
Overall, the Pruitt-Igoe project is a tragic example of the failures of public housing and the dangers of urban renewal. It serves as a reminder of the importance of proper planning and funding for such projects, as well as the need to address issues of segregation and inequality in our cities.