tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-60630384423689975482024-03-05T05:55:26.276-05:00creative village orlandoOdd how the creative power at once brings the whole universe to order. - Virginia WoolfLaura Guitarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00598474089726395926noreply@blogger.comBlogger42125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6063038442368997548.post-43133723393615592582010-04-27T22:03:00.000-04:002010-04-27T22:03:19.379-04:00Off to the Races<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipZ4U_n6Kh5RWxd9w5U0_4aF7EpRliIQcwz6W1Cxtq7hHF3OvzFh8Qdl_6Gs6lkEnN3VN6W23zcETbNEFU30Q8Iitt-GDsLcinoxAjDvnzEaRWPDB3adU14ye7YE4XnEZz4Fkzm_S8KKY/s1600/kentucky_derby_250x251.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipZ4U_n6Kh5RWxd9w5U0_4aF7EpRliIQcwz6W1Cxtq7hHF3OvzFh8Qdl_6Gs6lkEnN3VN6W23zcETbNEFU30Q8Iitt-GDsLcinoxAjDvnzEaRWPDB3adU14ye7YE4XnEZz4Fkzm_S8KKY/s200/kentucky_derby_250x251.jpg" width="199" /></a></div>As of yesterday, bids are in for the Creative Village with a short list expected as soon as Friday, April 30. That's fast timing given the complexity of the project. Yet, by the point we're a couple of years into conversation about the opportunity, bidders should have their stuff organized to the point they can clearly illustrate the necessary details such as a mix of affordable housing and transit-oriented design ... along with the all important financial feasibility. The City has requested that minimal investment be expected on its part, which is fair given the economy. The Orlando City Council will review the short list and top ranked team in May. All of a sudden, we're off to the races! And this is the contest that matters ... skip all the hoopla about some ponies doing something or other this weekend.Laura Guitarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00598474089726395926noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6063038442368997548.post-39647783078625718952010-04-19T20:53:00.001-04:002010-04-19T20:54:11.622-04:00An Urban People<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFiGI_ZG7dB1Xkij_x3N5xxktTaWGRjAktF_ecPhEAiIuDwau88N9SkAKKXMfSzhZGcL0GFm1I4RvS26vmj7sHD-bmUWDjElnOGtGeKFV-HxPPKXf7KR28DU__I5m2BPHPRTvluOz7-CI/s1600/simon_large.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFiGI_ZG7dB1Xkij_x3N5xxktTaWGRjAktF_ecPhEAiIuDwau88N9SkAKKXMfSzhZGcL0GFm1I4RvS26vmj7sHD-bmUWDjElnOGtGeKFV-HxPPKXf7KR28DU__I5m2BPHPRTvluOz7-CI/s200/simon_large.jpg" width="178" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I didn't expect to find inspiration about Creative Village while reading an article about HBO's new series </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Treme. </span></i><br />
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times; font-style: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">But the <i>Time</i> magazine </span><a href="http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1978776,00.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">article</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> contained this quote, which is really quite powerful, from <i>Treme</i> creator David Simon (who also made HBO's </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The Wire <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;">and is that guy in the picture).</span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span></span></span></i><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">In response to references to "small town values" at the 2008 Republican Convention, he says, "There is no alternative to salvaging the city. We are an urban people. Eighty percent of us live in metro areas. ... What you've got to be interested in is big-city values. New Orleans is as much a dystopia as any place we've ever depicted. And yet people won't give up on it."</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">His comment is so interesting to me. What fosters that passion of never giving up on a city? After Hurricane Katrina, the <i>Orlando Sentinel</i> published an </span><a href="http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/orlandosentinel/access/1317905841.html?FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&date=Aug+10%2C+2007&author=Laura+Guitar&pub=Orlando+Sentinel&edition=&startpage=A.14&desc=Survival+vs.+recovery+--+New+Orleans+vs.+Orlando"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">op-ed</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> I wrote. The lead was this: "I<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;">f America can fail New Orleans, it can sure as shoot fail Orlando. Let's be honest: New Orleans has always been a far sight cooler than Orlando."</span></span></span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;">There may be 1,000 factors that define a city, that create that sense of place and the identity that others recognize, desire and support. But, first, we have to create that place for ourselves. Creative Village - with its place-making, emphasis on supporting emerging industry and new model for economic development - is a step in that direction. </span></span><br />
