Addison Del Mastro
@ad-mastro.bsky.social
Writing with a focus on urbanism, culture, and popular history. I write The Deleted Scenes, a daily, mostly-urbanism newsletter on Substack. [email protected].
Ever seen a building where the top floor was built *first*? thedeletedscenes.substack.com/p/ups-and-do...
Ups And Downs
What Do You Think You're Looking At? #244
thedeletedscenes.substack.com
December 9, 2025 at 7:50 PM
Ever seen a building where the top floor was built *first*? thedeletedscenes.substack.com/p/ups-and-do...
That long stretch somewhere in Maryland between Baltimore and the Delaware line and Wilmington is like the saggy middle of a long film. Should've edited out a bit
December 9, 2025 at 4:36 PM
That long stretch somewhere in Maryland between Baltimore and the Delaware line and Wilmington is like the saggy middle of a long film. Should've edited out a bit
It’s almost axiomatic that housing is cheap in places people don’t want to live, but what if there is hidden, latent opportunity in some of these places? thedeletedscenes.substack.com/p/can-anyone...
Can Anyone Carry Gary?
Long thoughts on post-industrial urban blight, protectionism, and when economics becomes culture
thedeletedscenes.substack.com
December 8, 2025 at 5:57 PM
It’s almost axiomatic that housing is cheap in places people don’t want to live, but what if there is hidden, latent opportunity in some of these places? thedeletedscenes.substack.com/p/can-anyone...
If you built a commercial area in 1900, it was a little Main Street. If you built the same in 1950, it was probably the image above. Why does even just one or two blocks of cheap, quickly built two- or three-story buildings trigger something in us? thedeletedscenes.substack.com/p/can-anyone...
Can Anyone Carry Gary?
Long thoughts on post-industrial urban blight, protectionism, and when economics becomes culture
thedeletedscenes.substack.com
December 8, 2025 at 4:36 PM
If you built a commercial area in 1900, it was a little Main Street. If you built the same in 1950, it was probably the image above. Why does even just one or two blocks of cheap, quickly built two- or three-story buildings trigger something in us? thedeletedscenes.substack.com/p/can-anyone...
Among the many thoughts I have here is this: why does it seem natural to mourn a hollowed out small town, but not an abandoned strip mall? In a lot of ways we're seeing the same thing, just with standard buildings from different periods thedeletedscenes.substack.com/p/can-anyone...
Can Anyone Carry Gary?
Long thoughts on post-industrial urban blight, protectionism, and when economics becomes culture
thedeletedscenes.substack.com
December 8, 2025 at 3:00 PM
Among the many thoughts I have here is this: why does it seem natural to mourn a hollowed out small town, but not an abandoned strip mall? In a lot of ways we're seeing the same thing, just with standard buildings from different periods thedeletedscenes.substack.com/p/can-anyone...
"Underneath the righteous anger, perhaps, is a kind of fear, or insecurity, or even a metaphysical error: the belief that death is avoidable, that all things must not pass." thedeletedscenes.substack.com/p/can-anyone...
Can Anyone Carry Gary?
Long thoughts on post-industrial urban blight, protectionism, and when economics becomes culture
thedeletedscenes.substack.com
December 8, 2025 at 2:48 PM
"Underneath the righteous anger, perhaps, is a kind of fear, or insecurity, or even a metaphysical error: the belief that death is avoidable, that all things must not pass." thedeletedscenes.substack.com/p/can-anyone...
"If the people who let this grand structure crumble deserve damnation, then what would have been their salvation? At what cost and opportunity cost should a fragile, unsustainable moment in time have been preserved?" thedeletedscenes.substack.com/p/can-anyone...
Can Anyone Carry Gary?
Long thoughts on post-industrial urban blight, protectionism, and when economics becomes culture
thedeletedscenes.substack.com
December 8, 2025 at 2:08 PM
"If the people who let this grand structure crumble deserve damnation, then what would have been their salvation? At what cost and opportunity cost should a fragile, unsustainable moment in time have been preserved?" thedeletedscenes.substack.com/p/can-anyone...
Some long thoughts on what, if anything, urbanism has to say about post-industrial cities, as well as some thoughts on industrial policy thedeletedscenes.substack.com/p/can-anyone...
Can Anyone Carry Gary?
Long thoughts on post-industrial urban blight, protectionism, and when economics becomes culture
thedeletedscenes.substack.com
December 8, 2025 at 1:59 PM
Some long thoughts on what, if anything, urbanism has to say about post-industrial cities, as well as some thoughts on industrial policy thedeletedscenes.substack.com/p/can-anyone...
When we pretend that a place can be “done” or “full,” we are choosing an arbitrary moment in the long trajectory of a place to be final. Would the original builders have wanted that, if it had even occurred to them? I think they would instead have expressed something like, “Do this in memory of me.”
Construction In A Small Town
Signs of life, portals to the past
thedeletedscenes.substack.com
December 7, 2025 at 10:54 PM
When we pretend that a place can be “done” or “full,” we are choosing an arbitrary moment in the long trajectory of a place to be final. Would the original builders have wanted that, if it had even occurred to them? I think they would instead have expressed something like, “Do this in memory of me.”
