INNER CITY INVESTMENT INITIATIVE SEMINAR Common Denominators of Successful Center City Revitalization Donovan Rypkema Heritage Strategies International Washington, DC, USA 1 Category - Leadership Is there an individual who is the Local Champion for center city revitalization? 2 Category - Leadership Is there a formal or informal overall vision or comprehensive plan that guides the process? 3 Category - Leadership Is there institutional presence in the center city? 4 Category - Leadership Are stakeholders responsive to change? 5 Category - Leadership Is there institutional support for the center city by local government? 6 Category - Leadership Is there institutional support for the center city by financial institutions? 7 Category - Leadership Is there institutional support for the center city by religious institutions? 8 Category - Leadership Is there institutional support for the center city by the local newspaper? 9 Category - Leadership Is there a significant segment of community leadership committed to center city revitalization? 10 Category - Comprehension Is the importance of the center city understood by the public sector? 11 Category - Comprehension Is the importance of the center city understood by the center city business community? 12 Category - Comprehension Is the importance of the center city understood by the business community that is not in the center city? 13 Category - Comprehension Is the importance of the center city understood by the community at large? 14 Category - Comprehension Is the importance of the center city understood by the local news media? 15 Category - Comprehension Is there a clear, broadly understood definition of where the center city is? 16 Category - Management Is there a public/private/non- profit organization for the center city? 17 Category - Management Is there a comprehensive approach to management of the center city? 18 Category - Management Is the center city organization tracking and reporting change? 19 Category - Partnerships Is there a widespread understanding and implementation of interdependence among center city businesses? 20 Category - Partnerships Is there a widespread understanding and implementation of interdependence among properties? 21 Category - Partnerships Is there interaction with educational institutions at every level? 22 Category - Partnerships Are there multiple avenues of participation in center city revitalization? 23 Category - Partnerships Is there active participation from newcomers to the community in center city revitalization? 24 Category - Partnerships Is there active participation in center city revitalization by those with no vested financial interests? 25 Category Public Sector Participation Is there a regulatory environment where reinvestment in the center city is specifically encouraged? 26 Is there a consistent public policy towards center city? Category Public Sector Participation 27 Is center city treated separately and differently in planning, zoning and other land use regulations? Category Public Sector Participation 28 Are public improvements of high quality? Category Public Sector Participation 29 Are public improvements well maintained? Category Public Sector Participation 30 Is mixed-use of center city buildings specifically encouraged? Category Public Sector Participation 31 Category Community Orientation Is there a broad sense of ownership of the center city by the residents of the community? 32 Category Community Orientation Are there abundant non- economic activities in the center city? 33 Category Community Orientation Is center city the primary place for public expression? 34 Category Community Orientation Is there tolerance encouragement of diversity center city? 35 Category Community Orientation Is there something for everyone center city? 36 Category Community Orientation Does the center city serve the local market? 37 Is there a sense of public safety by having minimal graffiti? Category Community Orientation 38 Category Community Orientation Is there a sense of public safety by having good levels of maintenance of buildings, signs and public improvements? 39 Category Community Orientation Is there a sense of public safety by having a minimum of dirty/unkempt windows & entrances 40 Category Community Orientation Is there a significant residential component in the center city? 41 Category Diversity - Economic Is the center city an affordable place for incubation, experimentation, creativity? 42 Is there a wide range of rental space available by size, condition, and use? Category Diversity - Economic 43 Is the center city made up primarily of locally owned businesses? Category Diversity - Economic 44 Are arts and cultural activities key elements in the center city strategy? Category Diversity - Economic 45 Is the center city a business center of the community? Category Diversity - Functional 46 Category Diversity - Functional Is the center city the government center of the community? 47 Is the center city the arts and cultural center of the community? Category Diversity - Functional 48 Category Diversity - Functional Is the center city the entertainment center of the community? 49 Is the center city a housing center of the community? Category Diversity - Functional 50 Category Diversity - Functional Is center city the tourism and convention center of the community? 51 Is the center city an educational center of the community? Category Diversity - Functional 52 Category Diversity - Functional Is center city a medical center of the community? 53 Is center city the special events center of the community? Category Diversity - Functional 54 Category Diversity - Functional Is center city the sports events center of the community? 55 Is the center city a retail center of the community (serving those other center markets)? Category Diversity - Functional 56 Category Diversity - Functional Is the center city the Heritage center of the community? 57 Category - Differentiation Are character defining resources identified, protected, and enhanced? 58 Category - Differentiation Is there an appropriate use of historic resources? 59 Category - Differentiation Does center city compete on its own strengths rather than try to compete with the shopping center and office park in their strengths? 60 Category - Differentiation Does the center city maintain and capitalize on a sense of discovery? 61 Category - Differentiation Is heritage conservation a key component of the center city revitalization strategy? 62 Category - Differentiation Is the center city where there is a concentration of buildings with meaning? 63 Category Pedestrian Orientation Are there people on the street? 64 Category - Pedestrian Orientation Is the center city in active use 18 hours a day? 65 Category - Pedestrian Orientation Are automobiles appropriately accommodated but not at the expense of pedestrians? 66 Category - Incrementalism Is there avoidance of a success only mentality? 67 Category - Incrementalism Is there a fundamental strategy and understanding that economic change is incremental? 68 Category - Incrementalism Is physical change incremental? 69 Category - Incrementalism Has the center city maintained a sense of evolution? 70 Category - Incrementalism Are there multiple catalysts for change? 71 Category - Incrementalism It there a trickle-up rather than a quick fix/big fix mentality? 72 Category Forward Thinking Is center city capitalizing on locationally indifferent businesses? 73 Category - Forward Thinking Is the center city capitalizing on growth sector businesses? 74 Category - Forward Thinking Does center city have businesses that are connected nationally? 75 Category - Forward Thinking Does center city have businesses that are connected internationally? 76 Category - Forward Thinking Is there a center city strategy for economic globalization? 77 Category - Forward Thinking Is there a conscious effort to resist cultural globalization? 78 Category - Forward Thinking Is there technological connectivity center city? 79 Category - Forward Thinking Is public transportation being reestablished with center city as its nexus? 80 Is the center city a fun place to live, work, shop and play? Thank you very much Donovan Rypkema, 2011 Heritage Strategies International