As we’ve reiterated many times when speculating the future value of our city’s real estate, Decatur’s economic future is indelibly linked to that of its bigger, younger sister (see Marthasville) to the west.  Though many, many thanks must be given to Decatur officials, staff and residents, who had the foresight to implement smart growth concepts well before they were en vogue, even they would probably admit that it also had a lot to do with good timing.  While Decatur implemented a new strategy that valued its downtown instead of destroying it, the city of Atlanta came into its hey-day.

But what now?  How will our big sis fare in this economic downtown?

These questions were top-of-mind as I devoured  The Atlantic’s March cover story “How the Crash Will Reshape America“, written by American Urban Studies theorist Richard Florida.  Florida is big on the “creative class”, focusing on how concentrations of well-educated, creative folks (aka “talant-clusters”) drive city economies.  Unlike Friedman’s world is flat-theory, Florida, like many other urban theorists, believe that the easy accessibility of info of the 21st century is not be a death-knell to cities.  Instead, these mega-regions continue to remain vitality important in helping the U.S. compete with the rest of the world.

In examining our cities’ ability to weather this deep recession, Florida predicts big trouble for economies with a local economies that are heavy in the financials or industrials.  While giving a pass to NYC on financials because it is the center of the world economy, Florida writes the obit for dirty industry Detriot and real-estate dependent Las Vegas and Pheonix.

But when it comes to Atlanta, Florida only makes a passing mention when rattling off mega-regions:  I believe he calls it “Char-lanta.”  And while Charlotte gets a later mention for being a thriving research banking capital, Atlanta receives no other mention; pro or con.

So is that a good thing or a bad thing? Read the rest of this entry »