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</span></span>Laura Guitarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00598474089726395926noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6063038442368997548.post-58537213136991175742010-04-13T21:29:00.002-04:002010-04-13T21:30:54.806-04:00Growing our own money tree<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja5DYQNTlHLNBuq3iNAFCVy_WVOlrEdovEiWfWwUbYMLpq1jtUh6rwHYe50bdx9q1CsvWTDLxfqcYqgyhLqVrJnCO37N4OD3QUSyqrTpw6AVPZaESb78JASKXHQ4Np9upaaGj1st-VCWI/s1600/moneytree51.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja5DYQNTlHLNBuq3iNAFCVy_WVOlrEdovEiWfWwUbYMLpq1jtUh6rwHYe50bdx9q1CsvWTDLxfqcYqgyhLqVrJnCO37N4OD3QUSyqrTpw6AVPZaESb78JASKXHQ4Np9upaaGj1st-VCWI/s200/moneytree51.jpg" width="133" /></a></div><div>It used to be that the primary method of economic development was to buy jobs, essentially convincing companies with existing jobs elsewhere to move them here in exchange for financial incentives. And would still be true but for the decreasing state resources to fund those incentives. </div><div><br />
</div><div>Wait a minute! Ladies and gentlemen, we may have just found the upside of the recession. We're gonna - finally - have to rethink our approach to job creation. So, if we can't afford to buy jobs anymore (a practice that has never demonstrated consistently clear return on the investment), what's next? Glad you asked. Economic gardening, that's what. </div><div><br />
</div><div>According to the <a href="http://www.kauffman.org/advancing-innovation/economic-gardening.aspx">Kauffman Foundation</a>, "economic gardening is an economic development model that embraces the fundamental idea that entrepreneurs drive economies. The model seeks to create jobs by supporting existing companies in a community."</div><div><br />
</div><div>Revolutionary? Hardly. But apparently it's a difficult concept for the State of Florida to grasp as <i>Orlando Sentinel</i> business columnist Beth Kassab noted in her <a href="http://www.orlandosentinel.com/business/os-cfb-kassab-economic-gardening-20100409,0,7786254.column">column</a> yesterday. Despite the fact that economic gardening is showing promise even in its very early stages, the state support for the approach is unclear. </div><div><br />
</div><div>According to Kassab, "... the state's red tape kept this "emergency" program from getting started until just about five months ago. If lawmakers and Gov. Charlie Crist are serious about helping Florida businesses then they should give this program more time and money before they pull the plug." </div><div><br />
</div><div>Amen, Amen, Amen. And it's worth noting as well that the economic gardening concept was pioneered in 1987 in <a href="http://www.littletongov.org/bia/economicgardening/">Littleton, CO</a> ... when the state was in a recession. </div><div><br />
</div><div>You know what else would help with an economic gardening effort? </div><div><br />
</div><div>A garden designed just for entrepreneurs. </div><div><br />
</div><div>A garden with all the components to help smart companies get bigger. <br />
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A garden established with the purpose of helping to grow jobs. <br />
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A garden called Creative Village Orlando. </div></span><br />
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</span></span></span></span></div></span></span></div>Laura Guitarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00598474089726395926noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6063038442368997548.post-47372472539175998062010-04-11T15:54:00.000-04:002010-04-11T15:54:26.413-04:00Innovation through Real Estate Development<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYhkPqmVWNUJoW_jlk2HMSTfXZcHBIX6DXSDqFS_CiPYbYMAP4n48-McSh8FQ0DhFsDCg0FT0q6p3ysMYihQoVb1iMVkQdFeANG_Ifbt-iNU7JmGGLYh1Gml_gF5fF3TdkXekhD63KYh8/s1600/CV+-+cyberjaya.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYhkPqmVWNUJoW_jlk2HMSTfXZcHBIX6DXSDqFS_CiPYbYMAP4n48-McSh8FQ0DhFsDCg0FT0q6p3ysMYihQoVb1iMVkQdFeANG_Ifbt-iNU7JmGGLYh1Gml_gF5fF3TdkXekhD63KYh8/s200/CV+-+cyberjaya.png" width="200" wt="true" /></a></div><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">At its core, Creative Village is a real estate development, a chance to elevate a parcel of land into a place defined by a cohesive collection of buildings, residences, open spaces and institutions. Were that all Creative Village was about, however, it would hardly be as significant as it has the potential to become. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">An article in today’s New York Times, <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/11/business/global/11russia.html">"Innovation by Order of the Kremlin,"</a> provides insight into Russia’s attempts to self-generate a scientific city - and interesting juxtaposition to our own Creative Village. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">As Russia works to move its center of innovation beyond walled scientific communities, cut off from the rest of the country, there are a number of factors called out as necessary to success. Despite the significant cultural, government and regulatory differences between Orlando’s Creative Village and Russia’s unnamed site near Moscow, we share - or should share - common goals: </span><br />
