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Detroit, An American Autopsy.
Character towns, even small cities, can learn from Detroit. Detroit, An American Autopsy [2013] by Charlie LeDuff’s requires you to have an opinion about his city and its reason for continuing to be. Mr. LeDuff’s work reveals a heartbreaking story of his city. It was once the best place in America to live and raise […]
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The Worst Streets In North America
The Worst Streets in North America provides examples of really bad streets along with the criteria used for the determination. The analysis provides an object lesson for small cities and owns trying to preserve, enhance or create character in their towns. FacebookTweetLinkedInEmail
City Schools, A Partnership Between the City and the School Board
City Schools is an approach that reflects the concept of city governments having responsibility for the education of their children and adults. In many communities, this responsibility is given to the school board and deemed no longer the responsibility of the city. This is both wrong and short-sighted. The city is the best party to insist […]
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Power Failure, Politics, Patronage, and the Economic Future of Buffalo, New York.
Power Failure [2006] is a terrific analysis of the process whereby a prosperous town deteriorated into a failed city due to its political toxicity. Ms. Dillaway, a professional city planner with twenty-five years of experience in California, has many publications and presentations to her credit. As a native of Buffalo, she returns home and tries to […]
Best Cities for High Schools
Best Cities for High Schools were ranked by U.S. News and World Report. The results are important because of the cities that were ranked and because of the criteria used for the ranking. Every city and town in America understands that its prosperity and economic success depends on the education of its workforce and the […]
The City’s Urban Open Space System; Leverage to Unify the City
The City’s Urban Open Space System is the town’s main tool for unifying the community. It is the primary source of urban beauty, natural resource protection and heritage preservation. The open space system is the holistic amalgam of parks, plazas, public gardens, school grounds, stormwater areas, rivers and lakes all connected with urban recreation trails. […]
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The Third Wave; The Classic Study of the Future.
Character towns can benefit from Toffler’s work.The Third Wave; The Classic Study of the Future was written by Alvin Toffler in 1980, over 30 years ago. It still offers ideas and insights useful in designing today’s small cities and towns. Mr. Toffler is an incredibly smart guy with a deep and fertile understanding of the […]
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Developing Sustainable Planned Communities
Developing Sustainable Planned Communities [2007] offers useful insights to small cities and towns about what features are important to communities of all types. The experience of planned communities is directly transferable to planning and development in existing small cities and towns. Edited by Jo Allen Gause, the primary authors of this collection of essays are […]
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Park Systems Evaluated by PARKSCORE
Park systems evaluated by ParkScore can benefit from the process. ParkScore is a project of The Trust for Public Land, tpl.org, the nation’s largest national nonprofit organization working to create and improve neighborhood parks. The evaluation criteria and process are useful to city planners and urban designers creating parks and parks systems for small character […]
City Finance Plans; Comprehensive Long Range Business Models
City Finance Plans are the vehicles for small cities and towns to take a comprehensive long range view of their sources and uses of funds that define their business model. The City’s Comprehensive Long Range Finance Plan answers the questions about where the city will find money over the long haul to stay in business. As an […]