Author Archive

Fast food – not in a CoolTown: There are many reasons why fast food doesn’t jive with a CoolTown,
When it’s OK to eat with your hands: As we evolve from a service economy to an experience economy, diners
Food + fun = Hot pot: How can a town be fun if you don’t have fun places
Government sponsored beer and live music?: OK, so you still have to pay $3 for the beer, but
What would a CoolTown government be like?: A CoolTown government would look at enhancing the talent of its own
Which cities support CoolTowns?: Well, the ultimate CoolTowns are in places like Paris and London because
Will local governments endorse CoolTowns?: It depends on who voted them into office. Since governments are elected
If the mayor doesn’t get it, forget it: You need strong, entrepreneurial government leadership to see innovative development implemented. If
Investing in a sense of security in a CoolTown: The most effective sense of security comes in being around people you
Special Report: Update on Office Community: Affinity Lab happy hour: As promised, here’s an update on my workplace’s
What do women want in a safe city?: If you want details, a pair of female authors from Toronto (reportedly
How do you tell a neighborhood is safe?: That’s pretty easy – just observe how many women are strolling the
Does density cause crime?: Well sure, if you have a density of criminals. However, if you
Investing in a healthy town: Here are the health-oriented town features that investors are implementing in the
What are CoolTown-oriented shoes?: What’s a typical week in a health-oriented town?There really is such a
What’s a typical week in a health-oriented town?: How do you know you’re in a healthy town? Just walk around
CoolTown people tend to be fit, healthy: This week The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation is sponsoring The Shape We’re
Investing in Community: For regular blog viewers, you may notice that I end the weekly
Communities vs. cliques: Community: A group of people living in the same locality; a group
Community in the office: Actually, the verdict isn’t in yet, but the way I’m hoping to
Do you know your neighbors?: There are seventy or so people who live in my building (image
Where is that elusive sense of community?: It’s something many of us secretly ask ourselves, and there’s even a
Investing in A&E CoolTowns: Here’s the experience arts & entertainment vision an investment collaborative will be
The economy of an A&E CoolTown: As usual, business-related decisions come down to money and economics. So how
It’s all about the tenants: A wise man* once told me that the key to building a
How do you build a great music scene?: In my opinion, this is one of the most important elements in
How important is arts & entertainment in a CoolTown?: It’s like peanut butter & jelly in a PB&J sandwich – what
Yes, CoolTown transportation is very affordable: Since the price of shoes today is typically over $100, maybe not
CoolTowns have lots of free entertainment venues: I always held the opinion that the best forms of entertainment were
How to create affordable office space in a CoolTown: 1. Preserve old buildings and walkable neighborhoods (less parking costs). Outdated, inflated