<ul><li><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Commercialization of work done at local Universities</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Housing within immediate proximity of employment </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Streamlined immigration rules </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Focus on a mix of start-ups, established companies and academic institutions </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Definition of specific areas for advancement and investment </span></li>
</ul><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">All of this just illustrates the reality of today’s global economy. Our competitors for jobs – and knowledge workers – aren’t just Charlotte and Atlanta and Denver. We’re in active pursuit for talent with Cyberjaya in Malaysia, China’s tech cluster in Tianjin, and France’s Sophia Antipolis. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">For those still wondering if the investment in creativity, technology and innovation are worth it, consider this line from the NYT's article: “Gazprom, a [Russian] company that inherited title to the world’s largest natural gas reserves – is now valued by investors at well below Apple – a company that sprang from a garage.” </span><br />
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<div> </div>Laura Guitarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00598474089726395926noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6063038442368997548.post-92004285932143007402010-04-11T12:42:00.000-04:002010-04-11T12:42:35.317-04:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilosiOyePYwiqDBLoQlfRF9v2MvH7rhgJdK9KiX1ZHTX7UMQZXljUXRFK7IxDKb1DncEjrjD4ZYeRuuNPULvS3yE69qyDW3XJGZFGGmA-0FqsM4BMaA_4ZudRPfgqddkV968Y18LZhiRU/s1600/Creative-Village.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilosiOyePYwiqDBLoQlfRF9v2MvH7rhgJdK9KiX1ZHTX7UMQZXljUXRFK7IxDKb1DncEjrjD4ZYeRuuNPULvS3yE69qyDW3XJGZFGGmA-0FqsM4BMaA_4ZudRPfgqddkV968Y18LZhiRU/s320/Creative-Village.jpg" wt="true" /></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">We’re back! Excuse the lengthy hiatus please. This moment in time known as the Great Recession necessitated a brief pause in Orlando Mayor Dyer’s big vision that is Creative Village. The good news is that it’s back in play and the original 2006 Task Force recommendations remain largely intact. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">As you know, Creative Village is the 56-acre redevelopment site around the existing Amway Arena. Creative Village is a critical component of the downtown landscape, and even more relevant with the recent approval of SunRail. The new Amway Events Center will be completed this fall and, while the City recognizes the current economic reality and real estate market conditions, the Creative Village is aligned with many near-term federal funding priorities and other “hot buttons” of the development industry (e.g., transit-oriented development, mixed-income housing, mixed-use urban infill, education, green building, job creation, brownfield redevelopment, etc.). </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">The City is looking to the development community to suggest a plan and financing strategy to move the Creative Village forward, create value and offer the innovative, diverse and signature urban place that we all know is critical to our future. Proposals will be due April 26th at 3 pm. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Related media coverage can be found here: </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><a href="http://orlando.bizjournals.com/orlando/stories/2010/03/29/daily31.html">http://orlando.bizjournals.com/orlando/stories/2010/03/29/daily31.html</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><a href="http://www.wesh.com/money/23028267/detail.html">http://www.wesh.com/money/23028267/detail.html</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><a href="http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/2010-03-21/news/os-centroplex-venues-plan-20100321_1_arena-land-stimulus-money-federal-stimulus">http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/2010-03-21/news/os-centroplex-venues-plan-20100321_1_arena-land-stimulus-money-federal-stimulus</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Details about the process and the project can be found here: <a href="http://cityoforlando.net/elected/venues/creative.htm">http://cityoforlando.net/elected/venues/creative.htm</a>. </span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Onward and upward! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">FULL DISCLOSURE: I am a member of one of the teams bidding on the Creative Village project and also represent the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts, which is related to this effort as part of the venues package. That said, this blog will not be a platform for promotion of either of those. It is intended to elevate the concept of a Create Village, create greater understanding of its value and help align interested parties in supporting the effort from a grassroots, community standpoint. