In my recent posting about the brand promise of Indianapolis, I advocated that far from rejecting Indy's traditional brand image, the city should instead embrace the best of it, updating it for the future with optimism and ambition. Core to this was motorsports, which is the brand image of Indianapolis for many people, especially outside the United States. There was some lively debate around this in the comment thread to say the least. Interestingly, an article in the Star [dead link] shows that motorsports isn't just a good brand, it's good … [Read more...]
The Brand Promise of Indianapolis
After my most recent pecha kucha presentation, someone came up to me and asked a question: "What is Indianapolis' identity?" She noted that when you think "Texas" a whole series of associations comes to mind: ten-gallon hats and cowboys, "everything's bigger in Texas", a certain exaggered masculinity combined with traditional "Yes, Ma'am" manners. But Indianapolis didn't seem to conjure up anything for this person or those she worked with. It was a constant topic of conversation. This is, perhaps, not uncommon in the area. I noted how … [Read more...]
Nashville: The Next Boomtown of the New South?
I traveled to Nashville for the first time in 2007, spending most of my time in the downtown area. I posted my impressions here, noting the high growth and high ambition level as well as the fantastic freeways, but also the generally unimpressive development and built environment. I did another fly-by in April of this year. I made a conscious effort to try to get out and see different areas this time around. My tour guide was an Indy native who had spent the last decade or so in the northeast. He'd moved to the city about a year previously, … [Read more...]
Economic Development Strategies, Done Right
I met a few weeks back with a group of people trying to figure out strategies for developing the life sciences industry in Indiana. One of the ideas that came out was getting a better understanding of what has worked well in the past or elsewhere in different spaces, and one of the key ideas was understanding how and why the Indianapolis sports strategy was so successful. As a bit of a history lesson, back in the 1970's the city of Indianapolis decided that it wanted to try to make sports, specifically amateur sports at the time, a pillar of … [Read more...]
Cincinnati: A Midwest Conundrum
I recently had the privilege of spending a couple of days in Cincinnati. As always, I was completely blown away by all the great things this city has. There is simply not a city in the Midwest apart from Chicago that has anything near the great assets of Cincy. It is an embarrassment of riches. Yet, I'm always befuddled as well as I puzzle a great conundrum: if Cincinnati is so great, how come it isn't the San Francisco of the Midwest instead of a typical, modestly stagnated Midwestern city? I don't profess to have the answers, but it just … [Read more...]
Review: Caught in the Middle by Richard C. Longworth
Caught in the Middle by Richard C. Longworth, formerly a foreign correspondent for the Chicago Tribune, paints a picture of a Midwest ravaged by globalization and unable to adapt to the future. As he puts it, “The first task is to tell the truth, that the Midwest’s golden era is gone forever. Much of the Midwest is in denial. It will take courageous leadership to speak the truth.” (255). Longworth’s view is sort of a cross between “The World is Flat” and “What’s the Matter with Kansas?”His thesis: globalization has permanently destroyed the … [Read more...]
Review: 46th St. Bridge Replacement
Before reading this post, you might want to do your homework by reading my previous posts on the importance of aesthetic design in transportation facilities. You can also review my preview of the I-465 west leg widening, both the good and the bad. And lastly you might want to see what I had to say about the I-465 northwest "fast track" project. This project is a pretty simple one. It involved the complete replacement of the west 46th St. bridge over I-465. This was the first piece of real work to be completed as part of INDOT's Accelerate … [Read more...]
Project Review: I-465 Northwest Fast Track
INDOT recently completed work on its I-465 Northwest Fast Track project. I presume that the "fast track" phrase refers to the time from concept to ground breaking, not the actual construction time, since it took three years to rebuild just two miles of road, including 18 months each for the interchanges, hardly a rapid schedule. But beyond the construction duration, there isn't a lot to complain about on this project. Overall it is a solid success in every way, including capacity, pedestrian/bicycle accommodation, and aesthetically. In fact, … [Read more...]
Impressions of Nashville
I spent a very brief Memorial Day weekend in Nashville, Tennessee. It was my first visit to the city. While I normally focus on Midwestern cities, Nashville and some others in the southeast are very much along the lines of what I would call "aspirational" cities. Of course, this is based on a too-brief visit, but let's face it, first impressions matter. Two somewhat contradictory things stand out in my mind. The first is that Nashville is a city on the make. Like many Sun Belt metros with heady growth, Nashville really has the feel that it … [Read more...]
Carmel: Leadership in Action, Part Three
This is the third and final installment in my series on leadership in Carmel, Indiana. Click to read Part One and Part Two. This one is dedicated to the critics. Like any leader, Carmel and Mayor Brainard have had both those who've strongly praised them and those who hate them. That's ok. Leadership itself often polarizes and every good leader has been besieged by critics. Of course, not all leaders lead in the right direction and sometimes the critics are right. So let's listen to them. Criticism falls into three main categories: The … [Read more...]