United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
May 2015
www.epa.gov/smartgrowth
- • "
HOW SMALL TOWNS AND CITIES CAN USE
LOCAL ASSETS TO REBUILD THEIR ECONOMIES
LESSONS FROM SUCCESSFUL PLACES
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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
This report was prepared by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Office of
Sustainable Communities with the assistance of CH2M Hill and Smart Growth America under
contract number EP-W-11-011.
EPA project leads: Nora Johnson (ORISE Fellow), Adhir Kackar, and Melissa Kramer
If you have questions about this publication, please contact:
Melissa Kramer
Office of Sustainable Communities
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW (MC 1807T)
Washington, DC 20460
Tel 202-564-8497
kramer.melissa@epa.gov
Reviewers from EPA:
• Stephanie Bertaina, Matt Dalbey, Linzy French, Megan Susman, and Kyle Theilacker, Office
of Sustainable Communities
• Robin Jenkins and Patrick Walsh, National Center for Environmental Economics
External reviewers:
• Chris Beck, U.S. Department of Agriculture
• Dan Lurie, National Endowment for the Arts
• Megan McConville, National Association of Development Organizations
• Aden Van Noppen, White House Council on Strong Cities, Strong Communities
Cover photo credits:
• Main photo: Paducah, Kentucky, courtesy of Calebism via Flickr.com
• Bottom left photo: Dubuque, Iowa, courtesy of city of Dubuque
• Bottom center photo: Emporia, Kansas, courtesy of Emporia Main Street
• Bottom right photo: Roanoke, Virginia, courtesy of St. Steele via Flickr.com
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Executive Summary i
I. Introduction 1
II. Bend, Oregon 9
III. Douglas, Georgia 13
IV. Dubuque, Iowa 16
V. Emporia, Kansas 21
VI. Mount Morris, New York 24
VII. Paducah, Kentucky 27
VIII. Roanoke, Virginia 32
IX. Conclusion 38
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Over time, all communities experience changes that affect the industries, technologies, and land use
patterns that help form the foundation of their local economies. Economically resilient towns, cities,
and regions adapt to changing conditions and even reinvent their economic bases if necessary. Even
if the community has lost its original or main economic driver, it has other assets that it can use to
spur the local economy. While most economic development strategies involve some effort to recruit
major employers, such as manufacturers or large retailers, many successful small towns and cities
complement recruitment by emphasizing their existing assets and distinctive resources. This report
examines case studies of small towns and cities that have successfully used this approach, including:
• Bend, Oregon (population 79,000).
• Douglas, Georgia (population 12,000).
• Dubuque, Iowa (population 58,000).
• Emporia, Kansas (population 25,000).
• Mount Morris, New York (population 2,900).
• Paducah, Kentucky (population 25,000).
• Roanoke, Virginia (population 98,000).
While no magic bullet or set process will work everywhere, these case studies illustrate several
successful tactics that other communities can use:
• Identify and build on existing assets. Identify the assets that offer the best opportunities
for growth and develop strategies to support them. Assets might include natural beauty and
outdoor recreation, historic downtowns, or arts and cultural institutions.
• Engage all members of the community to plan for the future. Engage residents,
business owners, and other stakeholders to develop a vision for the community's future.
Stakeholder engagement helps ensure plans reflect the community's desires, needs, and goals
and generates public support that can maintain momentum for implementing changes
through election cycles and city staff turnover.
• Take advantage of outside funding. Even a small amount of outside funding applied
strategically to support a community's vision and plans can help increase local interest and
commitment in the area and spur private investment.
• Create incentives for redevelopment, and encourage investment in the community.
Make it easier for interested businesses and developers to invest in the community in ways
that support the community's long-term priorities.
• Encourage cooperation within the community and across the region. Cooperation to
achieve jointly established priorities helps leverage the assets that each party can bring to the
table to make the most of the region's resources.
• Support a clean and healthy environment. Invest in natural assets by protecting natural
resources and cleaning up and redeveloping polluted properties, which makes productive use
of existing transportation, water, and utility infrastructure; increases the tax base and
employment opportunities; removes environmental contamination; and helps spur investment
in surrounding properties.
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I. INTRODUCTION
Bend, Oregon
Over time, all communities experience changes that affect the industries, technologies, and land use
patterns that help form the foundation of their local economies. Economically resilient towns, cities,
and regions adapt to changing conditions and even reinvent their economic bases if necessary.
However, smaller communities often have a more difficult time making significant adjustments.
They are more likely to depend on a single economic sector, and they might not have the
infrastructure, facilities, and human capital they need to tackle the complicated economic and social
challenges they face.1 As a result, many small towns and cities across the country have seen their job
base shrink. Many residents move to other places with more opportunities, leaving behind those
with few other options and concentrating poverty in struggling communities.
Traditionally, many
communities focus their
economic development
efforts on recruiting major
employers such as
manufacturers or large
retailers. Many communities
focus on attracting clusters
of related firms and
institutions that can benefit
from being close to each
other. While these
recruitment strategies can
bring new jobs to a
community, recruitment
often simply moves jobs
from one region to another,
rather than creating new
jobs. Relying on recruitment
alone can be particularly
challenging for small towns and cities, because local governments often offer land, tax relief, and
other incentives to attract employers. Small communities often are unable to offer the same level of
resources and incentives as larger cities, which makes it difficult for them to compete.
-,
ork'"
Dubuaue Iowa Mount Morris, New York
X '
Emporia, Kansas
l^' Roarioke" Virginia
Paclucah, Kentucky ~
/'
', .Douglas, Georgia
Exhibit 1. Locations of communities profiled. Communities across the
country are using local assets to rebuild their economies.
While most economic development strategies involve some recruitment activities, many successful
small towns and cities complement recruitment by emphasizing their existing assets and distinctive
resources. Even if the community has lost its original or main economic driver, it has other assets
that it can use to spur the local economy and rebuild its economic foundation. This report examines
case studies of small towns and cities that have successfully used this approach. The communities
profiled are:
1 Fender, John, Alexander Marre, and Richard Reeder. Rural Wealth Creation Concepts, Strategies, and Measures. U.S.
Department of Agriculture. 2012. http://www.ers.usda.gov/publications/err-economic-research-report/errl31.aspx.
2 For a general discussion of these themes, see Fulton, William. Romancing The Smokestack: Horn Cities and States Shape
Prosperity. Ventura, Ca.: Solimar Press, 2010.
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• Bend, Oregon (population 79,000).
• Douglas, Georgia (population 12,000).
• Dubuque, Iowa (population 58,000).
• Emporia, Kansas (population 25,000).
• Mount Morris, New York (population 2,900).
• Paducah, Kentucky (population 25,000).
• Roanoke, Virginia (population 98,000).
While no magic bullet or set process will work everywhere, these case studies illustrate several
successful tactics that other communities can use:
A. Identify and build on existing assets.
B. Engage all members of the community to plan for the future.
C. Take advantage of outside funding.
D. Create incentives for redevelopment, and encourage investment in the community.
E. Encourage cooperation within the community and across the region.
F. Support a clean and healthy environment.
A. Identify and Build on Existing Assets
Virtually every community, regardless of size or circumstance, has assets that can be part of building
a resilient economy. Successful communities identify the assets that offer the best opportunities for
growth and develop strategies to support them. Assets might include natural beauty and outdoor
recreation, historic downtowns, or arts and cultural institutions. For example, Paducah, Kentucky,
developed a cohesive identity
around its core assets of artistic
and cultural offerings, the Ohio
River, and its rich history. The
city provides financial and
marketing support for cultural
institutions, such as a quilt
museum and a performing arts
center, that draw activity and
tourists downtown. Nonprofit
arts and culture organizations
generated $39.9 million in local
economic activity in the Greater
Paducah region in 2007 alone,
supporting 819 full-time jobs
and generating $3.6 million in
local and state government
Exhibit 2. Flood Wall in Paducah. The flood wall that protects historic
Paducah is covered with murals that depict scenes of important historical
moments for the city.
revenue.
3 Americans for the Arts. Arts &'Economic Prosperity III. 2009.
http://paducahkv.gov/paducah/files/GreaterPaducahKY FinalReportw03.pdf.
2
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Virtually every community began and grew because its location supported economic activity. Cities
were built to take advantage of natural resources and trade routes along rivers or other
transportation corridors. Many communities, especially small towns and cities, historically based
their economies on resource production and extraction with industries such as agriculture, mining,
or timber. Some communities have recognized that conserving and restoring natural resources for
outdoor recreation and tourism can help build a stronger, more diverse economy. Both Roanoke,
Virginia, and Bend, Oregon, have remade themselves as outdoor recreational destinations. They
have attracted new residents, visitors, and entrepreneurs, many of whom capitalize on their location
by starting related businesses such as manufacturing outdoor recreational equipment. Dubuque,
Iowa, recognized that its river was central to its identity and that reconnecting the city's residents
with this neglected natural asset could spark revitalization of the surrounding area.
Historic downtowns are also
important assets that
communities can use to help
spur their economies.
Downtowns help define a
community's identity
through distinctive, often
historic architecture; shops
and restaurants; and
community gathering places.
Maintaining the places and
institutions that make a
community special
contributes to a sense of
place and neighborhood
identity, which help retain existing residents and could attract new residents and businesses.
Virtually all the case study communities worked to revitalize and beautify their downtowns because
a downtown center of activity is an important part of the foundation of many local economies.
Downtown revitalization strategies vary but include reducing vacancies, providing incentives to fix
building facades, improving streetscapes, and creating parks and greenways. Emporia, Kansas,
created design guidelines for its downtown to promote development that contributes to the
community's existing historic fabric and character.4 Emporia also used the Main Street Four Point
Approach, a preservation-based tool for economic development that has helped many small towns
reap financial rewards by investing in revitalizing downtowns.5
Government agencies, private businesses, nonprofit organizations, and community institutions can
also be assets and core components of a local economy. In Roanoke, Virginia, Carilion Health
Systems, Virginia Tech, and the University of Virginia have made major investments to redevelop
former rail property adjacent to downtown, creating a new economic engine for the city. An asset
mapping exercise can identify strengths the community can build on, assess their potential to catalyze
development, and help develop and implement strategies to make the most of these assets. The
Exhibit 3. Before (left) and after (right) renovation in Downtown
Emporia. With the city's encouragement, local businesses are adopting
design standards that help make the area appealing to shoppers.
4 Emporia Main Street. Downtown Design Guidelines. 2008. http://www.emporiamainstreet.com/Forms/Emporia%20
Main%20Street%20Guidelines,%205-20-09.pdf.
5 National Main Street Center. "The Main Street Four Point Approach." http:// www.preservationnation.org/main-
street/about-main-street/the-approach/. Accessed Mar. 4, 2015.
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Council on Competitiveness developed a guide to help leaders first identify human, capital,
institutional, and intangible assets and then integrate them into a strategy for regional innovation.6 This
guide and other tools for community asset mapping7 can be easily adapted for different areas of focus
and geographic contexts.
B. Engage All Members of the Community to Plan for the Future
Communities that successfully retool their economies engage residents, business owners, and other
stakeholders to develop a vision for the community's future. Stakeholder engagement helps ensure
that plans reflect the community's desires, needs, and goals and generates public support that can
maintain momentum for implementing changes through election cycles and city staff turnover.
None of the communities profiled here implemented all the changes overnight; a long-range plan is
necessary to guide work over many years. Planning often involves considerable effort coordinating
and integrating multiple processes to ensure they complement each other and work together to
achieve the community's goals. Comprehensive plans, area master plans, economic development
plans, and other local and regional plans can help identify incremental steps that will move the
community forward.
In 2005, Dubuque, Iowa,
invested in a stakeholder-driven
planning process to identify 10
high-impact projects for the city.
Tens of thousands of people
submitted ideas, and community
members selected the projects.
The community-driven process
gave the ideas credibility among
donors and residents. All of the
projects have been completed or
are underway. Roanoke, Virginia,
launched an extensive public
participation process in 2000 to
develop a vision for the future.
Ultimately, Vision 2001-2020, the
city's comprehensive plan, was
passed in 2001, incorporating
input from a citizens' advisory
Exhibit 4. Historic Millwork District in Dubuque. Community
members identified restoration of the historic Millwork District as one of
10 high-impact projects. Renovated warehouse buildings anchor the
neighborhood and preserve a vital part of the city's history and culture.
6 Council on Competitiveness. Asset Mapping Roadmap: A Guide to Assessing Regional Development Resources. 2007.
http://ncf.compete.org/publications/detail/33/asset-mapping-roadmap-a-guide-to-assessing-regional-development-
resources/.
