Long ago, in a small, dimly lit college classroom, I listened to an urban studies professor explain the concept of concentric zones. A heavy smell of cigarettes rose every time he brushed by in his moth-holed blazer. I can see him now, one hand twisting a yellowed mustache, the other waving in emphasis.

He explained that the concentric zone model is the less-than-perfect theory that a city emanates from its central business district nucleus in rings. As the rings spread outward, the transition grows from urban buildings and businesses to suburban lawns and shops. The central business district remains the focal point of activity while the farther concentric zones luxuriate in things not necessarily, well, necessary.

Today, I find myself considering what the professor had to say about that. If the........

© El Dorado News Times