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"></span></span>Laura Guitarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00598474089726395926noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6063038442368997548.post-775232887749170312008-01-27T21:18:00.000-05:002008-12-11T09:50:16.463-05:00Blacksmith or Blackberry?<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBlyHPsLje9Lda86OYXp6835bredeon7Ye8KslbjS9WmFTpFNd96TCZ2S5nL06U8K4BPhzk61_yN5UwsUcSeTYfpuTpyJxPY4hdTKnAexFZTMSuV-gjvf47bIuxRGoC8en-9PnrulJYpQ/s1600-h/blacksmith.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5160347156012360018" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBlyHPsLje9Lda86OYXp6835bredeon7Ye8KslbjS9WmFTpFNd96TCZ2S5nL06U8K4BPhzk61_yN5UwsUcSeTYfpuTpyJxPY4hdTKnAexFZTMSuV-gjvf47bIuxRGoC8en-9PnrulJYpQ/s320/blacksmith.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>Great article - headlined <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/27/magazine/27wwln-lede-t.html?_r=1&ref=magazine&oref=slogin/”">‘Old School Economics’</a>- in the New York Times magazine today about the way the presidential candidates speak about the economy and jobs. Christopher Caldwell writes: </div><div><br />“Why do presidential candidates touting their concern for the economy pose with factory workers rather than with ballet troupes? After all, the U.S. now has more choreographers (16,340) than metal-casters (14,880), according to the <a title="More articles about Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S." href="http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/organizations/b/bureau_of_labor_statistics/index.html?inline=nyt-org">Bureau of Labor Statistics</a>. More people make their livings shuffling and dealing cards in casinos (82,960) than running lathes (65,840), and there are almost three times as many security guards (1,004,130) as machinists (385,690). Whereas 30 percent of Americans worked in manufacturing in 1950, fewer than 15 percent do now. The economy as politicians present it is a folkloric thing.” </div><div><br />Is it – perhaps – the same with cities? Are we still looking at blacksmiths instead of blackberrys as economic drivers? Is our economic development world view really current with what’s happening now? And more importantly, are we accurately tuned to what’s happening next? In my experience, economic development tends to be reactionary – responding to what comes through the door and the tailoring marketing to more of that. Perhaps a more aggressive, nimble, entrepreneurial approach is needed. <a href="http://www.bioorlando.com/">BioOrlando</a> may be an example of that new approach – if it can deliver results as well as vision. </div>Laura Guitarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00598474089726395926noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6063038442368997548.post-17226007165639887852008-01-21T16:03:00.000-05:002008-12-11T09:50:16.633-05:00Get Your Game On<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFvBqGK4cr1S0LXoM4Xw7h5bK3x_O-iQJpCgzXX-IvURRkyVZdrIXPrrysyDOYPRVasmUq5kk_mD1_4tmNWBpTFJMBr_5d8SK8aTVo5qd7Ca8n2Nmx29RTOaVX2t6wqB8_ftmxxPm3r4o/s1600-h/A2W5179CA3SQ06DCA90WRVBCATVC1D1CAYSG1OBCA2LZK5ZCAZUG6G5CA7JDKC9CAJM8LPZCAEM5W9GCA34DUDSCAFD4GPYCANNDPSTCAEJ3ZQGCAPGKLDACAQVFV6GCAZ0JJUTCAVYMLM6CABY37EY.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5158044095801042002" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFvBqGK4cr1S0LXoM4Xw7h5bK3x_O-iQJpCgzXX-IvURRkyVZdrIXPrrysyDOYPRVasmUq5kk_mD1_4tmNWBpTFJMBr_5d8SK8aTVo5qd7Ca8n2Nmx29RTOaVX2t6wqB8_ftmxxPm3r4o/s200/A2W5179CA3SQ06DCA90WRVBCATVC1D1CAYSG1OBCA2LZK5ZCAZUG6G5CA7JDKC9CAJM8LPZCAEM5W9GCA34DUDSCAFD4GPYCANNDPSTCAEJ3ZQGCAPGKLDACAQVFV6GCAZ0JJUTCAVYMLM6CABY37EY.jpg" border="0" /></a> Today's the last day to check out <a href="http://www.blogger.com/%3Ehttp://otronicon.org">Otronicon at the Orlando Science Center</a>. And while the concept gets lots of props from media, government and business types - it probably deserves more. This is one of the things that's right about Orlando.<br /><br />Otronicon stands for (O)rlando Elec(tron)ic (I)nteractive Entertainment (Con)vention - which is really the mash up of our art, digitial media, education, military training and simulation industries. We're one of the few communities in the country to lay claim to all of those in combination so - as the web site says - it is "uniquely Orlando." Clearly, the presence of creative class business is extending its influence with the result being Otronicon. <br /><br />That it's also cool makes it all the more worthy of support and praise. This is what science class should be - fun, interactive and directly related to high-wage high-skill jobs. Last year's event attracted 18,000 folks. Here's hoping 2008 numbers are even higher.Laura Guitarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00598474089726395926noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6063038442368997548.post-69312574702931169642008-01-04T09:24:00.000-05:002008-12-11T09:50:16.861-05:00Refuse to lose to Iowa<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWpZRpIjlFuCD23DR-Bo6Fqq-xkX2TR7rkBBj-iHT5WwssdwYrJQFP5IHq__RraIwxV16b_rSyrVSC0ZBe_hxWS43Kq_7BrrcTznC1abSe53_HHb9EmIs23Pc-jQHgZdh3pEzUo7lj3Bs/s1600-h/iowa.