7 U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Connecting to Success: Neighborhood Networks Asset Mapping Guide.
Undated. http://lnshhq05w.hud.gov/NN/websites.nsf/AttachmentsA/456E7EEFD772500C8525703F00614E6A
/$File/assetmapping.pdf?OpenElement.
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committee, citizen-based task teams, city staff, consultants, the planning commission, city council,
and the public. With the community-supported comprehensive plan to guide development decisions,
the city could move forward with confidence.8
Planning is also an important, and often necessary, tool to help communities obtain funding for
implementation. Dubuque, Iowa, created a comprehensive plan in 1995 and has used it, along with
plan updates in 2002 and 2007, to guide its redevelopment efforts. One of these efforts was a plan
to transform the Mississippi riverfront into a walkable, mixed-use neighborhood. Having a cohesive
vision for the area helped raise the $188 million needed for the 90-acre riverfront revitalization
project from city, state, and federal sources; the Dubuque County Historical Society; and private
investment.9
C. Take Advantage of Outside Funding
While philanthropic, federal, and state funding is
important to communities of all sizes, it is
particularly helpful to smaller communities that
have limited resources to deal with challenges such
as out-of-date infrastructure, vacant and possibly
contaminated properties, and relatively few
amenities to attract new residents and businesses.
Even a small amount of outside money applied
strategically to support a community's vision and
plans can help increase local interest and
commitment in the area and spur private
investment. For example, Douglas, Georgia,
jumpstarted its downtown revitalization through a
streetscape project funded in part by a federal
Transportation Enhancements grant. Mount
Morris, New York, used a grant from the state's
Main Street Program to help restore downtown
buildings, which spurred additional private
investment. Roanoke, Virginia, used a state
program to designate an area as an Enterprise
Zone, making new or expanding businesses in that
area eligible for incentives including facade grants,
tax exemptions, and fee waivers.
Exhibit 5. New Family Theater in Mount
Morris. In 2010, Mount Morris received a
$433,500 grant from Restore NY to preserve and
renovate the art deco facade and marquee of the
1930s New Family Theater and repurpose the
building.
Communities can also create their own financial
incentive programs. Small public investments can be narrowly targeted to encourage private
property owners in particular areas to contribute their own resources, creating a cumulative effect
that is greater than the sum of its parts. For example, Douglas, Georgia, helped renovate 40 facades
8 City of Dubuque. Masterpiece on the Mississippi: Application for Iowa Great Places. 2006. http://www.iowagreatplaces.gov/
profiles /as sets /dubuque-gp.pdf.
9 URS Corporation, Leland Consulting Group, and EDG, Ltd. Port of Dubuque Master Plan. City of Dubuque. 2002.
http://www.citvofdubuque.org/DocumentCenter/Home/View/288.
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in its downtown by offering small facade-improvement grants to businesses spending an equal
amount of their own money.
D. Create Incentives for Redevelopment, and Encourage Investment in
the Community
Many communities reinvent their economies by making it easier for interested businesses and
developers to invest in the community in ways that support the community's long-term priorities.
Tactics to facilitate private-sector investment include streamlining the development process,
providing technical assistance, and creating informational guides.
Town leaders in Emporia, Kansas, partnered with Emporia's Main Street Program to create a "code
team" that brings together code officials, firefighters, engineers, and zoning staff to meet with new
or expanding business owners at the business site to clarify requirements expeditiously. To help
small businesses, Douglas, Georgia, created a guide for starting and growing a business that outlines
local resources, permitting and zoning processes, tax policies, and steps to get business loans.10 The
Mount Morris, New York, downtown development program gave private developers an inventory
of all the downtown buildings with information that helped encourage private investment, including
physical characteristics, rental rates, ownership, and identification of tax-delinquent properties and
those near foreclosure.
Financial incentives can also help encourage redevelopment. Livingston County, New York, where
Mount Morris is located, set up a program under which taxes on the improvements in a community-
defined redevelopment area gradually increase over a 12-year period, allowing time for developers
and businesses working in struggling areas to generate enough activity to afford the higher tax bill.11
To revitalize a downtown neighborhood, leaders in Paducah, Kentucky, created a home purchase
program focused on building an artist community. The town bought vacant or foreclosed buildings,
then sold them to artists for as little as $1. In the first five years of the program, the town spent
about $3 million, while the artists invested approximately $35 million. More than 100 artists
eventually came to live and work in the neighborhood, which is now filled with galleries, shops, and
restaurants that attract visitors and residents.12
E. Encourage Cooperation Within the Community and Across the Region
Many of the communities profiled were successful in part because entities with different missions
worked together to make the city a better place to live and work. Cooperation within the community
and across the region to achieve jointly established priorities helps leverage the assets that each can
bring to the table to make the most of the region's resources. Conversely, counterproductive
competition for limited resources can undermine a community's or region's attempt to generate
durable economic growth.
10 Douglas-Coffee County Chamber and Economic Development Authority. A Helpful Guide to Starting <
Business in Coffee County. Undated, http://www.doudasga.org/pdf/HowToStartABusiness.pdf.
11 Macaluso, Tim Louis. "Development: The Mt. Morris Miracle." City Newspaper. Jul. 18, 2012.
http://roccitynews.wordpress.com/2012/07/18/development-the-mt-morris-miracle.
12 Stodola, Sarah, "How to Save the Cities—Send in the Artists." The Fiscal Times. Jun. 4, 2010.
http://www.thefiscaltimes.com/Articles/2010/06/04/How-to-Save-the-Cities-Send-in-the-Artists.
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Mount Morris, New York, has taken advantage of its proximity to the State University of New York
(SUNY) Geneseo to enlist students' help in its revitalization efforts. Students have been involved in
everything from beautification projects to publicity about community events.13 A SUNY student fills
the role of a Main Street manager and coordinates advertising and social media outreach for the
Main Street businesses. The city of Roanoke and the Roanoke Redevelopment and Housing
Authority assembled 23 acres of former industrial properties; conducted environmental site testing;
and improved public utilities, streets, and drainage. They then sold the land to Carilion Health
Systems, which partnered with Virginia Tech and the University of Virginia to establish the Carilion
Biomedical Institute.14 The city's $20 million investment in the center has leveraged more than 10
times that amount in private dollars over the course of a decade.15'16
F. Support a. Clean and Healthy Environment
Protecting natural resources and reducing pollution are not only compatible with economic
development but can also support economic revitalization. Communities that invest in their natural
assets by protecting natural resources can better attract and retain residents, tourists, and businesses
who value clean air and water and natural landscapes. Cleaning up and redeveloping polluted
properties makes productive use of existing transportation, water, and utility infrastructure; increases
the tax base and employment opportunities; removes environmental contamination; and helps spur
investment in surrounding properties.
Sustainable Dubuque makes sustainability the city's top priority, establishing 12 sustainability
principles that guide city operations and community development plans, including the city's
comprehensive plan, long-range transportation plan, and comprehensive economic development
strategy.17 This vision helps the city meet its goal of creating a legacy for generations to come
through economic prosperity, environmental protection, and cultural vibrancy. In Bend, Oregon, a
property the city wanted to redevelop was contaminated with hazardous substances from petroleum
storage tanks, wood treatment, charcoal manufacturing, and other activities.18 The state and the site
developer remediated19 the property. The resulting Old Mill District now includes recreational
activities along and on the Deschutes River, as well as a variety of restaurants, shops, and art
galleries. Not only has the redevelopment cleaned up environmental contamination, the Old Mill
District also created an economic engine for the region, employing 1,700 people just one year after
opening.20 Roanoke, Virginia, is improving its natural and outdoor recreation assets through a multi-
13 Wadsworth, Louise, and Greg O'Connell. Downtown Revitalization in Rural New York State. Livingston County
Development Corporation. 2011.
14 Virginia Tech. "Carilion, Virginia Tech, U.Va. create biomedical institute — Virginia Tech Forms Optical Sciences and
Engineering Research Center." SdenceRlog. Nov. 18, 1999. http://www3.scienceblog.eom/community/older/1999/E/
1999045Q2.html.
15 EPA. "Land Revitalization Spring '08 Newsletter — Roanoke's Industrial Core Gets Economic Transplant As
Biotechnology Hub." http://www.epa.gov/reg3hscd/bfTr/newsletter/2008-Fall/roanokesindustrial.html. Accessed
Feb. 25, 2015.
16 City of Roanoke. "Riverside Center." http://www.roanokeva.gov/85256A8D0062AF37/CurrentBaseLink/
N27PEMWV328BTFKEN. Accessed Jun. 26, 2014.
17 City of Dubuque. A Guide to the Dubuque Comprehensive Plan. 2007. http://www.cityofdubuque.org/DocumentCenter/
View/284.
18 City of Bend. Rend Area General Plan. 2005. http: / /www.bend.or.us /index.aspx?page=634.
19 Brownfield remediation is the removal or sealing off of a hazardous contaminant so that a site can be safely used
again.
20 EPA. Revitalising Southeastern Communities: A Broivnjields Toolkit. Undated.
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pronged approach that includes
creating a network of trails,
improving facilities for
bicycling, protecting scenic and
ecologically valuable land, and
increasing the tree
canopy.21'22'23'24Since these
efforts began, tourism has
increased, and in 2012, Blue
'Bddge Outdoors Magazine named
Roanoke as the Best Mid-Sized
Mountain Town.
The tactics all of these small
towns are using support not
just economic development,
but also smart growth, an
approach to community
development that protects the
environment and public health, creates strong neighborhoods with diverse housing and
transportation options, and improves residents' quality of life. Compact, diverse, and walkable
development can increase property values and property tax revenues, encourage job creation, reduce
housing and transportation costs, and create amenities and places that attract and retain residents.
Real estate developers and investors, businesses, and local governments can therefore use smart
growth development as a strategy to maximize their economic advantages. The connection between
smart growth and economic success is explored in detail in a series of publications targeted toward
these audiences.26
Exhibit 6. Roanoke Go Outside Festival. An annual event to encourage
healthy, outdoor recreation brings community members together for
music, competitions, demonstrations, and outdoor gear sales.
21 City of Roanoke. "Bicycle Friendly Community." https:/7www.roanokeva.gov/85256A8D0062AF37/CurrentBase
Link/N287YM9O607LGONEN. Accessed Jun. 26, 2014.
22 Roanoke Valley Area Metropolitan Planning Organization. Bikeivaj Plan for the Roanoke Valley Area Metropolitan 'Planning
Organisation 2012 Update. 2012. http://ryarc.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/RVAMPO-BikewayPlan-2012Update-
web.pdf.
23 City of Roanoke. "Conservation Easements." https://www.roanokeva.gov/85256A8D0062AF37/CurrentBaseLink
/N287YMAB696LGONEN. Accessed Jun. 26, 2014.
24 City of Roanoke. "Tree Canopy." https://www.roanokeva.gov/85256A8D0062AF37/CurrentBaseLink/N287YMEY
344LGONEN. Accessed Jun. 26, 2014.
25 Murray, Jack. "The Best Mid-Sized Mountain Town." Blue Ridge Outdoors Magazine. Nov. 2012. http: / /www.blueridge
outdoors.com/outdoors-travel/the-best-mid-sized-mountain-town.
26 EPA. Smart Growth andEconomic Success: Benefits for Real Estate Developers, Investors, Businesses, and Local Governments. 2012.
http://www2.epa.gov/smart-growth/smart-growth-and-economic-success-benefits-real-estate-developers-investors-
business.
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II. BEND, OREGON
Bend, Oregon, in the central part of the state next to the Cascade
Mountains and Deschutes National Forest, draws visitors and new
residents with its scenic beauty and year-round outdoor recreation.
Its population was 79,118 as of 2012, a more than 50 percent
increase since 2000, compared to the state's roughly 15 percent
increase over that time.27 Deschutes County, where Bend is located,
led the state in population growth over the decade from 2000 to
2010. The city began as a logging town at the turn of the 20th
century, with lumber mills on both sides of the Deschutes River. At
their peak, the mills employed more than 4,000 people and helped
Bend become the world's leader in the manufacture of secondary
wood products.28'29 However, depletion of forest resources
ultimately devastated the timber industry in Oregon, leading to the worst recession the state has
experienced in the early 1980s, as measured by the percentage of jobs lost and the months it took to
recover them.30
A. Economic Development Strategies
Economic Development for Central Oregon (EDCO) is a nonprofit organization supported by
public and private money that formed in 1981 to help the city diversify its economy after the loss of
the timber industry.31 EDCO had some success attracting companies in the aviation industry, and
Bend's economy began to pick up in the late 1980s as its population began growing, fueled in large
part by retirees and others who were attracted to Bend's low cost of living and scenic beauty.