At least, “baby” is what I call it. As an American, it almost looks like a toy. You want to squeeze it and exclaim how cute it is. But none of that properly understands what it is. What it is is an urban-scaled utility vehicle. thedeletedscenes.substack.com/p/archive-di...
Archive Dive: The Baby Plow
Seasonally appropriate thoughts on urban-scaled vehicles
thedeletedscenes.substack.com
December 7, 2025 at 2:24 PM
At least, “baby” is what I call it. As an American, it almost looks like a toy. You want to squeeze it and exclaim how cute it is. But none of that properly understands what it is. What it is is an urban-scaled utility vehicle. thedeletedscenes.substack.com/p/archive-di...
Reposted by Addison Del Mastro
Freaking exactly.
Things don’t need to be “for you” to be worthwhile.
It’s a perfectly normal reaction to be annoyed when something you don’t like comes in, or when you are reminded of it, just like it’s normal to complain about shitty weather or whatever, what’s not normal is to demand a veto
Things don’t need to be “for you” to be worthwhile.
It’s a perfectly normal reaction to be annoyed when something you don’t like comes in, or when you are reminded of it, just like it’s normal to complain about shitty weather or whatever, what’s not normal is to demand a veto
Part of being a YIMBY that’s 100% core to me is people may propose things I don’t like or even things that temporarily inconvenience me and that is okay because morally, the balance is that we need more homes more than we need to cater to my preferences
December 7, 2025 at 2:57 AM
Freaking exactly.
Things don’t need to be “for you” to be worthwhile.
It’s a perfectly normal reaction to be annoyed when something you don’t like comes in, or when you are reminded of it, just like it’s normal to complain about shitty weather or whatever, what’s not normal is to demand a veto
Things don’t need to be “for you” to be worthwhile.
It’s a perfectly normal reaction to be annoyed when something you don’t like comes in, or when you are reminded of it, just like it’s normal to complain about shitty weather or whatever, what’s not normal is to demand a veto
Reposted by Addison Del Mastro
Part of being a YIMBY that’s 100% core to me is people may propose things I don’t like or even things that temporarily inconvenience me and that is okay because morally, the balance is that we need more homes more than we need to cater to my preferences
December 7, 2025 at 2:03 AM
Part of being a YIMBY that’s 100% core to me is people may propose things I don’t like or even things that temporarily inconvenience me and that is okay because morally, the balance is that we need more homes more than we need to cater to my preferences
Reposted by Addison Del Mastro
"Nobody considers plowing the roads optional. The argument will kind of go, 'It sure costs a lot to clear the sidewalks, and who uses them anyway?' Well, there you go."
Archive Dive: The Baby Plow
Seasonally appropriate thoughts on urban-scaled vehicles
thedeletedscenes.substack.com
December 7, 2025 at 12:59 AM
"Nobody considers plowing the roads optional. The argument will kind of go, 'It sure costs a lot to clear the sidewalks, and who uses them anyway?' Well, there you go."
Archive Dive: The Baby Plow
Seasonally appropriate thoughts on urban-scaled vehicles
thedeletedscenes.substack.com
December 6, 2025 at 8:47 PM
"Nobody considers plowing the roads optional. The argument will kind of go, 'It sure costs a lot to clear the sidewalks, and who uses them anyway?' Well, there you go."
Reposted by Addison Del Mastro
“America’s utility vehicles—firetrucks, garbage trucks, dump trucks, etc., (along with most of our consumer vehicles)—are basically suburban-scaled vehicles. We’re missing the bottom half of the ‘scale ladder’ that corresponds to traditional urban spaces.” @ad-mastro.bsky.social
One of the aha! moments you have as an urbanist is you go from inheriting an opinion like “Huh, isn’t it kind of unfortunate that reality and adult responsibility just entail driving everywhere?” to realizing “Hold on, do we really have to do it this way?”
Archive Dive: The Baby Plow
Seasonally appropriate thoughts on urban-scaled vehicles
thedeletedscenes.substack.com
December 6, 2025 at 7:31 PM
“America’s utility vehicles—firetrucks, garbage trucks, dump trucks, etc., (along with most of our consumer vehicles)—are basically suburban-scaled vehicles. We’re missing the bottom half of the ‘scale ladder’ that corresponds to traditional urban spaces.” @ad-mastro.bsky.social
One of the aha! moments you have as an urbanist is you go from inheriting an opinion like “Huh, isn’t it kind of unfortunate that reality and adult responsibility just entail driving everywhere?” to realizing “Hold on, do we really have to do it this way?”
Archive Dive: The Baby Plow
Seasonally appropriate thoughts on urban-scaled vehicles
thedeletedscenes.substack.com
December 6, 2025 at 7:03 PM
One of the aha! moments you have as an urbanist is you go from inheriting an opinion like “Huh, isn’t it kind of unfortunate that reality and adult responsibility just entail driving everywhere?” to realizing “Hold on, do we really have to do it this way?”
Associating sidewalks with "increased crime" is almost as nutty as the guys in Alexandria who sued the city over a zoning liberalization program because it might increase the "nuisance" of foot traffic ggwash.org/view/101707/...
