CNT Hits the Coasts to Talk Redevelopment in Cleveland, Cincinnati, Columbus and Chicago’s South Suburbs
CNT staff have racked up frequent flyer miles in recent days as they share our research and initiatives to audiences from coast to coast.
Economic Development Planner Kyle Smith presented CNT’s BUILT In Ohio work to the Local Employment Dynamics (LED) Partnership Workshop in Arlington, VA on March 9.
The BUILT in Ohio project, completed in summer and fall 2010, brought together regional leaders in Cleveland, Columbus, and Cincinnati to assess strengths and weaknesses in regional growth patterns and identify infrastructure investments that could spark a more sustainable pattern of economic development. Using Locational Employment Dynamics (LED) data, CNT characterized how these three urban centers anchor the economy of the state.
Bottom line? Corporate headquarters, major universities, and hospitals provide a stable and diverse set of jobs in Cleveland, Columbus, and Cincinnati. The cities’ urban cores represented 461,214 jobs in 2008 – nearly one out of ten in the state. In total, downtowns and major suburban centers accounted for nearly a million jobs. Because employees who work in urban centers live in dozens of surrounding communities, the vitality of each region is linked to the success of its central city.
Kyle’s presentation sparked a discussion about building consensus with regional stakeholders, including urban and suburban municipalities, business advocates, developers, and non-profit organizations.
Meanwhile, in Long Beach California, David Chandler, CNT’s Principal Business Analyst, presented our efforts to catalyze redevelopment in Chicago’s south suburbs at the Transportation Research Forum (TRF) Conference.
With the theme of “Integrating Transportation: Moving People, Moving Goods,” the conference brought together shippers, government officials, consultants, researchers, suppliers, and others interested in passenger and freight transportation.
David showcased Chicago’s South Suburbs: Smart Growth in Older Communities, a recently published case study of CNT’s work in Blue Island and Harvey that laid the groundwork for Chicago Southland’s Green TIME Zone redevelopment strategy.
Where will CNT be next? Keep an eye on our Events sidebar on the CNT homepage; we continually update our schedule as we arrange speaking engagements, including the Center for New Urbanism’s annual conference in June in Madison.