Bend's population grew by an average of 6 percent per year through the 1990s.32 To manage this
growth, Bend encouraged infill and redevelopment in its core as a way to direct development away
from sensitive natural areas toward where it could have the greatest economic impact. In 2001, the
city created the Central Bend Development Program Area Plan for a 236-acre sector containing the central
business district and adjacent commercial, industrial, and residential areas.33 This plan aimed to
enhance the function, condition, and appearance of the area while improving economic and
environmental conditions. The plan's guiding principles included:
• Create a downtown center by giving high priority to the river and downtown core projects.
• Give high priority to human scale and quality of life.
27 U.S. Census Bureau. "American Fact Finder." http://factfinder2.census.gov/faces/nav/jsf/pages/index.xhtml.
Accessed Apr. 17,2014.
28 Old Mill District. "Our Story." http://www.theoldmill.com/about/history. Accessed Nov. 10, 2012.
29 Secondary wood products use products produced directly from forest trees (e.g., pulp, lumber, plywood) as raw
material (e.g., paper products, furniture, moldings, and toys).
30 Mapes, Jeff. "For Oregon, the Early 1980s Recession was the 'Great Recession.'" The Oregonian. Oct. 10, 2011.
http://blog.oregonlive.com/mapesonpolitics/2011/10/for Oregon the early 80s reces.html.
31 Jacklet, Ben. "Bend's Economy is Coming Back to Life." Oregon Business. Jul. 2011. http://www.oregonbusiness.com
/articles/101-july-2011/5460-bends-economy-is-coming-back-to-life.
32 City of Bend. Bend Area General Plan. 2005. http: / /www.bend.or.us /index. aspx?page=634.
33 Bend Development Board. Central Bend Development Program Area Plan. 2001. http: / /www.bend.or.us /modules /
showdocument. aspx?documentid=3930.
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Exhibit 7. Old Mill District along the Deschutes River
in Bend. Redeveloping former lumber mills removed
environmental contamination and created a distinctive
destination that celebrates the area's history. The area
includes riverside restaurants, shops, trails, a movie theater,
and a live concert venue.
• Increase downtown's role as a
center for government and
business activity.
• Maintain and develop cultural,
historic, and entertainment
resources.
To help implement the Central Bend
Development Program Area Plan, the city
prepared the Bend Area General Plan in
2005.34 The general plan encouraged
downtown revitalization by rezoning the
abandoned mill property on the riverfront
from heavy industrial to mixed
commercial and residential use. However,
before the property could be redeveloped,
environmental contamination had to be
cleaned up. After decades of industrial use,
180 acres of former lumber mill sites had
been contaminated with hazardous
substances from petroleum storage tanks,
wood treatment, charcoal manufacturing, and other activities.3 The Oregon Department of
Environmental Quality began remediation, and the site developer agreed to a voluntary cleanup plan
to complete it. The redeveloped site, now known as the Old Mill District, includes activities such as
kayaking and fishing along and on the Deschutes River, as well as a variety of restaurants, shops, and
art galleries. The development preserved and repurposed portions of multiple historic buildings,
including the iconic lumber mill smokestacks that enrich the neighborhood's distinctive character
and celebrate its history. Not only did the redevelopment clean up environmental contamination, the
Old Mill District also created an economic engine for the region, employing more than 2,000 people
by2013.36
The population of Bend grew at a rate three times that of the state during the 1990s37 and early
2000s. Demand for new housing fueled the construction and wood products industries, so the
housing market crash of 2008 hit Bend particularly hard. The local economy suffered, mainly
because the rise in housing prices was "fueled by speculation not solid economics," according to
Roger Lee, executive director of EDCO.38 At the end of 2009, housing prices were down 68 percent
from just two years earlier, and many people owed more on their houses than the properties were
worth.39 Bend's construction and building supplies industries declined along with the housing
market. Another major blow to Bend's economy was the downturn of the aviation industry, which
was Bend's first real foray away from construction and wood products. At the same time the
34 City of Bend 2005. Op. cit.
35 Ibid.
36 Envision Realty Advisors. Old Mill District: Shop, Dine, Work, Live, Play. 2013. http: / /envisionrealtyadvisors.com/
property-listings/The%20Old%20Mill%20Web%20Brochure.pdf.
37 City of Bend. Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing. 2006.
38Jacklet2011. Op. cit.
39 Glucklich, Elon. "Bend Real Estate Recovering." Bend Oregon Real Estate. Feb. 25, 2012.
10
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housing market crashed, two major employers at the airport either shut down operations or filed for
bankruptcy.40
With the economy again struggling, the city and EDCO focused on recruiting and supporting the
creation of microbrewing, biosciences, recreation equipment manufacturing, and technology
companies. They focused on these types of companies in large part because entrepreneurs in these
fields have the flexibility to choose where they locate. Understanding that such entrepreneurs are
attracted to vibrant, walkable cities and towns with cultural and recreational activities, the city and
EDCO continue to focus on quality of life and downtown development.
EDCO and the city also attract and nurture entrepreneurs by creating a supportive environment
rather than simply providing loans or financial incentives. EDCO has fostered entrepreneurship by
having monthly "pub talks" where growing companies can network and pitch ideas.41 Since 2004,
EDCO has hosted an annual Bend Venture Conference, which attracts several hundred investors,
entrepreneurs, and business leaders. The conference provides valuable coaching, mentoring, and
exposure for young companies and features a competition where entrepreneurs compete for
$250,000 of startup funding.42 In 2011, the city of Bend formally established the Bend Economic
Development Advisory Board, made up of five representatives from the business community and
four from local economic development and workforce development agencies. The board advises the
city council to help promote a supportive and innovative business environment.43
B. Results
By several measures, the economic conditions in Bend have been improving in the six years since
the end of the 2007-09 recession, especially in the city's core. The citywide office vacancy rate at the
end of the third quarter of 2014 was 11.4 percent, the lowest rate since the first quarter of 2008,
when the vacancy rate was 11.2 percent. At 7.1 percent, downtown has maintained the lowest
vacancy rate among the three Bend submarkets analyzed. Retail vacancy rates for the Old Mill
District and downtown were 6.1 percent and 2.4 percent respectively, compared to 8.1 percent
overall among seven analyzed submarkets. The industrial vacancy rate in the central submarket
stood at just 1.2 percent, the lowest of four analyzed submarkets.44 While Bend had an
unemployment rate of 9.9 percent as of February 2014, the city has been making progress since the
peak period of unemployment in the first three months of 2010, when the rate was more than
16 percent.45 Outside of Portland, central Oregon shows some of the best job growth in the state,
thanks in part to growth in Bend.46
40Jacklet2011. Op. at.
41 Economic Development for Central Oregon. "Central Oregon Pubtalk." http://www.edcoinfo.com/events. Accessed
Apr. 16, 2014.
42 Schoenfeld, Bruce. "Why Bend, Ore., Is the Next Big City for Entrepreneurship." Entrepreneur. Aug. 2012.
http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/223997?goback=.gde 4597877 member 160115978 - comments.
43 City of Bend. "Bend Economic Development Advisory Board." http://www.bend.or.us/index.aspx?page=946.
Accessed Apr. 30, 2015.
44 Compass Commercial Real Estate Services. "2013 Summary/2014 Forecast." Compass Points. Q4 2013.
http://www.compasscommercial.com/index.php?id=013.
45 Bureau of Labor Statistics. "Databases, Tables & Calculators by Subject." http: / /data.bls.gov/timeseries /
LAUMT411346000000003?data tool=XGtable. Accessed Apr. 16, 2014.
46 State of Oregon. Oregon Economic and Revenue Forecast. Mar. 2014. http://www.oregon.gov/DAS/OEA/docs/
economic/forecas t0314.pdf.
11
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Bend has been able to use its quality of life and natural resources to attract entrepreneurs to the city.
The environment created by the city and EDCO through their outreach, networking, and support
led Entrepreneur Magazine to call Bend "the most entrepreneurial city in America."47 As of 2014, the
city had at least 95 startups across multiple technology sectors.48 In 2010, Bend ranked 17th among
320 metropolitan regions in the United States for the number of high-tech startups in a region
relative to the region's population.49
Bend has been able to recover from several boom-and-bust cycles in its economy by prioritizing a
vibrant downtown with a high quality of life and preservation of its natural beauty. These assets have
attracted new residents, tourists, and business entrepreneurs who drive economic growth.
Some information for this case study came from an interview mthjoe Skidmore, Assistant City Manager, City of Bend, on November
13, 2012.
47 Schoenfeld 2012. Op. cit.
48 Blank, Steve. "Bigger In Bend—Building A Regional Startup Cluster." Forbes. Jan. 14, 2014.
http://www.forbes.com/sites/steveblank/2014/01/14/bigger-in-bend-building-a-regional-startup-cluster.
49 Ewing Marion Kauffinan Foundation. Tech Starts: High-Technology Business Formation and Job Creation in the United States.
2013. http://www.kauffinan.org/what-we-do/research/firm-formation-and-growth-series/tech-starts-hightechnology-
business-formation-and-iob-creation-in-the-united-states.
12
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III. DOUGLAS, GEORGIA
Douglas
GA
,-•
Jacksonville
I N
A
FL
0 25 $9 Miles
I
Douglas is in southern Georgia, approximately 115 miles northwest
of Jacksonville, Florida. The city of almost 12,000 people50 is the
county seat of Coffee County and the economic center of the
region. It is home to South Georgia State College, a two-year
college, and Wiregrass Technical College.51
Historically, Douglas' economy was based predominantly on
agriculture, but in the late 1950s, leaders in Coffee County
recognized the importance of diversifying the economy to be more
resilient to changes in the agricultural sector. As a result, the
Douglas-Coffee County Economic Development Authority was
formed in 1959. At first, the authority focused on recruiting large
industrial employers, including PCC Airfoils and a Wal-Mart distribution center in the 1980s.
Despite these successes, manufacturing jobs declined from 33 percent of all employment in 2000 to
14 percent in 2013, representing a loss of almost 700 jobs.52
A. Economic Development Strategies
Douglas' strategy for economic development is grounded in cooperation among the city, county,
business community, education institutions, and civic leaders. The Douglas-Coffee County Chamber
of Commerce and Economic Development Authority works for a regional economy stabilized by
small, local businesses.53
To regain lost jobs, Douglas reoriented its approach to economic development to include support of
small businesses and entrepreneurs. City and county leaders recognized that small business
development would not only directly support a diverse economy but also could provide more
services that might attract industrial employers. To launch the new small business strategy, the city
provided funding for the Chamber of Commerce to hire a full-time director of entrepreneur and
small business development in 2002.54 One of the director's first initiatives was creating^ Helpful
Guide to Starting and Growing a business in Coffee County, which outlines local resources, permitting and
zoning processes, tax policies, and steps to get business loans.55 The chamber also offers programs
to connect experienced business owners with new ones, give community members discounts at
participating businesses to encourage their patronage, and train budding leaders in workplace and
community leadership skills.
50 U.S. Census Bureau. "American Fact Finder." http:/7factfinder2.census.gov/faces/nav/jsf/pages/index.xhtml.
Accessed Jun. 3,2014.
51 Lambe, Will. Small Towns, Big Ideas. UNC School of Government. 2008. http://www.iog.unc.edu/programs/cednc/
stbi/pdfs/stbi final.pdf?q=programs/cednc/stbi/pdfs/stbi fmal.pdf.
52 U.S. Census Bureau. Op. cit.
53 Ibid.
54 Ibid.
55 Douglas-Coffee County Chamber and Economic Development Authority. A Helpful Guide to Starting an
Business in Coffee County. Undated. http://www.douglasga.org/pdf/HowToStartABusiness.pdf.
56 Douglas-Coffee County Chamber and Economic Development Authority. "Programs -Ambassadors."
http://www.douglasga.org/Ambassadors.html. Accessed Apr. 23, 2014.
13
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Douglas has also invested in preserving
its architectural heritage and making
downtown an attractive place for
businesses to locate. In the late 1980s,
downtown Douglas had a high vacancy
rate, and people from the community
rarely visited. A Main Street Program
was started in 1987 to revitalize the area.
