Suchergebnisse

Place Matters speaks eloquently of the shifts within and between US metropolitan areas, and the problems of growing racial and economic segregation. It's argument is more compelling, however, in describing the "legacy" cities of the Northeast and Midwest than it is in illuminating the most pressing issues for Sunbelt cities. Sunbelt metropolitan areas continue to grow, but they exhibit different economic geographies and political dynamics. This article probes some of these differences and suggests future avenues for research.

The importance of cultural institutions to contemporary revitalization efforts in U.S. citiesis attributed to several factors. First, the transformation of the urban political economy has made cities more dependent on their consumption economies. Second, urban cultural institutions have a strong interest in improving their surroundings, especially now that they have become more dependent on revenue-generating activities and on funding sources interested in attracting broad audiences. Finally, cultural hierarchies have become less rigid, allowing cultural institutions to draw on serious and popular art forms.

The author considers the relevance of American urban theories, particularly regime approaches, to an understanding of development politics cross-nationally. Studying recent developments in Berlin, she suggests that both political and cultural characteristics influence the nature of local coalition building. In Berlin, patterns of federal support, the nature of the state bureaucracy, and the weak organization of the private sector have all shaped the city's approach to redevelopment. In addition, architects and architectural debates have historically carried great weight in Berlin's planning culture.

The successful transformation of Asheville's downtown from desolate to vibrant is noteworthy. This article shows how successful redevelopment coalitions have shaped the downtown, with focus on the post-1980 period. In recent decades, public-sector officials and private investors have collaborated to create a downtown rooted in an architecturally significant historic built environment and based on independent business. Those most active have often crossed business, creative, and philanthropic sectors in ways we describe as "social entrepreneurial." The Asheville downtown coalition differs from the progrowth as well as the populist (progressive) regimes identified in other literature, but offers insights into downtown development efforts as urban governance becomes more fragmented and city development policy more focused on tourism and consumption.