Site Analysis: A Checklist
Site Analysis, A Checklist, presents a worksheet to use when evaluating the developability of a parcel of land. This checklist can be used for private or public property analysis. Small cities and towns develop parks, libraries and civic buildings; and they review and approve private builders who do the same. A sound process for examining […]
More Employees; Fewer, More Flexible “Offices”
More Employees; Fewer, More Flexible “Offices” presents information about the current trend in office space utilization. Lisa Dilts, COMPSPRING, has contributed her thoughts on the changing workplace and its effect of the demand and design for office space. Small cities and towns can take advantage of this new model of work with their downtown supply […]
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Top 50 Cities for Global Trade
Top 50 Cities for Global Trade published by Global Trade Magazine presents the evolution of global cities. The article can be found at www.globaltrademag.com/features/top-50-cities-for-global-trade. In excerpt, it says, “Aug 8, 2012 – The overall ranking lists the 50 largest metropolitan areas by export volume. … Global trade takes all of us–in cities large and small–doing our best and making …. The area is well positioned to do business with […]
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Citistate Seattle: Shaping a Modern Metropolis
Citistate Seattle: Shaping a Modern Metropolis by Mark Hinshaw, [Planners Press, American Planning Association, 170 pages, 1999] was inspired by Neal Peirce’s Citistates. He reflects his deep love for the City of Seattle, his intimate knowledge of its every detail and his appreciation for the essence of city-building. As a result, Citistate Seattle is a great book for learning both […]
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Citistates: How Urban America Can Prosper in a Competitive World by Neal R. Peirce with Curtis W. Johnson and John Stuart Hall
Summary. Peirce, Johnson and Hall resurrect a concept from the past, the concept of city-states with a history that starts with civilization itself, maybe 10,000 years ago. Their work is based on studies in many regional cities throughout the United States. The book highlights: Phoenix, Seattle, Baltimore, Owensboro, Dallas and St. Paul; concluding with “Citistate Guideposts”. The focus of the […]
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Wicked Problems
Wicked problems is a term of art from the high tech world. Wicked problems are ones where the nature of the problem changes the more you try to solve it. A moving target, much like many social and community problems faced by city planners. City builders deal with problems, sometimes called opportunities, all the time. […]
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Public Entrepreneurs: The Visionary Risk-Takers of an Entrepreneurial City
Public Entrepreneurs: The Visionary Risk-Takers of an Entrepreneurial City describes the role of the city officials and institutional leaders who extend the range and depth of civic initiatives intended to achieve the city’s vision with an aggressive, though measured, strategy to direct all of its actions, expenditures and regulations. ENTREPRENEURS WANTED. Entrepreneurs are icons […]
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Incubation Nation: Where Great Ideas Are Born
Incubation Nation: Where Great Ideas Are Born Spun out of university research labs or started by local entrepreneurs trying to supercharge their hometowns, business incubators are everywhere. This map [see the website for the map] puts the spotlight on 20 initiatives. By Nitasha Tiku and April Joyner | May 1, 2010 FacebookTweetLinkedInEmail
Form Based Code “Lite”: Focus on Streets, Blocks and Buildings.
The use of land development codes based on the form of development rather than the uses within buildings is proving to have two major advantages. The regulations are more likely to produce the desired and expected results; and the resulting post-development buildings and sites are more adaptable to changes of use as city environments and markets […]
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The 20 Best Small Towns to Visit in 2015 by the Smithsonian
(Image © David C. Phillips/Garden Photo World/Corbis; graphic by Shaylyn Esposito) The 20 Best Small Towns to Visit in 2015 by the Smithsonian, published in Apr 16, 2015 follows their Best Small Towns lists from 2014, 2013, and 2012). For the fourth annual version of our list, we once again worked with the geographical information company Esri […]