One of the program's first activities was
a facade grant program to restore
Douglas' storefronts. Initially, $10,000
from the city and the Industrial
Development Authority (now the
Economic Development Authority)
provided matching grants for 20 facade
improvements, and 20 more facades
were improved a decade later.57 Around
the time the Main Street Program was
formed, the city applied for and received
a federal Transportation Enhancements grant of $850,000. Combining the grant with a local match
of $321,317, the city began a one-year streetscape project, adding street trees, patterned brickwork
sidewalks, pedestrian lighting, landscaping, a gazebo, and a brick archway at the main downtown
intersection.58 Thanks to the facade improvements and the streetscape project, the downtown area is
now a gathering place for the community. A downtown market with local vendors, artists, and
farmers is held on the second Saturday of the month.59 In addition, a walking and biking trail
connects downtown with the campuses of Wiregrass Georgia Technical College and South Georgia
College.60 Maintaining downtown's mix of uses and historic character and redeveloping vacant sites
are components of the city's 2007 comprehensive plan update, ensuring that new development
continues to support downtown.61
B. Results
Efforts to revitalize downtown reaped rewards for the city. After completion of the downtown
streetscape project in 1995, the downtown vacancy rate started falling from its high of 25 percent, a
Exhibit 8. Downtown Douglas. The city of Douglas
supports small businesses and entrepreneurs and invested to
make the downtown an attractive place to locate a business
and to shop.
57 Russell, Victoria. "Downtown Main Street Douglas, Georgia." Economic Development journal. Winter 2002. Pages 35-51.
58 Georgia Department of Transportation. "Douglas Streetscape." Information accessed Jul. 1, 2014.
59 Douglas-Coffee County Chamber and Economic Development Authority. The Friday Facts. Mar. 8, 2013.
http://www.douglasga.org/index 11 476981306.pdf.
60 Douglas-Coffee County Chamber and Economic Development Authority. "Quality of Life."
http: / /douglasga.org/QualityOfLife-Economic.html. Accessed Jul. 2, 2014.
61 Jordan, Jones, & Goulding. Coffee County 2007-2027 Comprehensive Plan Update: Community Agenda for the City of Douglas.
Coffee County. 2007. http://www.dca.ga.gov/largefiles/OPOG/2007/CoffeeCo.AmbroseCi.BroxtonCi.DouglasCi.
NichoUsCi.CAg.pdf.
14
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change that city officials attributed to the streetscape improvements.62 At the end of 2012, 12 newly
opened businesses dropped the downtown vacancy rate to 6 percent.63
In 2004, Douglas-Coffee County was the first community in Georgia to be designated as
"entrepreneur friendly" by the state in recognition of its commitment to develop strategies that
support local entrepreneurs.64 The efforts to attract entrepreneurs were credited with creating 800
new jobs for small business and entrepreneurial startups and expansions by 2006.65 Joanne Lewis,
president of the Douglas-Coffee County Chamber of Commerce and Economic Development
Authority, strongly believes that the focus on small businesses helped Douglas to weather the
economic downturn later in the decade because, although many small businesses in Douglas did
close during this time, there were also new businesses opening.66
Some information for this case study came from interviews with Dak Batten, Community Development Director, City of Douglas, on
November 9 andNovember 19, 2012, and Terrell Jacobs, City Manager, City of Douglas, on November 19, 2012.
62 Georgia Department of Transportation. Op. cit.
63 Lightsey, Ed. "Douglas Coffee County: Staying the Course." GeorgiaTrend. Dec. 2012. http://www.georgiatrend.com/
December- 2012/Douglas-Coffee-County-Staying-The-Course.
64 Center for Rural Entrepreneurship. "Local Success, Challenges and What Lies Ahead for Rural Georgia."
Entrepreneurial Program of the Month. Dec. 2005. http: / /www.energizingentrepreneurs.org/file download/9479c847-3396-
434b-8d4c-ffc24032a526.
65 Ibid.
66 Personal communication with Joanne Lewis, President, Douglas-Coffee County Chamber of Commerce and
Economic Development Authority, Nov. 13, 2012.
15
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IV. DUBUQUE, IOWA
Wl
Madison
n
Milwaukee
Dubuque
r r Chicago
Cedar Rapids
IA ^pDavenport
IN 1-
A \ L
100 Miles
Located in northeastern Iowa along the Mississippi River, Dubuque
is approximately 175 miles northwest of Chicago. Its population,
estimated to be 58,253 as of 2013, has been stable since 2000.6V
Dubuque was one of the first settlements west of the Mississippi
River and grew along its banks as the mining, fur-trading, and
manufacturing sectors thrived.68
With the loss of several large employers in the early 1980s,
including John Deere and the Dubuque Packing Company, the city
fell on hard times. Unemployment reached 23 percent, and the
downtown vacancy rate climbed to 55 percent. Residents left as
they lost hope that the city's future could improve. Between 1980
and 1990, the city lost 7.8 percent of its population, and home values fell 9 percent.69
A. Economic Development Strategies
Dubuque's recovery was the result of a series of comprehensive, community-driven planning
processes. In 1990, the city's Long-Range Planning Commission initiated Vision 2000, a public
planning process, to outline the vision for Dubuque's economic future. More than 5,000 people
participated, inspired to rebuild their city.70 Vision 2000 was adopted by the city council in 1993 and
guided development of a new comprehensive plan in 1995, the first since 1936.71
The city developed 23 implementation plans based on elements in the comprehensive plan. One of
these was a master plan for redevelopment of the riverfront to help residents and visitors physically
and psychologically connect with the Mississippi River. Though it is one of the city's most important
assets, the riverfront was riddled with vacant brownfields,72 and residents and tourists could not
easily get to the river.73 The Port of Dubuque Master Plan aimed to transform this area into a walkable,
mixed-use neighborhood.74 In 2002, a partnership of the city, the Dubuque County Historical
Society, the Dubuque Area Chamber of Commerce, the Greater Dubuque Development
Corporation, and others launched America's River, a 90-acre riverfront revitalization project.75
67 U.S. Census Bureau. "American Fact Finder." http://factfinder2.census.gov/faces/nav/jsf/pages/index.xhtml.
Accessed Jun. 4,2014.
68 City of Dubuque. "History." http://www.cityofdubuque.org/index.aspx?nid=1060. Accessed Jun. 4, 2014.
69 City of Dubuque. Masterpiece on the Mississippi: Application for•Iowa Great Places. 2006. http://www.iowagreatplaces.gov/
profiles /as sets /dubuque-gp.pdf.
70 City of Dubuque 2006 Op. cit.
71 Van Milligen, Michael C. "The City of Dubuque: Masterpiece on the Mississippi." City of Dubuque. 2006.
http: / /www.philadelphiafed.org/cornniunity-development/events /reinventing-2006 /presentations /cca roc-
040606 pursuing-modern-vision van-milligen.pdf.
72 Brownfields are properties, the expansion, redevelopment, or reuse of which might be complicated by the presence or
potential presence of a hazardous substance, pollutant, or contaminant.
73 City of Dubuque. "Flistory." Op. cit.
74 URS Corporation, Leland Consulting Group, and EDG, Ltd. Port of Dubuque Master Plan. City of Dubuque. 2002.
http://www.cityofdubuque.org/DocumentCenter/Home/View/288.
75 Van Milligen 2006. Op. cit.
16
-------
The $188 million in funding
for the project came from a
combination of city, state,
and federal sources; the
Dubuque County Historical
Society; and private
investment.76 The first phase
of the project included a
Mississippi Riverwalk, the
National Mississippi River
Museum & Aquarium, the
Grand River Center, the
Grand Harbor Resort, and
the historic Star Brewery
complex, all of which
attracted tourists and
additional investment to the
area. In 2010, with phase II
underway to create a second
museum complex, new
casino, and new movie
theater, the America's River Project began a campaign for its third phase, which includes daylighting
the historic Bee Branch Creek to deal with recurrent flooding, creating a new gateway to the city
from the north, and building a mile-long linear park along the creek to connect the historic
riverfront with the core of the city.77 Restoration of the lower Bee Branch Creek was completed in
2011. Restoration of the upper Bee Branch Creek is set to begin in 2015 and be completed in 2016.
In 2005, under the leadership of newly elected Mayor Roy D. Buol, whose platform was "engaging
citizens as partners," another citizen-driven planning process began. The Community Foundation of
Greater Dubuque and the Chamber of Commerce formed a steering committee to lead Envision
2010, which aimed to identify 10 high-impact community projects. Over several months, 10,000 to
20,000 people submitted more than 3,000 ideas.78 A selection committee comprised of community
members narrowed the list down to 100, and participants in a community town hall meeting selected
30 finalists.79 The selection committee then chose the final 10 projects, including revitalization of the
Historic Millwork District, expanding the America's River Project with new cultural destinations, a
walking and biking trail system, a community health center, an indoor-outdoor performing arts
center, and passenger train service.80 Projects like these can help the city attract and retain residents
and businesses, boosting property and sales tax revenue.81 In addition, the community-driven
process gave the ideas credibility among donors, including a local university, casino, and
Exhibit 9. Bee Branch Creek restoration. Dubuque reduced the flood risk
to over 1,100 flood-prone properties by uncovering and redirecting portions
of the creek so that it now flows above ground, saving the city millions of
dollars to build new storm sewers and providing residents of nearby
neighborhoods an attractive community park.
76 Ibid.
77 City of Dubuque. "America's River III: Bee Branch Creek Restoration & Gateway." http: / /www.cityofdubuque.org/
1420/Americas-River-III. Accessed Jun. 30, 2014.
78 City of Dubuque 2006. Op. cit.
79 Ibid.
80 EnvislOn. "Final 10 Ideas." http://www.envision2010.org/final.html. Accessed Jun. 5, 2014.
81 EPA. Smart Groivth and Economic Success: Strategies for Local Goiemtne/'ts. 2014. http://www2.epa.gov/smart-growth/
smart-growth-and-economic-success-strategies-local-governments.
17
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businessman.82 As of 2014, the Community Foundation of Greater Dubuque had received donations
to endow seven of the 10 projects, all of which are either completed or underway.83
Uniting all of Dubuque's efforts is the concept of creating a sustainable city. Believing that "cities
that get out in front on sustainability will have competitive economic advantages in the future,"
Mayor Buol created Sustainable Dubuque in 2006, an initiative that makes sustainability a top
priority for the community.84 A citizen task force helped create 12 sustainability principles that guide
city operations and community development plans, including the city's comprehensive plan, long-
range transportation plan, and comprehensive economic development strategy. This vision helps the
city meet its goal of ensuring the city will thrive for generations to come through "economic
prosperity, environmental integrity, and cultural vibrancy."85
The community engagement continues through an annual visioning and planning process. The city
maintains a 20-year vision, which is supported by five-year goals. Each year, with community input,
the city council creates yearly goals and priorities to achieve the five-year goals and updates the five-
year goals with the 20-year vision in mind.86 This process gives all city departments the same
priorities and enables the city to work collectively toward the vision for the future.
The Greater Dubuque Development Corporation supports the city's focus on improving quality of
life, seeing it as an economic development strategy that can help attract residents and employees.
President and CEO Rick Dickinson says that the key to success is a "combination of making sure to
create jobs while enhancing quality of life so the region becomes a magnet for talent." The
organization's economic development efforts focus on the city's existing business assets by
emphasizing employer retention and expansion over recruitment. In 1997, the city created a new
industrial center, and 21 of the 24 firms that have located there are local firms that expanded.87
B. Results
Dubuque's broad-ranging efforts to engage stakeholders in shaping its future have enabled the city
to rebound from its low point in the 1980s. Dubuque's Metropolitan Statistical Area had 37,600
people working in 1983, a number which grew to more than 60,000 by 2014.88 Dubuque recovered
all of the jobs that it lost during the recession in the late 2000s by the first quarter of 2011, a feat
82 Daniels, Alex, and Ben Gose. "Community Funds Ask People From Diverse Walks of Life for Priorities." Chronicle of
Philanthropy. Mar. 23, 2014.
83 Gose, Ben. "Dubuque Community Fund's Example of Involving Locals Is Blueprint for Others." Chronicle of
Philanthropy. Mar. 23, 2014.
84 Sustainable Dubuque. "About Sustainable Dubuque." http: / /www. sustainabledubuque.org/en/about us /
about sustainable dubuque. Accessed May 20, 2014.
85 City of Dubuque. A Guide to the Dubuque Comprehensive Plan. 2007. http://www.cityofdubuque.org/DocumentCenter/
View/284.
86 City of Dubuque. "Mayor & City Council." http://www.cityofdubuque.org/index.aspx?NID=67. Accessed Jun. 5,
2014.
87 Braun, Georgette. "Rockford should take cues from Dubuque." RockfordRegister Star. Oct. 20, 2013.
http://www.rrstar.com/article/20131020/NEWS/131029939/10354/OPINION#OPINION/?Start=l& suid=14169
3028395403882191682762058.
