Size doesn't matter: Character makes urban living, host says

Troy, New York, a city of 50,000 people on the Hudson River, is growing again after a half century of decline. Internet radio host Duncan Crary, whom many urbanists know from his four-year hosting of The KustlerCast, thinks cities like Troy have a bright future. Crary's new podcast, "A small American City," brings the voices, stories, history and urban fabric of Troy to a global audience.

The aim is to re-acquaint listeners with the joys, benefits, and daily rhythms of small city living. "A lot of Americans only think of giant metropolitan areas like New York as 'The City.' But our smaller cities were once very vibrant urban centers, built at a rewarding human scale, and I believe they will be that way again as events unfold," Crary says. "It's not just the number of people or the concentration of buildings that make a city. It's also the quality of characters that enliven the place."

Crary in downtown Troy

In recent years, Troy has been gradually coming back to life as new business owners and residents "re-discover" and "re-colonize" the former industrial city on the Hudson River, Crary says. Rising fuel prices and a faltering economy are contributing to a new shift toward urban living, but Crary also notes that many younger Americans are rejecting the suburban values of previous generations in favor of small city life. In many ways, he sees his adopted city of Troy as a universal stand-in for all small American cities. But Troy also has qualities that make it uniquely poised for success, he says.

A Small American City, is the third podcast series Crary has launched in eight years.To listen to the show, visit: http://asmallamericancity.com or use the listen app on http://facebook.com/asmallamericancity. Subscribe to the program for free in the iTunes store.

An aerial view of Troy in its heyday serves as the front page of the show's website