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November 14, 2003

Striving for diverse leadership in Cincy

In the news: Washington DC - Growth in spite of itself

Urban Warfare: DC's Unfulfilled Potential: Leadership, Tax Issues Hamper Growth (Washington Post cover story)
By D'Vera Cohn, Nov. 10, 2003 (link expires Nov. 24)
Second of two articles: While most cities have to scratch and scheme to attract out-of-town talent, the nation's capital is among a handful of magnet cities that many young people feel they simply must experience...

A curious thing is happening in Washington D.C. - its leadership's mindset doesn't actively support attracting young people, but they keep coming.

For starters, D.C. limits the growth of its universities, probably in fear of losing government-oriented real estate. Second, any new housing has 'luxury' attached to it. Third, the city's marketing efforts focus on the city's stable job base, not its cultural and entertainment riches. Granted, with an economy based on the federal government, status quo leadership is fitting, but not if it is to ever become the world-class city it can so easily become.

So why do young people keep coming despite these obstacles? Understanding the 'CoolTown three reasons':
Jobs: Where else in the world can you have more influence in changing it?
Affordability: There's enough edgy neighborhoods in D.C. to provide affordable housing for decades. The difference is that even the most undesirable are still well-designed.
Entertainment: This is the most underrated, misunderstood asset of D.C. How many other places can you mingle at an international happy hour, catch a free concert on the Mall, swing at the French Embassy and dance 'til the late morning in a majestic urban piazza - in one evening?

If the city's universities begin expanding in the NoMa district (North of NE Massachusetts Ave.) with affordable housing and workplaces for entrepreneurs and artists, then D.C. may well have the formula for becoming that world class city.

Posted by Neil | Link to Article

November 13, 2003

Striving for diverse leadership in CincyIn the news: Diverse leadership = jobs?

Mid-sized cities get hip to attract young professionals (USA Today cover story)
By Haya El Nasser, Oct. 10, 2003

Summarizing the article:

Pittsburgh, Richmond, Memphis, Tampa, Indianapolis, Baton Rouge, St. Louis, Milwaukee, Tallahassee, Fla., Cincinnati and Fresno, Calif. are intent on diversifying their population by trying to attract younger people. San Francisco, New York, Seattle, Atlanta, Washington and Boston are already there.

What seems to be causing a stir in Cincinnati that a turn-around is imminent? Diverse leadership.

"In Cincinnati, five of the nine city council members are younger than 40, and four are under 35."

Mayor Charlie Luken is making it a priority to create an environment that is conducive to YPs (young professionals), from catalyzing downtown housing to working with 275 companies to create a social volunteer network (a popular YP venue for meeting people).

A couple of YPs sparked a music festival that attracted 10,000. The chamber of commerce, which had already launched YPCincy, helped fund the next festival with the city this year and 25,000 attended.

"Nicholas Spencer, 25 and a native, is running for the council. He's the founder of Cincinnati Tomorrow, a non-profit group that wrote a plan to make the city cooler, including helping black musicians record their work."

Joff Moine, 30, grew up in Columbus, Ohio, went to the University of Cincinnati and lived in Chicago for five years, came back and founded the Cincinnati Sports Leagues for young professionals.

"Najoh Tita-Reid was mortified when P&G offered her a job at its Cincinnati headquarters. She was 25... She agreed to try it for two years, has been (in Cincinatti for) five... became a mentor and founded the Cincinnati Partnership to keep YPs (young professionals) of color in Cincinnati."

Leadership by example, as they say, is the most effective form of leadership.

Posted by Neil | Link to Article

November 12, 2003

An unfair matchIn the news: Seattle vs. Cleveland: And the winner is...

Seattle. Yawn.

Brain-Gain Cities Attract Educated Young (Washington Post cover story)
By Blaine Harden, Nov. 9, 2003 (link expires Nov. 23)
First of two articles: Seattle: In a Darwinian fight for survival, American cities are scheming to steal each other's young. They want ambitious young...

Of course it's Seattle, since the city encourages job creation through its major universities; focuses on cutting edge entertainment, music and recreation; remains young (it's rainy weather makes it the anti-retirement city); kept its long-ago entrepreneurs happy (ie Bill Gates and Paul Allen) yada yada yada...

...and the loser is Cleveland, still losing talent every year. It just isn't a very happening place to be after college. Maybe it's because most of its rust-belt era leaders are still in charge, as the article suggests? See tomorrow's blog.

It's getting rather depressing to hear how these behemoth cities like Cleveland can't turn their giant ships around. Small/rural towns are much more nimble, and their 'economic garden fields' (defined acreages where entrepreneurs are located) are smaller too, thus easier to 'fertilize'. Big cities’ 'economic garden fields’ are enormous - if only they'd focus on tending to one smaller economic garden (ie a few entrepreneur/gazelle-oriented city blocks) and growing from there rather than trying to fertilize the whole darn city/downtown and gaining little momentum. Of course, this can work with small towns too...

Just as large, slow-moving corporations spark innovation and new growth through skunkworks operations, so too can cities and towns through investing in skunkworks neighborhoods.

Posted by Neil | Link to Article

November 11, 2003

Take a break on Veteran's Day

Take the day off, re-recognize your freedoms and refresh your mind.

Posted by Neil | Link to Article

November 10, 2003

Inspiration for Coppola's next film?In the News: Francis Ford Coppola's CoolTown

Perhaps we'll be able to see a next generation CoolTown in less than two years - on the big screen. The director of the Godfather is researching the 'coolest cities' around the world (e.g. Curitiba, Brazil) in writing a script for his next movie, 'Megalopolis', inspired by the 1936 movie of H.G Wells' "The Shape of Things to Come."

From CBS News:

"I'm not looking for Flash Gordon or fantasy or Star Wars. It's 'what' will people 100 or 500 years from now be living in and what will it be like?", says Coppola.

In Coppola's vision, there will have to be streets designed for people to walk, not for cars to race. Mass transit will be essential, as will the basics of power generation and water purification. But the people won't need many offices or factories. In Coppola's city of the future, drudgery is banished.

People will need space to create, and most dwellings will have workshops or craft space appended. They'll also need spaces to enjoy the creations of others, from art galleries to playhouses.

There will be areas of research and study, and areas for sharing what you've learned with others. There will be places of celebration where people can mark the milestones of life, and places of perfecting where they can maintain their health, body and spirit.

"We will work out our dwelling spaces so they are really comfortable," but not necessarily so big. "More and more of our 'stuff' is becoming digital and people are going to have less stuff," and the need of space to store it. "Places will become more programmable, more customizable," Coppola said.

Posted by Neil | Link to Article