88 City of Dubuque. "City Manager's Message." City Focus. Spring 2014. http://cityofdubuque.org/ArchiveCenter/View
File/Item/4145.
18
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accomplished by
only 18 other cities
out of 363 that
were examined.89 In
November 2013, its
unemployment rate
was just
3.5 percent, half the
national average,
and it had the 17th
highest gross
domestic product
growth rate in the
country at
5.1 percent.90
Exhibit 10. Dubuque riverfront. The Mississippi River has been one of the city's most
valuable assets throughout its history. Originally used primarily to support industry, it
now also helps attract more than 1 million tourists annually.
Many tax incentives
given to businesses that helped revitalize Dubuque are due to expire, and the city's financial payoff
from these earlier programs will begin. In 2018, the Dubuque Technology Park tax-increment
financing91 district is set to expire, providing the city an additional $1 million in annual tax revenue.
In 2020, when the Dubuque Industrial Center West tax-increment financing district expires, the city
can expect an additional $3 million in tax revenue per year.92
Businesses continue to invest in the city. In 2009, IBM announced the opening of a new facility in
one of Dubuque's historic downtown buildings, bringing more than 1,000 jobs.93 The company was
lured in part by the city's demonstrated ability to bring together diverse public and private interests
around a common purpose. IBM's presence has helped attract additional employers, fostered a more
educated and diverse workforce, and supported the downtown's revitalization. In the five years after
IBM's facility opened, 250 new residential units were built downtown.94
The city estimates that "more than one million tourists visit Dubuque annually to ride the riverboats,
learn the history, and see the sights."9 The city's Main Street Program, the longest-running Main
Street Program in the country, received the first Great American Main Street Award in 1995. By
2006, downtown had real estate sales near $92 million, a first-floor vacancy rate of 10 percent (down
from 55 percent at the organization's founding), and a net gain of 1,923 jobs.96
89 U.S. Conference of Mayors. "Return to Peak Employment." 2013. http://usmayors.org/metroeconomies/0613/
Bondslmpactjobsdatareport.xls.
90 City of Dubuque "City Manager's Message." Op. cit.
91 Property owners in tax-increment financing districts are eligible to finance new development based on the anticipated
property taxes that would result from the increase in taxable valuation of those properties after development.
92 City of Dubuque. "Capital Improvements: Bridging Present and Future Needs." City Focus. Sep. 2012. http://ia-
dubuque.civicplus.com/ArchiveCenter/ViewFile/Item/3096.
93 Greenblatt, Alan. "Corporate Entrepreneurs Are at the Heart of Downtown Revitalizations." Governing. Jan. 2014.
http://www.governing.com/topics/urban/gov-corporations-at-revitali2ations-center.html.
94 Ibid.
95 City of Dubuque. "Masterpiece on the Mississippi: Application for Iowa Great Places." Op. cit.
96 Ibid.
19
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Dubuque's high quality of life has been recognized by many organizations. Among many other
awards:
• It was voted one of the 10 best riverfronts by readers of USA Today in 2014.
• EPA gave it a 2013 National Award for Smart Growth Achievement.
• It was named a 2013 All-America City by the National Civic League for the third time in six
years.
• It has been named one of 100 Best Communities for Young People by America's Promise
Alliance five times, most recently in 2012.
• In 2010, it was named Best Small City to Raise a Family by Forbes.
• In 2008, it was awarded Most Livable Small City in the United States by the U.S. Conference
of Mayors.97
Much of Dubuque's success can be attributed to the city's engaged community and a comprehensive
citizen-driven planning process that focuses on long-term sustainability for the economy,
environment, and community.
Some information for this case study came from interviews with Ten Hawks Goodmann, Assistant City Manager, City ofDubuque,
on October 26, 2012, and Roy D. Buol, Major, City ofDubuque, on November 7, 2012.
97 City ofDubuque. "Awards & Recognition." http: / /www.cityofdubuque.ofg/index.aspx?NID=73. Accessed Feb. 13,
2015.
20
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V. EMPORIA, KANSAS
Emporia is in eastern Kansas between Topeka and Wichita, just
over 100 miles from Kansas City. The population has been
relatively stable in the past decade, decreasing from 26,760 in 2000
to 24,799 in 2013. 98 Emporia is the county seat of Lyon County and
the largest city in the county.99 Emporia is the home of Emporia
State University, with approximately 6,000 students,100 and Flint
Hills Technical College, with approximately 750 students.101
Historically, Emporia was primarily an agricultural and
manufacturing town.102 Due to the decline of agricultural prices in
the late 1970s and early 1980s, many factories and businesses that
N f
A N ^
r\ T^ ** «•» i, -» K3 n S3 S
Topeka — p
KS !
|
Emporia
|
Q Wichita
V 0 25 50
1 1 1!
depended on agriculture moved out of town, starting the city's
decline. At the same time, jobs created by the construction of a regional power plant drew local
/>*&
MO
Miles
workers out of Emporia. Emporia's downtown vacancy rate eventually reached 30 to 40 percent.
A. Economic Development Strategies
The city and county governments joined with the Downtown Association and Chamber of
Commerce to create a Main Street Program in 1991.103 The Emporia Main Street Program provides
promotion, design, business enhancement, and organization services to current and potential
downtown businesses. It also helps to connect businesses to a variety of federal, state, and local
funding sources, including:
• Zero-interest loan programs from the Kansas Department of Commerce; the privately
funded Trusler Foundation; and Network Kansas, a statewide organization established by
the Kansas legislature to provide entrepreneurial support.
• Historic preservation tax credits and competitive grant programs.
• Loan guarantee programs.
• Tax-increment financing.104
The city has also been involved in downtown revitalization efforts. The city partially funds Emporia
Main Street (40 percent of its funding comes from the city's general fund and 60 percent from
private sources). The city and Emporia Main Street worked together to create a "code team" in 2005
to help facilitate development approvals. The team brings together code officials, firefighters,
98 U.S. Census Bureau. "American Fact Finder." http://factfinder2.census.gov/faces/nav/jsf/pages/index.xhtml.
Accessed Jul. 31,2014.
99 Lyon County, Kansas. "Lyon County Fact Sheet." http://lyoncounty.org/index/Ppage id=64. Accessed Jun. 2, 2014.
100 Kansas Department of Commerce. "Small Town Success Stories: Emporia." http://www.kansascommerce.com/
index.aspx?NID=479. Accessed Jun. 2, 2014.
101 National Center for Education Statistics. "Flint Hills Technical College." http://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/?q=
flint+technical+college&s=all&id=155052#programs. Accessed Jun. 2, 2014.
102 Kansas Department of Commerce. Op. cit.
103 National Trust for Ffistoric Preservation. "Emporia, Kansas." 2005. http://www.preservationnation.org/main-
street/awards/gamsa/2005/emporia-kansas.hlml#.VVDkT5PdlOT.
104 Emporia Main Street, Inc. Historic Downtown Emporia Kansas: Business Investment Guide. 2012.
http://www.emporiamainstreet.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/2013-Business-Investment-Guide.pdf.
21
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engineers, and zoning staff to
meet with new or expanding
business owners at the business
site to clarify requirements
expeditiously.105
The city and Emporia Main
Street also worked together to
create and adopt downtown
design guidelines to promote
mixed-use development and
reinvestment in downtown
Emporia that contributes to the
area's existing historic fabric and
character.106 The design
guidelines address the street grid,
architectural detailing,
construction materials, design
principles for adaptive reuse and
infill construction, signage,
integrating multiple
transportation modes into the
existing streets, parking design
and placement, lighting, street trees, and street furniture.
The city created the Neighborhood Revita/i Cation Plan in 2008, along with a tax rebate program, to
encourage improvements to residential and commercial properties in distressed areas.107 Emporia's
2008 comprehensive plan includes goals to help create a vibrant downtown, including promoting
downtown investment and redevelopment, providing incentives for redevelopment and infill in
blighted areas, restoring and preserving the original facades of downtown buildings, improving
pedestrian and bicycle connections throughout Emporia, creating a park for downtown and
surrounding neighborhoods, and providing a wide range of housing options throughout the city.108
In 2011, Emporia established a downtown historic district that gives property owners access to
historic tax credits to help with renovation costs.109
In addition to being the county seat and having a historic downtown, the city has Emporia State
University and Flint Hills Technical College and can draw educated workers from nearby Kansas
State and Wichita State universities.110 As well as providing the city with access to a skilled labor
Exhibit 11. Downtown Emporia. Downtown events like the annual
Artist Walk, Welcome Week activities for university students, and
holiday carriage rides help make downtown a center of life for
community residents.
105 Ibid.
106 Emporia Main Street. Downtown Design Guidelines. 2008. http://www.emporiamainstreet.com/Forms/
Emporia%20Main%20Street%20Guidelines.%205-20-09.pdf.
107 City of Emporia. NeighborhoodRevitali^ation Plan. 2008. http://www.emporia-kansas.gov/files/nra plan 2008.pdf.
108 City of Emporia. City of Emporia Comprehensive Plan. 2008. http: / /development.emporia-kansas.gov/files /gis /maps /
City of Emporia Comprehensive Plan.pdf.
109 Emporia Main Street, Inc. "Historic Incentives." http://www.emporiamamstreet.com/buisness-resources/historic-
incentives/. Accessed Mar. 12, 2015.
110 Kansas Department of Commerce. Op. cit.
22
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force, Emporia State University is home to a
Kansas Small Business Development Center.
One of eight regional centers in Kansas, it
provides counseling, training, and resources to
entrepreneurs and small businesses in a nine-
county area.111
B. Results
Around 2000, Emporia completed a $2.3
million downtown streetscape project, helping
to spur the renovation of hundreds of
buildings. Every public dollar spent led to a
return of $33 in private investment.112 As of
2012, Emporia Main Street's initiatives since
the early 1990s resulted in $57 million of
investment in downtown and a decline in the
vacancy rate from 30 percent to 7 percent.113
Emporia Main Street won the 2005 Great
American Main Street Award. At the time of
the award, efforts to improve downtown
Emporia had resulted in 637 new jobs,
124 new businesses, and 23 new housing units.114 Since 2005, major downtown revitalization
projects include the restored historic Granada Theatre and the Emporia Arts Center, which spurred
the formation of a new arts and entertainment district.115 In the three years after the establishment
of the downtown historic district, property owners invested $3.8 million in historic renovations.116
New development also occurred. The Granada Plaza and Lofts, Broadview Tower, and Kellogg
Plaza and Lofts were completed between 2009 and 2012, adding new mixed-use development
downtown that further increased the number of residents and businesses in the area.117 Investment
in the town's core between 2009 and 2015 has totaled $32 million,118 including the opening of
Emporia's first brewery since before Prohibition.119
Some information for this case study came from interviews with Casey Woods, Executive Director, Emporia Main Street, Inc. on
August 30, 2012 and March 12, 2015.
Exhibit 12. Historic Renovation before (left) and
after (right). A business owner used historic tax credits
and zero-interest revolving loans to finance a building
renovation, converting an eyesore into a contributing
part of the historic fabric while improving business and
employee morale.
111 Emporia State University. "Kansas Small Business Development Center."
http://www.emporia.edu/sbdc/mission.html. Accessed Jun. 2, 2014.
112 National Trust for Historic Preservation. "Emporia, Kansas." Op. cit.
113 Emporia Main Street, Inc. 2012. Op. cit.
114 National Trust for Historic Preservation. "Emporia, Kansas." Op. cit.
115 Emporia Main Street, Inc. 2012. Op. cit.
lie Personal communication with Casey Woods, Executive Director, Emporia Main Street, Inc. on Mar. 12, 2015.
117 Bolerjack, Don. "Emporia Downtown Home to New Businesses, Boosting Economy." Kansas first News. Apr. 29,
2014. http://kansasfirstnews.com/2014/04/29/emporia-downtown-home-to-new-businesses-boosting-economy.
118 Ibid.
119 Bolerjack, Don. Op cit.
23
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VI. MOUNT MORRIS , NEW YORK
Mount Morris, New York, is a village of 2,929 people in western
New York, 45 miles south of Rochester. The village is in
Livingston County, which had a population of about 64,800 in
2012. Mount Morris lost 10 percent of its population from 2000 to
2012, while Livingston County grew by about 1 percent.120'121
A
u
Rochester
Geneseo
'Mount Morris
In the mid-19th century, Mount Morris transitioned from a small
farming community into a bustling commercial agricultural and
milling town thanks to the Genesee Valley Canal, which allowed
goods to be shipped out of the valley to market. However, State Park 0 5 10 Miles
operation of the canal proved too costly, and it closed in 1878.
