Category Archives: cities

Odd but necessary bedfellows: Economic Engines & Neighborhood Empowerment

Definitions are in order: What’s an ecomomic engine? What’s Neighborhood Empowerment? So who are the “odd bedfellows” and how might there be a copasetic relationship? So that’s my suggestion after 30+ years working in the community development, economic development, community organizing, and afforable housing fields seeing what works and what does not. As always, letContinue reading “Odd but necessary bedfellows: Economic Engines & Neighborhood Empowerment”

MAKER SPACE as Economic Development Tool

Malls are in decline. They decimated downtowns which lost their luster to the suburban lure of convenient parking and the perception of low crime. Now the malls have become victims of changing consumer habits (i.e, e-commerce, Amazon, etc.), changing perceptions (concerns about crime) and lifestyle changes. In sum, the hunter has become the hunted. YetContinue reading “MAKER SPACE as Economic Development Tool”

The Boiling Point

We’ve all heard the story of the frogs in the pot of water that gradually gets so hot that it boils them and they miss the opportunity to hop out of the pot, Got me to thinking…there’s all sorts of pots that are heating up to the point of no return if we are notContinue reading “The Boiling Point”

Anything can be accomplished with ENOUGH !!!

It’s an odd title for a blog so here’s my explanation: ENOUGH as used here means bringing to bear sufficient resources (i.e, money, manpower, equipment, whatever it takes) to accomplish the task at hand, usually this pertains to a challenge previously considered unsolvable or overwhelming. Why am I thinking about this? Several reasons: During ThanksgivingContinue reading “Anything can be accomplished with ENOUGH !!!”

Looking Back…Looking Forward

One of my best friend’s recently passed away. She was my wife’s best friend going back to her high school days. Wonderful person who will be sorely missed. Taken too soon at an early age of 65 by a rare disease. The elephant in this sorrowful room is the onward march of time. Our generationContinue reading “Looking Back…Looking Forward”