NP’s recent work with two universities laid the foundation for new developments that will support the economic growth of the universities’ host cities (and states):

University of Dayton Invests in City’s Future
The University of Dayton was featured recently in The Atlantic for its commitment to the revitalization of the city of Dayton, OH.  It is among a class of institutions of higher learning that recognize the important role they play in creating new economic opportunities for their communities.  The University’s “onMain” project was one of efforts featured; it is a partnership with Premier Health to revitalize a 38-acre former fairgrounds site (for which NP provided economic and feasibility analysis). 
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New Development in UGA’s Innovation District
The University of Georgia (UGA) is moving forward with a new physical space to catalyze the institution’s new Innovation District.  Its $4.4 million renovation of its former Business Service Annex building will be the second building re-purposed to support innovation in the district and will include flex space for entrepreneurs, meeting rooms, and collaborative spaces.   The development follows from recommendations NP put forward as part of the Athens Innovation Initiative in 2018, which highlighted the growth and focus of UGA research as well as the need for flexible work space. 

​Three NP projects made the news recently for their efforts to move from redevelopment plans to action including a site re-use project in Ohio, a downtown district in Massachusetts, and riverfront redevelopment in Connecticut:

$30 Million Commitment to Spur Site Redevelopment in Dayton, OH   
Premier Health and the City of Dayton, OH have pledged $15 million each to redevelop the Good Samaritan Hospital site in Northwest Dayton.  The City and Premier Health plan to use their funds to secure additional public and private funds in order to redevelop the site for a mix of uses that encourage market rate housing and new job creation.    The pledge comes as result of the recently completed Phoenix Next project, which engaged community members and stakeholders in planning for the future of the 13-acre site.  NP prepared the economic and data analysis to support the redevelopment planning.

As NP wrote about in July, the City of Richardson, Texas launched the Collins/Arapaho Transit-Oriented Development and Innovation District Study in April 2018 with the intention of creating a vision and plan for a 1,200-acre industrial area within the city. The district is at the heart of Richardson’s Telecom Corridor®, which has been a job center and hub of technology and innovation in the region. 

The American Planning Association’s Texas Chapter has recognized the project for its excellence in economic development planning with a Silver Award, to be celebrated at the organization’s upcoming conference in November.   These awards recognize efforts to transform economies and stimulate economic development.

In September the City received a Made to Move grant in recognition of its efforts to improve mobility; it is among five cities that will share $500,000 in funding.   The city will implement a “road diet”, which will remove driving lanes and add bicycle lanes and an at-grade pedestrian crossing to better integrate the light-rail station with the planned Innovation District as well as help install the City’s first roundabouts to help calm traffic.   

In addition to the placemaking efforts that NP wrote about in July, the Study puts forward strategies to update the district’s older, industrial building stock in order to attract new businesses and support entrepreneurs who are looking to start or scale up.  The City is considering ways to incentivize the modernization of buildings and enable greater zoning flexibility in industrial zones.  Currently, the City is reviewing a draft form based code for the district.

The OnMain District in Dayton continues to move forward with several important milestones.  The District encompasses a 38-acre former fairgrounds site, which is being re-imagined as a new mixed use, pedestrian friendly development in the heart of the city.

Demolition on the existing fairground buildings has been completed setting the stage for redevelopment.  In addition, the project hit another key milestone when the Dayton Planning Board approved the plan for redevelopment. 
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OnMain is a direct result of the Fairgrounds for the Future process, for which NP provided real estate, economic development and feasibility analysis.  NP is continuing to provide support to OnMain Inc. – the master developer and manager of the property.

Forward Together, an ambitious project to establish a shared vision for Flint and Genesee County’s economic future, kicked off in February with the first convening of the 24-member Steering Committee. The effort is supported by a unique partnership between the City of Flint, Genesee County, and the Flint & Genesee Chamber of Commerce.

Through a highly participatory and inclusive process Forward Together intends to create a community-developed vision and blueprint for achieving economic vitality in the region.  NP will provide economic analysis for the Planning NEXT lead consultant team.

New Haven, CT was among the 50 cities recently announced by the National League of Cities to participate in the $100 million City Innovation Ecosystem Program.  This program recognizes cities that have made specific and significant commitments to support their local innovation economies and provides resources to help grow a new generation of talent and innovation driven businesses. 

New Haven’s commitment is to double the number of professional software coders by 2022.   This goal is part of the city’s new joint effort to become “the city that codes”.  The effort has three key strategies:

·       Inclusive recruitment to engage those in the community currently detached from the tech sector;
·       Skill development through informal clubs, short academies and other stepping stones to skills; and
·       Professional-level training at a new satellite location of Silicon Valley’s Holberton School.
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New Haven’s program builds from the city’s recent work to support innovation through CTNext’s Innovation Places program. Ninigret Partners, working with the Elm City Innovation Collaborative and other local partners, prepared the strategic plan and submission that led the award for the CTNext program.  NP has also been actively involved in providing strategic advice to the city on growing its digital and biotech sectors.

What exactly is economic development?  And what does it take to do it well?

These are the kinds of questions that Urbanophile Aaron Renn dives into with NP's Kevin Hively and Interface Studio's Scott Page  in a recent podcast.  This is the second of two podcasts, the first of which focused on talent. 

Kevin and Scott provide insights on the best ways to understand your local economy as well as key factors for economic growth, particularly in the downtown and innovation district context.   Here's a hint...it's a lot more about evangelists and patron saints than it is about real estate.

Take a listen.

​Talent is the primary criteria for economic development these days.  So what can cities do to attract, grow and retain it? And what are the up and coming cities that have a shot at being the next hot place people want to be?

Take a listen to Urbanophile Aaron Renn's interview with NP's Kevin Hively and Interface Studio's Scott Page to find out.  Using the Amazon HQ2 decision as a launch point, they offer up insights on how we can better understand the potential for talent in a place and what economic developers and planning professionals actually can do to influence the growth of talent in a city.