With no viable means of transporting goods, many communities
along the canal route, including Mount Morris, sought to replace the canal with a new rail line. By
1882, rail service linked Mount Morris and Rochester, allowing the village to continue to prosper
through the early 20th century.122 By the mid-20111 century, Mount Morris, like many communities
across western New York, had begun a long economic decline as manufacturing jobs left the area.
Exacerbating this long-term trend, an expressway bypassed the village in the 1970s, road
construction blocked off routes through the village for two years, and competition from a nearby
Wal-Mart left half the downtown storefronts empty by 2007.123
A. Economic Development Strategies
To help revive the economy, the Livingston County Development Group124 (LCDG) focused on
supporting small businesses and encouraging entrepreneurs hip. It provides classroom instruction,
one-on-one technical assistance, downtown relocation services, and a loan fund for small businesses'
start-up or expansion expenses.12
LCDG also promotes downtown redevelopment.126 When an expressway bypassed the village of
Mount Morris in the 1970s, downtown businesses suffered, and buildings fell into disrepair or were
abandoned. In 2003, LCDG and the village leadership developed a downtown program that
catalogued downtown buildings, subsidized rent, and advertised Mount Morris to developers. In
2007, the development potential of the village's historic buildings in the largely intact, but neglected,
120 ACT Rochester. "Livingston County Data and Trends." http://www.actrochester.org/Livingston. Accessed Apr. 21,
2014.
121 U.S. Census Bureau. "American Fact Finder." http:// factfmder2.census.gov/faces/nav/jsf/pages/index.xhtml.
Accessed Apr. 21, 2014.
122 Thg Gombach Group. "Mount Morris Village." http://www.livingplaces.com/NY/Livingston County/Mount
Morris Village.html. Accessed Sep. 5, 2012.
123 Dobbin, Sean. "Greg O'Connell Helps Breathe New Life Into Mount Morris." Democrat e> Chronicle. Apr. 17, 2011.
http://roc.democratandchronicle.com/article/20110417/NEWS01/104170355/Greg-O-Connell-helps-breathe-new-
life-into-Mount-Morris.
124 LCDG comprises three public authorities: the Industrial Development Agency, the Development Corporation, and
the Capital Resource Corporation.
125 LCDG. "Programs & Services." http:// www.Kvingstoncounlydevelopment.com/programs-services.hlml. Accessed
Apr. 30, 2015.
126 LCDG. "Downtown Partnership." http://www.livingstoncountydevelopment.com/downtown-partnership.hlml.
Accessed Apr. 30, 2015.
24
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downtown caught the eye of Greg O'Connell, a
New York City developer who had been a student
at the State University of New York (SUNY) at
Geneseo in the 1960s.127 LCDG gave O'Connell an
inventory of all the downtown buildings, including
physical characteristics, rental rates, ownership, and
identification of tax-delinquent properties and those
near foreclosure. LCDG's downtown program was
also applying for grants and received one from the
New York Main Street Program to help restore
downtown buildings.128 The possibility of significant
investment in downtown made the area more
attractive to O'Connell.
O'Connell spent more than $1 million to buy 20
buildings and another $1 million to rehabilitate
them, restoring historic storefronts and interiors
and renovating second-floor apartments. He
pursued an eclectic mix of retailers, including a cafe
and bakery, barbershop, and antiques dealer. To
help these businesses succeed, O'Connell charges as
little as $100 per month for rent and, in exchange, asks business owners to help create a dynamic
downtown neighborhood by, for example, staying open one evening a week and regularly changing
window displays. O'Connell makes a profit on the properties by renting the upper-story apartments
to people who want to live in the center of activity.129
Livingston County set up a program under which taxes on the improvements in a community-
defined redevelopment area gradually increase over a 12-year period, allowing time for developers
and businesses working in struggling areas to generate enough activity for them to afford the higher
tax bill.130
Community involvement has been key to revitalizing downtown. Mount Morris has taken advantage
of its proximity to SUNY Geneseo to enlist the help of students. They have been involved in
everything from beautification projects to publicity about community events.131 A SUNY student
acts as a Main Street manager, coordinating advertising and social media outreach for the Main
Street businesses—a position created and funded by O'Connell. Merchants have also worked
Exhibit 13. Jane's Pantry in Mount Morris.
This fine foods and spices shop was one of the
first stores to open on the revitalized Main Street.
A few years later, its success led the owner to
expand by adding a tea room.
127 Garner, Dwight. "The Last Townie." New York Times. Mar. 18, 2011. http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/20/
magazine/mag-20KF.YSmallTown-t.html.
128 Genesee/Finger Lakes Regional Planning Council. Genesee-Finger Lakes Economic Development District Comprehensive
Economic Development Strategy. 2012. http://www.gflrpc.org/Publications/CEDS/2011-12/2012CEDSFinal.pdf.
129 Garner. Op. cit.
130 Macaluso, Tim Louis. "Development: The Mt. Morris Miracle." City Newspaper. Jul. 18, 2012. http://roccitynews.
wordpress.com/2012/07/18/development-the-mt-morris-miracle.
131 Wadsworth, Louise, and Greg O'Connell. Downtown Revitali^ation in Rural New York State. Livingston County
Development Corporation. 2011.
25
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together to create a viable business district by jointly funding publicity, collaborating on events to
bring people downtown, and agreeing to uniform business hours.132
The County's efforts to promote downtown redevelopment have continued. In 2010, Mount Morris
received a $433,500 grant from Restore NY to preserve and renovate the art deco facade and
marquee of the 1930s New Family Theater and repurpose the building.133 Mount Morris hopes to
build on other assets beyond downtown by capitalizing on its proximity to Letchworth State Park
and the Genesee Valley Greenway, an 84-mile multi-use trail that parallels the Genesee River.134 In
2012, tourism revenue per resident in Livingston County was only about half of the regional rate,135
suggesting an area ripe for additional growth. Building on the natural assets and attracting more of
the region's tourists to visit downtown could help further the village's economic development goals.
B. Results
Thanks to the efforts of Greg O'Connell and other community leaders, Mount Morris has filled
vacant downtown storefronts with several small businesses, including restaurants and antiques
dealers. One of the first restauranteurs to open on Main Street in 2010 was able to turn a profit in
just 10 months, largely due to the affordable rent,136 and three years later, he opened a second
establishment, an ice cream parlor.137 Another of the first businesses to open in a renovated
storefront, Jane's Pantry, expanded a few years later by adding a tea room to the fine foods and
spices shop.138
Some information for this case study came from interviews with Louise Wadsivorth, Downtown Coordinator, Livingston County
Economic Development Corporation, on September 7, 2012, and Charles DiPasquale, Supervisor, Town of Mount Morris, on
September 5, 2012.
132 Thomas, Kay. "The Reimaging of Main Street in Mount Morris." Life in the Finger Lakes. Fall 2011.
http: / /www.lifeinthefingerlakes.corn/reirnaging-niain-street-rnount-niorris.
133 Mills, Wendy. "Mount Morris Village Working to Revitalize Main Street." Time Warner Cable News. Feb. 24, 2010.
http: / /www.twcnews. com/archives /nys /rochester/2010/02/24/mount-morris-village-working-to-revitali2e-main-
street-NY 497064.old.html.
134 DTmperio, Tony. "Where does Mount Morris go from here?" The Livingston County News. Nov. 4, 2011.
135 ACT Rochester. Op. cit.
136 Dobbin. Op. cit.
137 Williams, Josh. "Zeppo's Ice Cream new addition for Mount Morris." Genesee Sun. Jul. 29, 2013. http://www.genesee
sun.com/zeppo-s-ice-cream-parlor-new-additon-to-mount-morris.
138 "Jane's Pantry opens new Tea Room." Genesee Sun. Aug. 1, 2013. http://www.geneseesun.com/jane-s-pantry-add-a-
tea-room.
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VII. PADUCAH, KENTUCKY
Paducah is a city of 25,048 in western Kentucky at the confluence
of the Ohio and Tennessee rivers.139 From the city's beginning in
the early 19th century, it was an agricultural and trade center,
capitalizing on its waterways and later rail transportation. Paducah
had decades of steady population growth leading into the 20th
century.
Most significant for the town's economy, the Paducah Gaseous
Diffusion Plant was built in surrounding McCracken County in
1952 and produced enriched uranium for nuclear power plants until
2013.14° An estimated 30,000 people moved to Paducah for the
plant's construction, and it had as many as 2,200 workers as
recently as 2010.141 As Paducah's population grew in the 1950s, the outskirts of Paducah and
McCracken County started to suburbanize, and downtown Paducah began to lose population and
struggle economically. In the early 1980s, a shopping mall built on the outskirts of the city further
hurt Paducah's downtown retail.142
A. Economic Development Strategies
In 1988, Paducah residents elected Gerry Montgomery as mayor. She believed that returning vitality
to downtown Paducah was critical to the area's economic future. Along with several other
community leaders, she launched an effort to reinvest in downtown and restore the sense of place
and quality of life that Paducah had lost over time. They saw downtown as critical to the city's future
success, as it is the "front door" to their community, gave Paducah its sense of place, and attracted
visitors. However, faced with a 70 percent downtown vacancy rate and high crime, Mayor
Montgomery and the community had a daunting task.
In 1989, the mayor helped launch the Paducah Renaissance Alliance, an organization dedicated to
developing and retaining the historic integrity of the Renaissance Area, which includes the
LowerTown Arts District, the historic downtown, and the riverfront. The organization's approach,
which is based on the Main Street Four-Point Approach developed by the National Main Street
Center,143 includes:
• Enhancing the design of the Renaissance Area by supporting an attractive, pedestrian-
oriented streetscape that takes advantage of its historic buildings.
139 U.S. Census Bureau. "American Fact Finder." http://factfmder2.census.gov/faces/nav/isf/pages/index.xhtnil.
Accessed Apr. 29, 2014.
140 Centrus. "Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant." http://www.centrusenergy.com/gaseous-diffusion/paducah-gdp.
Accessed Apr. 30, 2015.
141 Feldhaus, Rebecca. "At the heart of the Atomic City: Paducah's Gaseous Diffusion Plant." WKMS. May 11, 2010.
http://www.publicbro adcasting.net/wkms/news.newsmain/article/0/1/1648416/Local. Features/
At.the.heart.of.the.At omic.City.Paducah's.Gasesous.Diffusion.Plant.
142 City of Paducah. Lower Town Neighborhood Plan. 2002. http://paducahky.gov/paducah/files/u3/LTpdfPlan.pdf.
143 National Main Street Center. "The Main Street Four Point Approach." http://www.preservationnation.org/main-
street/about-main-street/the-approach. Accessed Jun. 3, 2014.
27
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exhibit 14. Paducah Renaissance Area. The
3aducah Renaissance Alliance focuses its efforts on the
liverfront, LowerTown, and Downtown.
Map based on information from Renaissance Area Master Plan.
• Promoting the distinctive
characteristics of the Renaissance
Area that make it a great location to
live, work, shop, and invest.
• Restructuring the economy to
strengthen Paducah's existing assets
while also diversifying its economic
base by recruiting new businesses that
can contribute to the central
commercial district.
• Organizing a volunteer-driven
program to build consensus and
cooperation toward common goals.144
Paducah has used this approach to develop a
cohesive identity around its core assets: art, the
Ohio River, and history. A key component of
nurturing the arts was supporting cultural
institutions that would draw activity to the
Renaissance Area. The city already was home
to the William Clark Market House Museum
and Market House Theater, both housed in a
historic 1905 structure that is an icon of downtown Paducah.145 Adding to these cultural assets, a
local couple who were quilting enthusiasts led an effort to establish the National Quilt Museum. In
1991, the museum opened the doors to a new $2.2 million building in downtown Paducah.146 It
draws about 40,000 national and international visitors a year.14'
Around the same time the quilt museum opened, the nonprofit Paducah Film Society opened the
Maiden Alley Cinema. A few years later, a team of community leaders launched an effort to build a
regional performing arts center that would house the Paducah Symphony Orchestra. Understanding
the center's potential economic impact and educational value for the entire region, 13 surrounding
counties passed resolutions supporting its construction. In 2004, the Luther F. Carson Four Rivers
Center opened to the public.148 During its first five years of operation, 665,000 people from 49 states
attended events at the center.149
In 2008, the Paducah School of Art and Design opened as an anchor in the LowerTown Arts
District, and in 2013, it expanded into renovated facilities. The school is planning another 25,000-
144 Paducah Main Street. "Our Approach." http://www.paducahrnainstreet.org/about-our-approach.htm. Accessed Jun.
2,2014.
