Comments on: Must Read: How the Crash Will Reshape America

By: Jim

Jim — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 13:43:53 +0000

If by retail, you also include bars and restaurants, retail isn’t on the decline. The neighborhood establishments are still pretty active.

However, retail alone does not make a neighborhood vibrant. It’s anything that gets people out of their houses and cars and onto the street. Nice parks and public spaces that make people want to use them and neighborhood activities (cleanups, caroling, block parties, etc) can make a neighborhood vibrant without the need for retail.

By: jencoleslaw

jencoleslaw — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 20:03:26 +0000

In crisis there is opportunity. Some stores won’t be able to make it, but others will launch. I think retail does make a neighborhood vibrant because it keeps the street busy all day and into the evening.

I guess too, things like public spaces and parks can make a neighborhood vibrant providing there is quality programing in those spaces…

By: Jef Nickerson

Jef Nickerson — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 18:25:50 +0000

# Build cool, interesting neigborhoods and streetscapes to compete for the knowledge worker of tomorrow. They’ll be able to live anywhere they want in the US (and the entire world), and you’ll have to have the civic spaces and places they’ll want to spend their time…

I wonder how we go about this in the current economic climate. I think when people think vibrant neighborhoods, they think retail. Undoubtedly we will see contraction in our neighborhood retail environments before we emerge from this recession. So what besides retail makes neighborhoods and streetscapes active and vibrant?

By: Ted Nesi

Ted Nesi — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 17:50:44 +0000

For my money, Tom Ashbrook is the best broadcaster of his generation, bar none.

By: Marc Doughty

Marc Doughty — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 17:32:31 +0000

I’d like to see Rhode island revamp the way we actually legislate things in order to make things more nimble. Imagine if every law had to be renewed every five years or it would ‘age-out’ of the books. Not only would we keep the number of laws down, but ones that weren’t important would just stop mattering. Reducing the amount of legislation on the books is a great way to keep government up-to-date with the times and to make things like zoning and permitting easier.

Also, another benefit might be to keep the legislature busy renewing laws that matter instead of layering on more dumb ones. I can imagine it now, “I’d love to see a casino, but if I don’t get back to chamber before noon, assault rifles will become legal.”

By: Jef Nickerson

Jef Nickerson — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 14:41:54 +0000

Somehow streamline government and make it more nimble. Per the author, the government that is most flexible and able to react to change will win the economic races of tomorrow…

Like a government which doesn't think the response to having to bail out a failed faux-sino is to build a real casino.