This policy focus report explores the challenges of regenerating
America's legacy cities--older industrial cities that have
experienced sustained job and population loss over the past few
decades. It identifies the powerful obstacles that stand in the way
of fundamental change in the dynamics of these cities, and suggests
directions by which cities can overcome those obstacles and embark
on the path of regeneration.
While almost all of the nation's older industrial cities declined
through the 1980s, the picture has changed in more recent decades.
The report examines 18 representative cities to explore how their
trajectories have changed, with some showing signs of revival while
others continued to decline. These 18 cities were selected from a
universe of approximately 50 legacy cities, which met two primary
criteria: population of at least 50,000 in 2010; and loss of at
least 20 percent from the city's peak population. The cities
represent geographic diversity, including New England,
Mid-Atlantic, Southern, and Midwestern cities, as well as variation
in their level of recovery or regeneration.
Alan Mallach and Lavea Brachman lay the groundwork by exploring the
challenges these cities face and reviewing the economic, social,
market, physical, and operational factors that have led to their
present condition. The relative health or vitality of each of these
cities was tracked with 15 separate indicators to measure
population change, socioeconomic condition, housing markets, and
economic activity. Some appear highly successful, at least in
relative terms; others are clearly unsuccessful; and others fall in
between.
Legacy cities have many assets that can be starting points for
revitalization and change, including downtown employment bases,
stable neighborhoods, multimodal transportation networks, colleges
and universities, local businesses, historic buildings and areas,
and arts, cultural, and entertainment facilities. A renewed
competitive advantage, which will enable them to build new economic
engines and draw new populations, is likely to come from leveraging
the value of their assets.
The authors argue that regeneration is grounded in the cities'
abilities to find new forms, including new physical forms that
address the loss of population and changing economy. New models of
governance and leadership, new forms of export-oriented economic
activity, and new ways of building stronger regional and
metropolitan relationships are other vehicles to successful
regeneration.
In further addressing "what does it take to change?" the authors
discuss what is meant by successful regeneration, followed by an
exploration of obstacles to change, leading to the presentation of
a model, which they call strategic incrementalism, as a framework
with which cities can overcome these obstacles and pursue
successful change.
The final section offers a series of recommendations to foster
change in the nation's legacy cities. These include:
- rebuilding the central core;
- sustaining viable neighborhoods;
- repurposing vacant land for new activities;
- using assets to build cities' competitive advantages;
- re-establishing the central economic role of the city;
- using economic growth to increase community and resident
well-being;
- building stronger local governance and partnerships;
- building stronger ties between legacy cities and their
regions;
- making change happen through strategic incrementalism; and
- rethinking state and federal policy toward legacy cities.
General
Is the information for this product incomplete, wrong or inappropriate?
Let us know about it.
Does this product have an incorrect or missing image?
Send us a new image.
Is this product missing categories?
Add more categories.
Review This Product
No reviews yet - be the first to create one!
Welcome to Loot.co.za!
Sign in / Register |Wishlists & Gift Vouchers |Help | Advanced search