145 City Visions Associates; AECOM; ConsultEcon, Inc.; and HNTB. Renaissance Area Master Plan. Paducah Riverfront
Development Authority. 2011. http://matchbin-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/public/sites/1140/assets/
3T5K Final RAMP 2012.pdf.
146 The National Quilt Museum. "Museum History." http://www.quiltmuseum.org/history.html. Accessed May 1, 2014.
147 City Visions Associates et al. 2011. Op. cit.
148 The Carson Center. "History." http://thecarsoncenter.org/history. Accessed May 1, 2014.
149 Paducah Economic Development. "The Carson Center." http://www.epaducah.com/why-paducah/the-carson-
center. Accessed May 1, 2014.
28
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square-foot expansion into a renovated historic building in the fall of 2015.150 The city considers its
collection of cultural institutions to be a major asset that draws people from near and far.151
This concentration of cultural and arts attractions is complemented by the city's efforts to revitalize
LowerTown, one of Paducah's oldest residential neighborhoods with many historic buildings.
However, by the late 1990s,
LowerTown was in serious decline,
with high poverty and
unemployment, dilapidated buildings,
a low homeownership rate, and high
crime.152 In 2000, Mark Barone, a
local artist, and Thomas Barnett, the
city planner at the time, set out to
revitalize the neighborhood by
building on Paducah's new cultural
investments. They created the Artist
Relocation Program to attract artists
to live and work in the neighborhood,
and the city hired Barone to manage
the program.153 As part of the
program, the city bought 55 vacant or
foreclosed buildings that it then sold
Exhibit 15. LowerTown Arts District. The LowerTown
neighborhood celebrates an annual Arts and Music Festival that
brings residents and visitors to the area, supporting local businesses
and artists.
to artists for as little as $1. The city
gives buyers up to $2,500 for
professional design services, as well as
business and marketing support. The artists in turn promise to renovate the building for use as their
home, studio, or retail space. Paducah Bank agreed to offer mortgage loans at well above the
properties' appraised values so new owners could afford renovations, which was critical to the
program's success.154 In the first five years of the program, the city spent about $3 million, while the
artists invested approximately $35 million. More than 100 artists eventually moved to live and work
in the neighborhood, which is now filled with galleries, shops, and restaurants that attract visitors
and residents.155 By facilitating homeownership for the people spearheading the area's revitalization,
the program helps them afford to stay as property values rise.
150 Paducah School of Art & Design. "Facilities." http: / /paducahschoolofartanddesign.org/facilities. Accessed Feb. 19,
2015.
151 City Visions Associates et al. Op. cit.
152 City of Paducah 2002. Op. cit.
153 Brundige, Wendy. "New York, Paris, Paducah? Kentucky Attracts Artists." ABC News. Dec. 23, 2006.
http://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/WNT/story?id=2748161.
154 Patton, Zach. "Work of Arts." Governing Magazine. Jul. 2007. http: / /www.governing.com/topics /economic -
dev/Work-Arts.html.
155 Stodola, Sarah. "How to Save the Cities—Send in the Artists." The Fiscal Times. Jun. 4, 2010.
http://www.thefiscaltinies.coni/Articles/2010/06/04/How-to-Save-the-Cities-Send-in-the-Artists.
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Revitalization efforts continued in other parts of the Renaissance Area. In 2005, the city created a
riverfront redevelopment master plan. Projects under this plan include expanding a public park by
adding fill material from the Ohio River, creating a downstream harbor as well as building a boat
launch, dock, and marina. Paducah secured just over $10 million in federal and state funding for the
riverfront's redevelopment, including $6.3 million from the Federal Highway Administration, $3
million from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, and $910,000 from the U.S.
Fish & Wildlife Service.156 Construction began in May 2013 on the Ohio River boat launch and was
completed in 2014.157
Building on the overwhelming success of the LowerTown neighborhood redevelopment, in 2007,
Paducah turned its attention to revitalizing the Fountain Avenue neighborhood, one of the city's
first streetcar suburbs that suffered from years of disinvestment.158 The city created several
incentives to attract existing and new homeowners—not just artists—to invest in the
neighborhood.159 Current residents can apply for a loan of up to $20,000 that covers up to
15 percent of a renovation project costing $50,000 or more, with 20 percent of the loan forgiven per
year, while new residents are eligible for up to 10 percent of the cost of a renovation or new
construction project. In addition, the city offered for sale city-owned vacant lots or houses requiring
renovation at prices as low as $1; a waiver for planning application, inspection, permit, and sewer
connection fees; 24-hour turnaround for inspections; and free sidewalk replacement for new infill
and major rehabilitation projects. More than $8 million in public and private funds has been invested
in the area, and crime has declined an average of 77 percent per year between 2000 and 2011.160
To coordinate the many downtown investment strategies, the city commission created the Paducah
Riverfront Development Authority in 2008. In 2011, the authority commissioned the Renaissance
Area Master Plan to improve the physical connections among Paducah's downtown, the LowerTown
Arts District, and the riverfront; reinforce downtown character; and improve transportation.161 The
authority is tasked with redeveloping the former site of a riverfront hotel and helping with planning
and implementation of the Renaissance Area Master Plan and the Paducah Riverfront Project.162
156 City of Paducah. "Riverfront Master Plan." http: / /paducahky.gov/paducah/riverfront-master-plan. Accessed May 1,
2014.
157 City of Paducah. "Ohio River Boat Launch." http: / /paducahky.gov/paducah/ohio-river-boat-launch. Accessed Feb.
19, 2015.
158 City of Paducah. Fountain Avenue Neighborhood Phase I Revitaliyation Plan. 2007.
J O v,
http: / / www.fountainave.com/docunients /FinalPlanweb.pdf.
159 City of Paducah. "Fountain Avenue Neighborhood: Incentives." http://www.fountainave.com/incentives.php.
Accessed May 1, 2014.
160 City of Paducah. "Fountain Avenue Neighborhood: Project Purpose." http: / /www.fountainave.com/index.php.
Accessed May 1, 2014.
161 City Visions Associates et al. Op. cit.
162 City of Paducah. "Paducah Riverfront Development Authority PRDA." http://paducahky.gov/paducah/PRDA.
Accessed May 1, 2014.
30
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Exhibit 16. Downtown Paducah. The historic buildings and
cultural institutions in downtown attract residents and visitors to
local shops and businesses.
B. Results
Paducah's investments in its
downtown have strengthened the
city's economy. A study conducted
by Americans for the Arts found
that, in 2007, the nonprofit arts and
culture organizations generated
$39.9 million in local economic
activity in the Greater Paducah
region, supporting 819 full-time
jobs and generating $3.6 million in
local and state government revenue.
More than two-thirds of this
economic activity was generated by
event-related spending, much of it
from tourists. Nearly 400,000
people attended arts events in
Paducah during 2007, 37.5 percent
of whom came from out of state.
These out-of-state visitors spent
more than five times as much as
local residents for event-related expenses, including lodging, meals, transportation, and shopping,
not counting admission fees.163
As investors and entrepreneurs saw how the city improved downtown, they made investments of their
own. As of 2010, more than $100 million had been invested in downtown, about half from public
investment and half from private investment.164 In 2010, the National Trust for Historic Preservation
gave Paducah a Great American Main Street Award for its efforts to revitalize the city's historic retail
district. At the time of the award, the Paducah Renaissance Alliance's efforts were responsible for 234
new businesses, 1,000 new jobs, the renovation of 119 buildings, and a drop in the vacancy rate from
70 percent to 14 percent, dramatically improving the economy and quality of life.165
Paducah has continued to build on its assets and garner recognition for its work. In 2013, the United
Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) designated Paducah the
world's seventh City of Crafts and Folk Art.166 This recognition was based on the city's art
institutions, programs, events, and training, along with the number of active artists living in
Paducah—all assets the city has cultivated for more than a decade.
Some information for this case study came from interviews with Steve Ervin, Director of Economic Development, City of Paducah, and
Steve Doolittle, Executive Director, Paducah Riverfront Development Authority, on November 7, 2012.
163 Americans for the Arts. Arts & Economic Prosperity III. 2009.
http://paducahky.gov/paducah/files/GreaterPaducahKY FinalReportw03.pdf.
164 National Main Street Center. "Paducah Renaissance Alliance: Congratulations Paducah, Kentucky!" 2010.
http://www.preseryationnation.org/niain-s1ieet/awards/ganisa/20lO-ganisa-winners/paducah-renaissance-alKance.html.
165 Ibid.
166 City of Paducah. "Paducah, A UNESCO Creative City of Crafts & Folk Art."
http://paducahky.gov/paducah/news/paducah-unesco-creative-city-crafts-folk-art. Accessed Jun. 3, 2014.
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VIII. ROANOKE, VIRGINIA
Located in southwestern Virginia, Roanoke is the largest city in the
western part of the state. Approximately 170 miles west of
Richmond and 100 miles north of Greensboro, North Carolina,
Roanoke sits along the Blue Ridge Parkway, a 469-mile National
Parkway connecting Great Smoky Mountains and Shenandoah
national parks and the Appalachian Trail, a 2,180-mile hiking trail
running from Maine to Georgia.167 Roanoke is adjacent to other
public lands, including the George Washington and Jefferson
national forests.168 The population has been relatively stable,
increasing from 94,911 in 2000 to 98,465 in 2013.169
^J
wv/ Richmond
^J . VA
Roanoke
-^Greensboro NC
0 25 50 Miles
I i I
Roanoke was historically an industrial town, and prior to the 1980s,
its economy was largely driven by railroads. Roanoke was home to the headquarters, workshop, and
maintenance facility for the Norfolk & Western Railway for nearly 100 years. In 1982, however, the
Norfolk & Western Railway merged with Norfolk Southern, and the corporate headquarters moved
to Norfolk, along with many jobs. Around the same time, several banks in Roanoke consolidated
with banks in North Carolina, resulting in even more job loss. Additionally, in 1979 the Virginia
state legislature abolished cities' ability to annex land. These factors, combined with residents
moving out to the growing suburbs, resulted in a largely vacant downtown and large swaths of
underused or abandoned industrial properties. No longer able to expand its economy by expanding
its boundaries, the city realized that the only way to grow was to use its assets and redevelop within
its current footprint.
A. Economic Development Strategies
In 2000, the city launched an extensive public participation process to develop a vision for the
future. Vision 2001-2020, the city's comprehensive plan, passed in 2001, incorporating input from a
citizens' advisory committee, citizen-based task teams, city staff, consultants, the planning
commission, city council, and the public. The comprehensive plan is built on a set of guiding
principles including:
• Quality of life and economic development are integrally related.
• Quality design principles enhance the city.
• Roanoke is the heart of the region.
• Roanoke needs both public and private investment in high-quality amenities, infrastructure,
and services to ensure continued vitality and growth.
167 Blue Ridge Parkway Association. "About the Blue Ridge Parkway." http://www.blueridgeparkway.org/v.php?pg=7.
Accessed Jun. 26, 2014.
168 Murray, Jack. "The Best Mid-Sized Mountain Town." Blue Kddge Outdoors Magazine. Nov. 2012.
http://www.blueridgeoutdoors.corn/outdoors-travel/the-best-rnid-sized-niountain-town.
169 U.S. Census Bureau. "American Fact Finder." http://factfinder2.census.gov/faces/nav/isf/pages/index.xhtml.
Accessed Jul. 10,2014.
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• Roanoke should be a sustainable
community.170
With the comprehensive plan to guide
development decisions, the city undertook several
economic development initiatives, including:
• Redeveloping downtown.
• Making outdoor recreation an economic
driver.
• Creating a biomedical research facility and
technology park.
1. Redeveloping Downtown
Part of Roanoke's downtown redevelopment
strategy included designating the area centered
along the main east-west tracks of the Norfolk &
Western Railway as an Enterprise Zone under a
state program. New or expanding businesses in
this zone are eligible for state and local incentives,
including:
• Facade grants for up to one-third the cost
of renovations.
• Exemptions from increased real estate
taxes due to increases in assessed value as
the result of rehabilitation or renovation of
commercial, mixed-use, or industrial
buildings.
• Rebates for development fee and water, fire, and sewer hookup fees. The amount is based
on a sliding scale, from 10 percent for investments of $125,000 to $249,999.99 up to
100 percent for investments of $1 million or more.
• Grants to neighborhood organizations for neighborhood and park beautification projects.
