Technology: the Disruptive Tsunami Headed for Cities.
TECHNOLOGY FOR TOWNS. Small cities and towns will evolve beyond the fear of change to accept the benefits of new technologies ranging from social media to autonomous vehicles to robotics to drones to new business models for e-commerce on mainstreet. The blockchain, “smart poles” with sensors and Wi-Fi, microgrids, smart solid waste systems and smart […]
Smart Machines, IBM’s Watson and the Era of Cognitive Computing by John E. Kelly III and Steve Hamm
Small cities and towns use of technology is growing. Smart Machines is a fascinating book that takes a very technical subject and presents it succinctly to the general reader. The implications and applicability for cities and towns of all sizes is strong. The last chapter specifically discusses how cities can benefit from cognitive machines. With […]
Entitlements: Regulating Infill and Redevelopment.
Entitlements-regulating-infill-and-redevelopment. The city’s approach to regulating development in the downtown district is very site specific and increasingly driven by technology. The coming combination of blockchain technology and GIS will enable one accessible, safe and transparent file to contain property specific data files with ownership, real estate transaction and land us entitlement information. General future land […]
Partnering for Patrons: Free Rides & Admissions to Civic Venues
Partnering for patrons in small cities and towns is a way to increase ridership in under-utilized buses and to increase patrons at the city’s cultural venues. Cross-leveraging the unused capacities in the transit system and the cultural venues can increase the use of both without incurring an increase in their operating costs. Revenues may in […]
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Streetfight, Handbook for an Urban Revolution by Janette Sadik-Khan and Seth Solomonow
Streetfight, Handbook for an Urban Revolution reflects the author’s experience working for Mayor Bloomberg in New York City to change the transportation system culture of the City. It is inspirational. The transition for a car-dominant transportation system to one with more respect for transit, bicyclists and pedestrians shows that conversions can be made in the […]
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The Excellence Divided by Tom Peters
The Excellence Dividend is Tom Peters newest thinking about excellence. Meeting the Tech Tide with work that wows and jobs that last. In a world where people often do not feel engaged with their work Tom offers a brilliantly simple roadmap for any business leader and organisation to follow. With his unparalleled expertise and inimitable […]
Downtown Mobility
Downtown mobility has the objective of enabling anyone to get anywhere at anytime in a safely, conveniently and cheaply. Small cities and towns host a wide variety of uses and activities that require access by residents, customers and visitors. Access is all about mobility; mobility thrives on multiple modes of travel. The multiple modes available […]
Smart Poles and Microgrids: The bar keeps rising
Smart poles and microgrids are becoming useful to small cities and towns as they improve their security, information and communication systems.The literature, the examples and the case studies of cities across America and the globe leave one with the sense of never being current. Something new is always on-line; the synergy of the many new […]
Character Town Neighborhoods: The “Character Towns” of Central Florida…#6 of the Analytical Series
Character Town Neighborhoods; The “Character Towns” of Central Florida…#6 of the Analytical Series presents goals and checklists for planning and developing great neighborhoods. The primary function of every city is to make residents safe and security in their homes and neighborhoods. Neighborhood planning and design is a primary function of every small city and town. […]
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The Wealth of Humans
The Wealth of Humans presents a fine argument for building human capital and leveraging it to strengthen all cities, including small cities and towns. [embeddoc url=”https://www.charactertowns.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/The-Wealth-of-Humans-10-2016.pdf” width=”100%” download=”all” viewer=”google”] FacebookTweetLinkedInEmail