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5151704178611299394" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWpZRpIjlFuCD23DR-Bo6Fqq-xkX2TR7rkBBj-iHT5WwssdwYrJQFP5IHq__RraIwxV16b_rSyrVSC0ZBe_hxWS43Kq_7BrrcTznC1abSe53_HHb9EmIs23Pc-jQHgZdh3pEzUo7lj3Bs/s400/iowa.jpg" border="0" /></a>Nothing to do with presidential politics – thank goodness – this is from <a href="http://americancity.org/updates/blog/election-2008/2008/urban-iowa/">The Street</a> blog on The Next American City site:<br /><br /><div><em></em> </div><div><em>“Take Des Moines. The last time I was in Iowa’s capital city (metro population 500,000) I was struck at the rapid growth of this prairie mini-metropolis. In fact, Des Moines is one of the fastest growing metropolitan areas in the Midwest. Even the New York Times recently declared that Des Moines might just actually be a city </em><a href="http://travel.nytimes.com/2007/12/02/travel/02journeys.html?hp"><em>w</em></a><a href="http://travel.nytimes.com/2007/12/02/travel/02journeys.html?hp"><em>orthy of a visit</em></a><em>. No one would mistake Des Moines for Minneapolis, let alone San Francisco. Yet the city grows leaps and bounds, and is emerging as a contender in the finance and insurance industries. Maybe what Des Moines teaches us is that for all the talk of “cool” cities attracting the “creative class,” what really drives sustained growth in most cities is boring stuff like low crime, good schools, and affordable housing."</em> </div><div><br /> </div><div>IOWA?! Nooooooo. Lower crime, better schools, more affordable housing. ARRGGHHH. C’mon team. We’re just not gonna lose the quality of life battle to Iowa. For goodness sake! </div>Laura Guitarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00598474089726395926noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6063038442368997548.post-28954532456311899042008-01-03T18:38:00.001-05:002008-12-11T09:50:17.059-05:00You're Invited to a Party!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK26rkB9A8lbuUZe71zGoSomv4dSshMHKfgLm62OhU82gx3jJTLCSxVZAZwLfy6wUZhjvSc1Tm12qrvk2VOFnedGNjb9XAR5fl36W5jom2z512iSz7tnZNaJeNw-dVXVGcQz0cRWhO2M0/s1600-h/House+of+Moves+invite.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5151399004005049394" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK26rkB9A8lbuUZe71zGoSomv4dSshMHKfgLm62OhU82gx3jJTLCSxVZAZwLfy6wUZhjvSc1Tm12qrvk2VOFnedGNjb9XAR5fl36W5jom2z512iSz7tnZNaJeNw-dVXVGcQz0cRWhO2M0/s400/House+of+Moves+invite.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div></div>Laura Guitarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00598474089726395926noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6063038442368997548.post-44105836255601251902008-01-03T13:11:00.000-05:002008-12-11T09:50:17.156-05:00A Game for Children<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0ITbngWOYKNbCz69uKf59OLHk4cfr_pw9Te6Sk1LoK_h1yBjB8mUXGuIZ6YzGnVeOioGlyeLgaha0MyEKKdS__yGhRTFnWlgqiOVwACT_HM5X0JTa8DwLEQRvhccNSNtRKaZsKR3Use8/s1600-h/chutes+and+ladders.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5151315247847810082" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0ITbngWOYKNbCz69uKf59OLHk4cfr_pw9Te6Sk1LoK_h1yBjB8mUXGuIZ6YzGnVeOioGlyeLgaha0MyEKKdS__yGhRTFnWlgqiOVwACT_HM5X0JTa8DwLEQRvhccNSNtRKaZsKR3Use8/s200/chutes+and+ladders.jpg" border="0" /></a>The <a href="http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/news_opinion_positionpage/2008/01/should-business.html">Position Page</a> (blog of the<em> Orlando Sentinel’s</em> editorial board) begs the question – are taxpayer incentives for business necessary to remain competitive as a community? Regardless of your point of view, it’s clear that incentives can be a zero sum game for the communities involved in the process. And I’m sure any community can point to resources squandered in an unfulfilled corporate presence. Still, just because the game isn’t fun, do we chose not to play? The whole issue speaks to the idea that we first have a responsibility to create an environment of entrepreneurship. Why try and recruit companies when it’s so much more effective on a cost basis – if not a time basis – to grow your own? Secondly, we have a responsibility to the companies that are already here. The support and business-friendly approach of government is key. But most importantly, we have a responsibility to ourselves. If this community is a dynamic, interesting, vibrant place to live, we will be in a much better negotiating position when it comes to the Chutes and Ladders game of incentive-driven economic development.Laura Guitarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00598474089726395926noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6063038442368997548.post-45966159361382102262007-12-12T16:38:00.000-05:002008-12-11T09:50:17.315-05:00Traffic congestion and a blog crawl<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6qjiWGJDgafeAnx_YFUphr94y3EEUrXuVttJMYrR1PwWOb04ieSVb6cjppC_dtbl-zNqD5-NAnYRLHTgiCpBU_9gzTek0BCN66_8A2ggcfw3wEPnv2dqi4EuI7hEekg4ZqMKhWP-hBLY/s1600-h/Charlotte+light+rail.