Montgomery County rejects sidewalks because of “stranger danger”
Montgomery County officials say they won’t build sidewalks near a future Purple Line station in Takoma Park because, among other things, neighbors say they’re afraid of “stranger danger.”
ggwash.org
December 6, 2025 at 5:30 PM
Associating sidewalks with "increased crime" is almost as nutty as the guys in Alexandria who sued the city over a zoning liberalization program because it might increase the "nuisance" of foot traffic ggwash.org/view/101707/...
America’s utility vehicles—firetrucks, garbage trucks, dump trucks, etc., (along with most of our consumer vehicles)—are basically suburban-scaled vehicles. We’re missing the bottom half of the “scale ladder” that corresponds to traditional urban spaces. thedeletedscenes.substack.com/p/archive-di...
Archive Dive: The Baby Plow
Seasonally appropriate thoughts on urban-scaled vehicles
thedeletedscenes.substack.com
December 6, 2025 at 5:21 PM
America’s utility vehicles—firetrucks, garbage trucks, dump trucks, etc., (along with most of our consumer vehicles)—are basically suburban-scaled vehicles. We’re missing the bottom half of the “scale ladder” that corresponds to traditional urban spaces. thedeletedscenes.substack.com/p/archive-di...
The idea that the city has no responsibility for clearing the sidewalks is not just a dry legal technicality. It reflects the deeply held assumption in America that walking is merely a discretionary activity, or even a luxury, not a basic necessity. thedeletedscenes.substack.com/p/archive-di...
Archive Dive: The Baby Plow
Seasonally appropriate thoughts on urban-scaled vehicles
thedeletedscenes.substack.com
December 6, 2025 at 5:05 PM
The idea that the city has no responsibility for clearing the sidewalks is not just a dry legal technicality. It reflects the deeply held assumption in America that walking is merely a discretionary activity, or even a luxury, not a basic necessity. thedeletedscenes.substack.com/p/archive-di...
"It was simple but surprisingly satisfying: one or two eggs, a few tablespoons of Italian seasoned breadcrumbs, mixed well and fried in olive oil until golden brown on the outside and fluffy, pancake-like in the center." And it has a fascinating history:
Archive Dive: Plant-Based Patties, Italian Peasant Style
The curious history and context of a childhood favorite
thedeletedscenes.substack.com
December 6, 2025 at 2:11 AM
"It was simple but surprisingly satisfying: one or two eggs, a few tablespoons of Italian seasoned breadcrumbs, mixed well and fried in olive oil until golden brown on the outside and fluffy, pancake-like in the center." And it has a fascinating history:
An anxious person hears "You can't be too worried" differently
December 6, 2025 at 1:36 AM
An anxious person hears "You can't be too worried" differently
Anybody else find as they grow up that they took something like "If something seems frustratingly difficult it must be worth doing" and find it hard to make process improvements, based on their parents telling them to quit the video games and study the SAT?
December 5, 2025 at 10:48 PM
Anybody else find as they grow up that they took something like "If something seems frustratingly difficult it must be worth doing" and find it hard to make process improvements, based on their parents telling them to quit the video games and study the SAT?
Reposted by Addison Del Mastro
Convenient low cost storage for private vehicles is a huge part of their competitive advantage as a mode of transportation.
No wonder people fight so hard to maintain it. Otherwise they may have to face the reality that cars don't work well in cities without a ton of public subsidy.
No wonder people fight so hard to maintain it. Otherwise they may have to face the reality that cars don't work well in cities without a ton of public subsidy.
December 5, 2025 at 12:48 PM
Convenient low cost storage for private vehicles is a huge part of their competitive advantage as a mode of transportation.
No wonder people fight so hard to maintain it. Otherwise they may have to face the reality that cars don't work well in cities without a ton of public subsidy.
No wonder people fight so hard to maintain it. Otherwise they may have to face the reality that cars don't work well in cities without a ton of public subsidy.
So Trump apparently is interested in allowing tiny cars to be built in America. That is actually a great idea. I just published this piece about the Mazda 5, a compact minivan, and the question of urbanism and small passenger vehicles:
Archive Dive: Mazda No. 5
A piece on what's missing from America's "scale ladder" when it comes to vehicles
thedeletedscenes.substack.com
December 5, 2025 at 3:03 PM
So Trump apparently is interested in allowing tiny cars to be built in America. That is actually a great idea. I just published this piece about the Mazda 5, a compact minivan, and the question of urbanism and small passenger vehicles:
The failure of the Jaguar was basically the end for anything like an Atari that was still continuous with the original firm, which had popularized, if not quite invented, the idea of home video game consoles.
An absolutely fascinating postscript:
An absolutely fascinating postscript:
The Atari Jaguar's Last Roar
A fascinating piece of video game history, and a look behind the mass-manufacturing curtain
thedeletedscenes.substack.com
December 5, 2025 at 1:50 PM
The failure of the Jaguar was basically the end for anything like an Atari that was still continuous with the original firm, which had popularized, if not quite invented, the idea of home video game consoles.
An absolutely fascinating postscript:
An absolutely fascinating postscript: