By Matt Tester, Project Associate.   …is increasingly called a bicycle.   American cities are warming to the idea that bike-sharing systems are a valuable means of generating downtown activity, providing viable alternative transportation, and encouraging healthy living. And this, despite their European roots! Several major cities debuted or announced major downtown systems in 2010, and some recent federal policy changes could continue building bike-sharing momentum. ...

By Will Corbin, Project Associate.    The harsh economic realities of the present day have forced local government leadership to rely more on private organizations and non-profits in order to spur economic and community development. Public-private partnerships like this represent one of the many ways successful communities sustain positive development.   One of the main roles of local governments across the United States is providing public services to citizens in...

By Ranada Robinson, Project Associate.   Everyone who knows me knows that one of my least favorite pastimes is driving in traffic. Any time I have to drive from one area of Atlanta to another, especially if it’s any time between 4:00 pm and 6:30 pm, I’m frustrated and tense by the time I get to my destination. And that’s before I start thinking of what I could have been doing if I had not needed to leave extra early to ensure I get there on time. Luckily, I am able to use public...

By Alex Pearlstein, Senior Project Manager.     I’ve recently relocated to Des Moines, Iowa as my wife attends medical school here. Needless to say, there are more than a few differences between Iowa’s capital city and Georgia’s (Atlanta), where I spent the last eight years of my life. All in all, government seems to work better here, as do city services. Metal plates lodged in the roadway during repair projects are actually removed in a day or two; in Atlanta, they become permanent...

By William Teasley, Project Manager.      The current economic crisis facing our nation has impacted every facet of our economy. In addition to the conditions the helped cause the current recession, there is growing awareness of the other toxic debt assets out there, commercial mortgages. Commercial, industrial, and retail facility closures are adding additional strain on these as well as creating significant vacant space in a fragile economy.   In a former professional life, I...

By Alex Pearlstein, Senior Project Manager.   Well, the Texas Transportation Institute (TTI) has released its latest Urban Mobility Report and the most respected traffic-congestion analysis in our fair land has determined that traffic-related delays have actually DECREASED in recent years.  As numerous catty newspaper reports have noted, tell that to John and Jane Doe stuck in their idling Taurus on any number of clogged U.S. highways.  TTI also poured a mountain of salt on the report...

By Ranada Robinson, Project Associate.  During this time of economic struggle and record-breaking amounts of foreclosures, an issue for cities that may become increasingly significant is property vacancy.  Vacant or abandoned buildings can present a major challenge for cities as they attract crime, negatively impact property values and tax revenues, and can discourage development.  To combat this waste of space, Smart Growth America, Local Initiatives Support Corporation, the Metropolitan...

By Ranada Robinson, Project Associate.  At Market Street , we believe that because U.S. workers now pick where they want to live first and find a job second, economically competitive places are those that offer a high quality of life.  Of course, quality of life is a somewhat abstract and subjective concept that cannot be specifically measured.  However, in addition to cost of living, most people agree that cultural amenities play a major role in attracting people, especially young...

By Alex Pearlstein, Senior Project Manager.  The latest of what are seemingly monthly lists of the “best place” to live, date, work, start a company, start a family, retire, un-retire, etc., came from Forbes Magazine in its assessment of the  “Most Livable Cities” in the United States .   Topping the list for 2009 is Portland, Maine.  Rounding out the top five are Bethesda, Maryland; Des Moines, Iowa; Stamford, Connecticut; and Tulsa, Oklahoma.  As with other lists of this type,...

I had an interesting conversation with a colleague the other day.  He mentioned how it makes him sad to return to his hometown in New Jersey, a once quaint and unique place that has become another faceless assembly of strip malls and big box stores.   Undoubtedly, we have all experienced returning to a familiar place only to be confronted with mediocre or disappointing changes only to think:  is this the best we can do?  In 2004, Brookings  published “Toward a New Metropolis: The...

I am a non-traditional worker, telecommuting for Atlanta-based Market Street from my hometown of Chicago.    While you get less bang-for-your-buck in real estate here,  it is easy to live without a car – something that is an absolute necessity in Atlanta.  My ability to access transit and live in a pedestrian and bike friendly environment car-free translates to an additional estimated $30,000 in home purchasing power.  So, transit infrastructure can be both green - in terms of regional...

Continuing a trend initiated by books such as Richard Florida’s “Rise of the Creative Class” and perpetuated by a growing movement of economic development professionals that argue workforce talent will be the key driver of future growth, communities are increasingly focusing on their local “amenities” to retain and attract skilled professionals.  A recent  article in the Boston Globe discussed the latest research to support this theory.   In a report published by the Federal Reserve Bank...