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5143207353871540962" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6qjiWGJDgafeAnx_YFUphr94y3EEUrXuVttJMYrR1PwWOb04ieSVb6cjppC_dtbl-zNqD5-NAnYRLHTgiCpBU_9gzTek0BCN66_8A2ggcfw3wEPnv2dqi4EuI7hEekg4ZqMKhWP-hBLY/s200/Charlotte+light+rail.jpg" border="0" /></a>This from a recently discovered city-oriented blog called <a href="http://www.ryanavent.com/blog">The Bellows</a>: “<em>You shouldn’t build transportation networks for the city you have, you should build them for the city you expect to have.</em>” Yes!<br /><br />To further prove the point, <a href="http://www.ryanavent.com/blog/?p=582">that blog comment</a> connects to <a href="http://urbanplacesandspaces.blogspot.com/2007/11/charlottes-web.html">another blog</a> which has interesting observations and connects to a <a href="http://www.charlotte.com/transit">Charlotte Observer story</a> about that city’s tax for its light rail system. Whew. That journey was a little exhausting. Still, it’s all worth perusing. Particularly since we turned up our Central Florida noses at mass transit and handed off our system on a silver platter. So what does transit have to do with Orlando’s creative village? Well, consider <a href="http://www.vtpi.org/tdm/tdm24.htm">this thought</a>, “New Urbanism does not usually exclude automobile travel, but it increases transportation options and sometimes gives priority to walking, cycling and transit.”<br /><br />In summary, while you’re waiting for light rail in Orlando, go buy a <a href="http://www.psfk.com/2007/07/the-prius-car-of-the-creative-class.html">Prius – the Official Car of the Creative Class</a>.Laura Guitarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00598474089726395926noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6063038442368997548.post-52582093846428284812007-12-12T16:04:00.000-05:002008-12-11T09:50:17.634-05:00Creative Village Blueprint<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHTR-suLqHVRfMproPVpOdfi7tahcOUVRmMF6CKlfyjKqL5mR6X3knHAd6Ojjbwho87XFQ9IbX9hVqqF3z1IWezPjf9BSpyJTVHHlHB4fn_M7WxV-20uEd-LTRNXbGpBx5_j0m7ky73f0/s1600-h/toolbox.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5143197741734732498" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHTR-suLqHVRfMproPVpOdfi7tahcOUVRmMF6CKlfyjKqL5mR6X3knHAd6Ojjbwho87XFQ9IbX9hVqqF3z1IWezPjf9BSpyJTVHHlHB4fn_M7WxV-20uEd-LTRNXbGpBx5_j0m7ky73f0/s200/toolbox.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCT07unREbo-pObPkT2G3lU7z5PoDZBiHV_0V6uJivv1NU5AUU-Fn_WRniBhoBFOuU3xbuMZM_8WOEjKa-chcR2QCnKvJ0fF3ZnnSQWViVpV-wphWk4bBhd01WSmxzkJ9yCuq3ZJ05Mvk/s1600-h/toolbox.jpg"></a><br /><br /><div>Don’t you love when practical people take theory and make it actionable? Finally, plans for a DIY creative village! </div><br /><div></div><div></div><div></div><br /><div></div><div>Okay, that’s probably simplifying things and the strategies outlined in this <a href="http://www.blogger.com/”http://www.communityarts.net/readingroom/archivefiles/2007/08/the_creative_ec.php”">Cornell University paper</a> probably aren’t rocket science. But they seem like reasonable first steps and – hey – it’s still all about first steps for us. A summary of the document is here:</div><div><br />“This toolkit is excerpted from a paper that reports on a research and technical assistance effort to examine creative-economy initiatives in upstate New York and how they can be translated into strategies for community and regional development in small and medium-size cities<a name="_ednref1">.</a> We focus on the potential role of higher-education institutions in building local creative economies and lay out specific strategies for community and regional economic-development planning. These strategies include: stakeholder gatherings, super-collaborators, local and regional arts councils, festivals and special events, collaborative organizational designs, service-learning arts projects, student-led community arts projects, research collaborations and arts-based brick-and-mortar projects.”</div></div>Laura Guitarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00598474089726395926noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6063038442368997548.post-47623258438181693132007-12-09T19:42:00.000-05:002007-12-09T19:54:52.184-05:00You Know It's BadYou know you've slacked off your blogging responsibilities when you're husband - who generally expresses concern about your relationship with your laptop - says "so, you give up on that blog thing?" No giving up! I'm stuck. And instead of repeating what has happened every night of late - searching for something interesting to write about, finding nothing and logging off - we now have a blog post about being stuck. Sorry. We'll be back up and running. Soon. Promise! Just gotta get over this virtual wall that is mucking up my happy little project in the interactive world. Tips, guidance and criticism are welcome. Heck - at this point - just about anything is welcome. Stay tuned. Won't be long now.Laura Guitarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00598474089726395926noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6063038442368997548.post-46971817910574349912007-11-23T18:26:00.000-05:002008-12-11T09:50:18.289-05:00Something to be thankful for<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwdHYHdZfvVBOB4WM5Edd6Ej4jcquD87ewykWVLQe-6er2H9meG5lwKSV9n4eD9iteiLMIEan444bELEERRU2MN1_w0UQXgMZEGyOzyG7_A5h1nvWyhWqQKV9wFux82WeQ0FCZnjZGd5Q/s1600-h/thanksgiving.