• Job-training grants.171
For residential, commercial, and industrial buildings at least 25 years old, Roanoke also offers partial
tax exemptions for five years equal to the difference in the appraised value before and after
completion of rehabilitation.172
Exhibit 17. Downtown Roanoke. A refurbished
Dr. Pepper sign from the 1940s was moved to a
renovated office building at a prominent downtown
corner. The Roanoke Valley Preservation
Foundation recognized the sign's preservation with
an award in 2006.
170 City of Roanoke. Vision 2001-2020. 2001. http: / /www.roanokeva.gov/85256A8D0062AF37/vwContentByKey/
N254FOP9276FGUREN.
171 City of Roanoke. Enterprise Zone One A Incentives. Undated. http://www.roanokeva.gov/85256A8D0062AF37/
vwContentByKey/6B51776E13D71EOC85257AA20050D6F5/$File/Enterprise%202one%20One%20A%20Informati
on.pdf.
172 City of Roanoke. "Tax Credits."
http://www.roanokeva.gov/85256A8D0062AF37/CurrentBaseLmk/N254UMHM330LBASEN. Accessed Jun. 26, 2013.
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2. Making Outdoor Recreation an Economic Driver
The city is using its environmental assets, including nearby state parks, the Appalachian Trail, and
the Blue Ridge Parkway, to spur economic development. In 2006, the Roanoke Regional
Partnership, a regional economic development organization, began branding Roanoke as a premier
spot for outdoor recreation, launching a website and dedicating staff to the effort.173 The partnership
and the city are using the area's natural assets to attract tourism, outdoor-oriented businesses, and
new residents.
The city is improving its natural and outdoor assets through a multi-pronged approach:
• Greenways: The city and regional partners completed a Roanoke Valley Conceptual Greenway
Plan in 1995 and updated it in 2007 to document progress and prioritize new routes for
construction.174 In addition, the city's comprehensive plan incorporates a policy to develop a
high-quality network of regional greenways for recreation, conservation, and transportation
and identifies actions to achieve this goal.175 Between 1995 and 2012, 26 miles of greenways
were built in the city and surrounding area.176
• Biking: The city took several steps to improve bicycling amenities with the aim of being
designated a Bicycle Friendly Community51"1 by the League of American Bicyclists, a goal the
city achieved in 2010.17V The Roanoke Valley Area Metropolitan Planning Organization
approved a bikeway plan in 2005 and updated the plan in 2012. The plan helps the region
develop a regional transportation network that makes bicycling safe and appealing.178
• Conservation easements:179 Between 2008 and 2010, the city placed almost 12,000 acres
under conservation easements, including the largest single tract ever protected in Virginia,
safeguarding the main freshwater source for the city, scenic views, and wildlife habitat.180
• Tree canopy: In 2002, the city created a goal of achieving 40 percent tree canopy in 10 years.
By 2010, it had surpassed this goal, with 48 percent tree cover, by improving tree
maintenance and revising zoning ordinances to encourage tree preservation and require tree
canopy on developed lots.181
173 Roanoke Regional Partnership. "Roanoke Outside.com." http://www.roanokeoutside.com. Accessed Jul. 10, 2014.
174 Roanoke Valley Greenway Commission and Roanoke Valley- Alleghany Regional Commission. Update to the Roanoke
Valley Conceptual Greenway Plan. 2007. http://www.roanokecountwa.gov/DocumentCenter/Home/View/253.
175 City of Roanoke 2001. Op. cit.
176 Roanoke Valley Greenways. "Progress." http://greenways.org/Ppage id=28. Accessed Jul. 22, 2014.
177 City of Roanoke. "Bicycle Friendly Community." https://www.roanokeva.gov/85256A8D0062AF37/
CurrentBaseLink/N287YM9O607LGONEN. Accessed Jun. 26, 2014.
178 Roanoke Valley Area Metropolitan Planning Organization. Bikemay Plan for the Roanoke Valley Area Metropolitan Planning
Organisation 2012 Update. 2012. http://ryarc.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/RVAMPO-BikewayPlan-2012Update-
179 Conservation easements limit the type or amount of development that can occur on property that remains under
private ownership.
180 City of Roanoke. "Conservation Easements." https://www.roanokeva.gov/85256A8D0062AF37/
CurrentBaseLink/N287YMAB696LGONEN. Accessed Jun. 26, 2014.
181 City of Roanoke. "Tree Canopy." https://www.roanokeva.gov/85256A8D0062AF37/CurrentBaseLink/
N287YMEY344LGONEN. Accessed Jun. 26, 2014.
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3. Creating a Biomedical Research Facility and Technology Park
In 2000, the city increased the downtown service area by 40 percent by creating the South Jefferson
Redevelopment Area, 110 acres of land adjacent to downtown that had been home to much of
Roanoke's railroad and industrial past and included numerous brownfield properties.182 The
Roanoke Redevelopment and Housing Authority and the city assembled 23 acres, conducted
environmental site testing, and improved public utilities, streets, and drainage. They designated the
area as the Riverside Center for Research and Technology.183 In 2006, the majority of the land was
sold to Carilion Health Systems, which partnered with Virginia Tech and the University of Virginia
to establish the Carilion Biomedical Institute that would build on the assets of these local and
regional institutions.184 In addition to the Carilion Biomedical Institute, the Riverside Center is now
home to the Carilion Clinic, a hotel,
and a medical school funded by a
state bond package in 2008.185
This redevelopment project is part
of the city's strategy to reuse
brownfield properties to provide
locations for growth in a city that is
95 percent built out, better use
property zoned for industrial and
commercial uses, create new jobs
and housing, increase the tax base,
and correct environmental
problems. In 2008, the Roanoke
City Council adopted the City-Wide
Broivnfie/d Redevelopment Plan, which
establishes the city's role in
brownfields redevelopment and
encourages and facilitates
reinvestment in brownfield
properties.18f
Exhibit 18. Historic Roanoke City Market. Located in the heart
of downtown, the City Market is open every day. It has been in
operation since 1882 and is a popular destination for both residents
and visitors.
182 Roanoke Redevelopment and Housing Authority. "South Jefferson." http://www.rkehousing.org/redevelopment/
south-Jefferson. Accessed Nov. 5, 2012.
183 City of Roanoke. "Riverside Center." http://www.roanokeva.gov/85256A8D0062AF37/CurrentBaseLink/
Lttp:/
7267'
N27PEMWV328BTFKEN. Accessed Jun. 26, 2014.
184 Virginia Tech. "Carilion, Virginia Tech, U.Va. Create Biomedical Institute - Virginia Tech Forms Optical Sciences and
Engineering Research Center." ScienceBlog. Nov. 18, 1999. http://www3.scienceblog.eom/community/older/1999/E/
199904502.html.
iss Virginia Tech Carilion. "About VTC." http://www.vtc.vt.edu/about. Accessed Jun. 26, 2014.
186 City of Roanoke. City-Wide Bmwnfield Redevelopment Plan. 2008. http://www.roanokeva.gov/85256A8D0062AF37/
vwContentByKey/26EEAADlB77A18D685257B17004FF023/$FiW CJ1yWideBFPlanJanuary2008.pdf.
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B. Results
Downtown Roanoke has undergone a dramatic change since the turn of the century. In 2000, fewer
than 10 people lived in downtown, but that number grew to around 1,200 by 2012.18V Between 2009
and 2012, 25 restaurants opened downtown, many drawing on the popularity of local food by
featuring products from Roanoke's long-running farmer's market.188 One of the downtown
developers capitalized on Roanoke's success by founding CityWorks (X)po, an annual place-making
conference that seeks to strengthen small towns.189 Smarter Travel named Roanoke one of the 10
best small cities on the rise, citing the new residents attracted to downtown and the 333 new
downtown residences in the works.190
Roanoke is also reaping dividends from its efforts to capitalize on the region's natural assets.
• The annual Blue Ridge Marathon event series (featuring a full marathon, half marathon, and
10K races) attracts a growing number of visitors from outside the metropolitan region—
59 percent of participants in 2014. The total economic impact of the event was $521,326 in
2014, up 9 percent from 2013. Since its inception in 2009, the event has generated more than
$2 million dollars in regional economic activity.191
• The city continues to gain accolades for its appeal to bicyclists and outdoor enthusiasts since
being designated a Bicycle Friendly Community51"1 by the League of American Bicyclists in
2010. USA Today picked the Roanoke Valley as one of the 10 most bike-friendly cities in
2014.192
• In 2012, Blue 'Bddge Outdoors Magazine named Roanoke the Best Mid-Sized Mountain Town
and said the city is "rapidly gaining a reputation as one of the country's top outdoor
destinations."193
• Metro Parent Magazine touts Roanoke as a family-friendly vacation destination for the number
and variety of hiking options close to downtown attractions.194
The Riverside Center for Research and Technology has also been a success. Between 2003 and 2007,
the Carilion Biomedical Institute generated "$33 million in economic impact, 10 new companies and
187 Chang, Nicholas. "Don't Call it a Comeback: The Rebirth of Downtown Roanoke, VA." Smart Growth America. Aug.
16, 2012. http://www.sniartgfowthanierica.ofg/2012/08/16/dont-call-it-a-conieback-the-febifth-of-downtown-
roanoke-va.
188 Ryzik, Melena. "Virginia Developer is on a Mission to Revive His Town." Neiv York Times. Jul. 24, 2012.
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/25/us/in-vifginia-developer-is-on-a-mission-to-revive-his-town.html.
189 Ibid.
190 Moore, Jamie. "America's Best Small Cities on the Rise." Smarter Travel. Jul. 20, 2014.
http://www.smartertravel.com/photo-galleries/editorial/americas-best-small-cities-on-the-rise.html?id=802.
191 Roanoke Valley — Alleghany Regional Commission and Roanoke Regional Partnership. 2014 Economic Impact Analysis.
2014. http://blueridgemarathon.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/EconomicImpact_2014.pdf.
192 Turnage, Neal. "lOBest: Bike-Friendly Cities." USA Today. Jul. 1, 2014. http://www.usatoday.com/story/experience/
weekend/my-weekend-experience/2014/07/01/10-best-cities-for-biking/11894665/#.
193 Murray 2012. Op. cit.
194 Gough, Kristen J. "Trails, Trains and More in Roanoke, Virginia." Metro Parent. May 27, 2014.
http://www.metroparent.com/dailv/familv-travel/familv-vacations/trails-trains-and-more-in-roanoke-virginia/.
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60 new jobs in the Roanoke and New River valleys."195 The city calculates that its initial $20 million
investment in the center has leveraged more than 10 times that amount in private dollars.196
These efforts have made the city an attractive place to live. Roanoke has won a multitude of awards,
including being named an All-America City six times by the National Civic League, named one of
America's Most Livable Communities by Partners for Livable Communities, and voted Number 2 in
Kiplinger's Best Cities Reader's Poll award in 2010.19V
Some information for this case study came from interviews with Tom Carr, Director, Planning Building and Development, City of
Roanoke, on October 11, 2012; Rob Ledger, Economic Development Manager, City of Roanoke, on October 30, 2012; Christopher
Morrill, City Manager, City of Roanoke, on October 30, 2012; Brian Tonmsend, Assistant City Manager for Community
Development, City of Roanoke, on October 30, 2012;PeteEshelman, Director of Outdoor Branding, Roanoke Regional Partnership,
on October 30, 2012; Curtis Mills, Jr., Chair, Donmtonm Roanoke, and Senior Vice President, Carilion Clinic, on October 30,
2012; and Steve Musselwhite, President, Downtown Roanoke, on October 30, 2012.
195 Barchi, Daniel. "Carilion Biomedical Institute is Creating Dividends." Roanoke Times. Mar. 26, 2007.
196 City of Roanoke "Riverside Center." Op. cit.
197 City of Roanoke. "Awards and Honors." https: / /www.roanokeva.gov/85256A8D0062AF37/vwContentByKey/
N2527NUX818LBASEN. Accessed Jun. 26, 2014.
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IX. CONCLUSION
While small towns and cities can face more significant challenges than their larger counterparts, they
also have great opportunities. The case studies show how communities of various sizes facing a
diversity of challenges can successfully retool their economies to fit the changing economic climate.
Small towns and cities, often with limited resources, must be innovative, thinking beyond just being
a good place to do business and focusing on using their distinctive assets for economic
development. Leaders of the case study communities understood this and effectively integrated their
economic development activities into efforts to support and nurture those features that make their
communities distinctive, whether it is a historic downtown or access to treasured natural areas.
No two communities are the same—they do not face the same challenges, and they cannot recover
from economic downturn by merely replicating efforts that have succeeded in other places.
However, the tactics discussed in this report can be useful to many communities and can be tailored
to the strengths and needs of the individual place to help struggling communities regain their
economic footing and create a better quality of life for their residents.
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