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May 9, 2003
Yes, CoolTown transportation is very affordable
Since the price of shoes today is typically over $100, maybe not (unless you know someone who works at Footlocker like I do). There's even CoolTown shoes for walking commuters, which I'll cover down the road.
For regular readers of the blog or those familiar with the concept, you're probably more than aware of the walkable theme. Cars in CoolTowns are often actually more hindrance than help, and when they're truly needed, ownership can be temporary. Subways and streetcars are a relative bargain and often faster than driving in the city (believe me!). Then there's always biking, scooting and my personal favorite.
As a close to CoolTown affordability week, may I suggest this award-winning magazine to keep on top of how you can get more for less.
Posted by Neil | Link to Article
May 8, 2003
CoolTowns have lots of free entertainment venues
I always held the opinion that the best forms of entertainment were free, and CoolTowns have plenty of it. Here's a few reasons why:
1. Plenty of outdoor 'stages'. Entertainers need stages, and piazzas, squares, plazas, courtyards and amphitheaters provide these with ready-made audiences. We simply need more of these natural stages.
2. Indoor stages, aka third places. Outdoor stages are third places as well, but because they're not enough good examples in the country, they're not mentioned in the press.
3. Lots of people who aren't afraid to have outside-of-the-box fun. San Francisco has the Midnight Rollers, a 13-mile Friday night skate through the heart of the city. The record is supposedly 702 skaters. My favorite part was circling under the Palace of Fine Arts dome, one of the grandest stages anywhere in the city.
4. Did I say plenty of outdoor stages? Whether it's swing dances in my neighborhood square, bon dances in Hawaii, or dance festivals in the piazzas of Europe, it just seems antithetical to have such events without passing the CoolTown water test.
Posted by Neil | Link to Article
May 7, 2003
How to create affordable office space in a CoolTown
1. Preserve old buildings and walkable neighborhoods (less parking costs). Outdated, inflated parking requirements is easily the #1 reason why investors ignore cities and town centers.
2. Build office interiors with an open floor plan system (few or no walls, just like the new home trend) and exposed ceilings. Not only does this reduce costs, but it also creates a greater sense of space and creativity.
3. For entrepreneurs and artists, provide offices that share reception areas/conference rooms/office equipment (like where I'm at) that provide the advantages of a big office without the hassle and price tag.
4. Use your free 'neighborhood offices'; the third places with 50 mb/sec wireless megaband (50x faster than DSL), from local hot spots like Tryst Cafe to nationals like Starbucks*.
5. Work at home! In a CoolTown, you'd have at the very least 100 mb/sec (100x faster than DSL)
* CoolTowns prioritize locals over nationals, simply because they're more in tune with the community.
** Do the lamps in the third photograph look familiar?
Posted by Neil | Link to Article
May 6, 2003
How do 'starving artists' live in the most expensive cities?
It is fundamental to understand that cities often prosper because of artists. Artists can also be more broadly defined as the creative class. Here's how they thrive in the midst of city neighborhoods with million dollar homes:
1. Artists look for better-designed homes that are not so big, which means more light, an open floor plan/less compartmentalization and maybe higher ceilings.
2. Artists would trade off expensive front and back yards for great views and lots of nearby parks, both free.
3. As Jane Jacobs says, old buildings play an important role here. Most artists prefer older buildings with more character as well.
4. Housemates provide company and cut rent/mortgage payments in half or more.
5. Car? Don't need one in a walkable community - which coincidentally, is what the most expensive city neighborhoods are.
If all else fails, perhaps Artspace is building an inexpensive artists' loft near you, but you really have to be an artist!
Posted by Neil | Link to Article
May 5, 2003
Want a prosperous town fast?
Combine affordability and great design. Prosperity comes from jobs. Jobs come from job creators, the most prolific being entrepreneurs. Entrepreneurs, when they're cash-strapped before their business ideas hit it big, need affordable housing (lofts, shared living), affordable office space (unfinished, open floor plan), affordable transportation (walkability, mass transit), and affordable entertainment (parks, piazzas, bars, dancing, casual dining). The trick is, it can't be cheap, but very well designed.
Doesn't great design mean 'more expensive'? Not any more. With our information-age ability to understand customer preferences and mass customize, we can get great design very affordably. Some companies have a great headstart, like Ikea (love this web site!), Target, and Nissan. The lamp below, which you'll find in a lot of modern interiors, is $7.95 at Ikea.
How does this translate to town building? Stay tuned this week.
Posted by Neil | Link to Article