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5136184129625445410" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwdHYHdZfvVBOB4WM5Edd6Ej4jcquD87ewykWVLQe-6er2H9meG5lwKSV9n4eD9iteiLMIEan444bELEERRU2MN1_w0UQXgMZEGyOzyG7_A5h1nvWyhWqQKV9wFux82WeQ0FCZnjZGd5Q/s320/thanksgiving.jpg" border="0" /></a>A friend sent a message out yesterday saying Happy Thanksgiving with a link to <a href="http://money.cnn.com/galleries/2007/biz2/0704/gallery.jobs_markets.biz2/index.html">this story</a> on CNN.com. Below is an excerpt from the story as posted on the Web site. This national recognition of our high-wage, high-skill job growth is something to be thankful for indeed. The jobs are here, the workers are coming ... let's get ready to leverage the opportunity.<br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">“Orlando once leaned heavily on Disney World and its service-sector <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">spinoffs</span> to prop up its economy, but these days it's pulling in life sciences, digital media, and health-care companies with affordable (or subsidized) land and tax breaks. Electronic Arts; Hollywood animation firm House of Moves; and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Burnham</span> Institute, a top-rated cancer research center, are all expanding and adding jobs here. Despite the housing slump, such diversification will help Orlando crank out 72,600 new jobs this year and next."</span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">"Most of the hiring will still come from the region's tourism backbone. But Orlando will also post higher growth in professional-services jobs--everything from office managers to advertising account executives--than any other city on our list. The high-wage, white-collar category is projected to balloon by about 15 percent. The reason: Orlando's population is expected to expand by 150,000 by decade's end.”<br /></span>Laura Guitarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00598474089726395926noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6063038442368997548.post-10464212266205085982007-11-19T14:39:00.000-05:002008-12-11T09:50:18.447-05:00Go to the Farmer's Market - Make Friends<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZbkh4tmPg5ckgUBNQiqoeWOnR_2kPRMROmllX6EjZREjS0eqaOywj48P6CLW46tmKXiK6lobw89saylMH1fD9n4LVJbHdFflp1V_4CY5j0iGMZ76WADTZY5i40nvWK2eCqyDi07hkez4/s1600-h/farmers+market.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5134639723810313218" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZbkh4tmPg5ckgUBNQiqoeWOnR_2kPRMROmllX6EjZREjS0eqaOywj48P6CLW46tmKXiK6lobw89saylMH1fD9n4LVJbHdFflp1V_4CY5j0iGMZ76WADTZY5i40nvWK2eCqyDi07hkez4/s320/farmers+market.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>This from the <a href="http://www.ceosforcities.org/conversations/blog">CEOs for Cities blog</a>… </div><br /><div><br />"Density and diversity, according to a <a href="http://www.psychologytoday.com/articles/pto-20070622-000003.html">new article</a> in Psychology Today, give urban dwellers a potential edge. For every doubling in city size, there's a 14 to 27 percent increase in productivity per worker, and psychologists and others are trying to explain why. They believe the gains "can be linked to having more and different people to meet, and more meeting places—parks, coffee shops, parties, or simply the sidewalk.<br /></div><br /><div>"City dwellers have more places to hang out, and they tend to know more people. Meredith Rolfe, a political sociologist at Oxford, studies social networks through large-sample surveys. While there are only small variations in the numbers of close friends people report having, she's found that 'acquaintance networks'—the so-called 'weak ties' that are most helpful in finding a job or stock tip—range wildly in size, from 500 to 10,000, depending in part on methodology and in part on whether a person lives in a city."<br /></div><br /><div>Some places generate more conversation than others. One study found people are 10 times more likely to have a conversation while shopping at a farmer's market than at a supermarket. With a relaxed pace and farmers ready to tell stories about unfamiliar vegetables, the market is a social setting." </div>Laura Guitarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00598474089726395926noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6063038442368997548.post-82058401122814955542007-11-16T12:20:00.000-05:002008-12-11T09:50:18.653-05:00Safety Trumps Stadiums<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdh2MjjAO9DTbhigUeKHtgSwmkOhtenUcCQGHxAvrxR44mtWQbBjbFCwtCSk4zz-qYVvTO2nOg_ra5cOLvnhYXVT6LwFsMIfjQBHVblokIouPxDUNHWB3pMrzf5-IxA32UE6mWs9eqtLM/s1600-h/orlando+at+night.