Wednesday, September 28, 2005
We're entering into a third phase of land development for economic development. In the first phase, EDPros focused exclusively on infrastructure issues: connections to water, sewer, utility and transportation systems.
In the second phase (which began around 1990), we began to see EDPros focus on the quality of development in their industrial parks. So, land development included restrictive covenants to give a site "curb appeal".
Now we are moving into a third, more complex phase. EDPros are focusing on mixed use development and the design of town centers to give their development sites a "campus feel". Here's an example from Virginia. Read more.
Land development, in short, follows what matters to business. In the first era, costs mattered most. Now, it is attracting and keeping knowledge workers. These workers value their experiences: They want good places to eat, convenient places to shop and exercise.
posted by Ed Morrison |
links
Some Background on EDPro Weblog
The purpose of this weblog is to help economic development professionals -- EDPros -- keep up with the changes sweeping our profession. Strap on your goggles. It's a whole new game. There are no experts any more. The only place to learn about economic development is from other EDPros who are doing it.
One other point: the prevaling approach (paradigm, if you like) in economic development is shifting from competition to collaboration. There are a lot of reaasons underlying this shift, but here's the important insight: You, your community, and your region will do better by collaborating and sharing information.
If you are using a news reader, here is the link to syndicate this site:
Here's the link if you are a bloglines subscriber:
Speaking and workshops on Open Source Economic Development
As the idea of Open Source Economic Development starts spreading, more people are asking about it. Visit the I-Open web site to learn more. My colleagues and I are happy to explain the basic concepts in a talk or a workshop. E-mail Susan Alshuler if you'd like to learn more about workshops and speaking.
Background on Ed Morrison
Download some background information on me here.
The evolution of land development