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5133614794289632242" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdh2MjjAO9DTbhigUeKHtgSwmkOhtenUcCQGHxAvrxR44mtWQbBjbFCwtCSk4zz-qYVvTO2nOg_ra5cOLvnhYXVT6LwFsMIfjQBHVblokIouPxDUNHWB3pMrzf5-IxA32UE6mWs9eqtLM/s320/orlando+at+night.jpg" border="0" /></a> Had an interesting conversation last night about the fact that Orlando is somewhat unique in Florida right now because our urban (CBD) office space more expensive than suburban office space. This is a good thing. Other markets - like Tampa, Jacksonville and Ft. Lauderdale - are seeing companies leave downtown cores for suburban space. Miami may be the other exception in the state but most major metro areas are finding downtown towers are too expensive to build given the lower return. So downtowns are dying. What's interesting is that Jacksonville and Tampa both have NFL teams with downtown stadiums - and yet can't sustain their downtown business core. It would suggest that a downtown residential base might be more imperative to downtown viability. It's not just about have workers live near their workplace. It's that whole live, work, play vibrancy that comes with having people in and around your downtown 24-7. And it's not just condos. Historic neighborhoods are important. There is considerable value that comes with the psychic energy and monetary investment of residents. Of course, to maintain our downtown residential base, safety matters. The conversation last night involved discussion of the fact that many of us feel safer walking downtown Manhattan at night than we do in some of Florida's major metro areas. All of a sudden safety isn't just an issue for moms and kids. It's a business imperative.Laura Guitarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00598474089726395926noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6063038442368997548.post-1417142366619764622007-11-13T08:56:00.000-05:002008-12-11T09:50:18.876-05:00Right Under our Noses<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWk2tQUSG4xnKFItWzDsq_aIu_xLubxyglK0kdjxEKKBsmPdd4qWZ67vOsNACDHAj1m672EtETCfp-gOqsKt8c5mABiee-up1edk4UxX2qSGnEP89T2seqZMEUKjEqKkY3EMh6wV9hDG0/s1600-h/blueorb_logo.gif"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5132332320636865234" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWk2tQUSG4xnKFItWzDsq_aIu_xLubxyglK0kdjxEKKBsmPdd4qWZ67vOsNACDHAj1m672EtETCfp-gOqsKt8c5mABiee-up1edk4UxX2qSGnEP89T2seqZMEUKjEqKkY3EMh6wV9hDG0/s320/blueorb_logo.gif" border="0" /></a><br /><div> </div><div>You know how when you start looking at things through a certain lens everything seems connected? We're having one of those moments lately. An <a href="http://www.orlandosentinel.com/business/orl-blueorb1307nov13,0,7290581.story?coll=orl">article</a> in today's <em>Orlando Sentinel</em> highlights exactly the kind of company that provides the cornerstone of a creative village. And exactly the kind of company we should be throwing our arms around as a community. Except I'll bet you - like me - hadn't even heard of them before this article. We should be working to create an environment where companies like this can grow and thrive. Wonder if we've asked them what would help them be more successful here? Certainly, Blue Orb seems to be doing just fine. But how much more might be achieved if the company were surrounded by other similar companies in a collaborative environment that meets the social, housing, education and entertainment interests of its workforce? I'm not saying <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Maitland</span> isn't that place ... wait, yes I am. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Maitland</span> isn't that place. </div><br /><div></div><br /><div><a href="http://www.orlandosentinel.com/business/orl-blueorb1307nov13,0,7290581.story?coll=orl_tab03_layout"></a></div>Laura Guitarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00598474089726395926noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6063038442368997548.post-41203329084351681382007-11-09T11:16:00.000-05:002008-12-11T09:50:19.028-05:00Pigskin + Patents<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifvVwTpdgQwHgyhR9l_tGmHKz315ut7ggwNwEeE9RDwO2UM8U13VBaT3dyya0moLalS7pz_o4Dx7tMn2a-Blffj6N9k6jEkajDIfGSaCuTyhU3dlRvN2annjiPR20J3IVBvtqQH5147wc/s1600-h/ucf+knights.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5130877074047830722" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifvVwTpdgQwHgyhR9l_tGmHKz315ut7ggwNwEeE9RDwO2UM8U13VBaT3dyya0moLalS7pz_o4Dx7tMn2a-Blffj6N9k6jEkajDIfGSaCuTyhU3dlRvN2annjiPR20J3IVBvtqQH5147wc/s320/ucf+knights.jpg" border="0" /></a>The <a href="http://www.orlandosentinel.com/business/orl-kassab0907nov09,0,7372169.column">business column</a> in the <em>Orlando Sentinel </em>today tackles a similar topic to the previous <a href="http://creativevillageorlando.blogspot.com/2007/11/youre-gonna-wonder-what-boules-is.html">post</a>. In the column, Beth Kassab sets up an interesting financial benefit comparison between athletics and scientific innovation at public universities, noting the greater return from science and technology spin-offs. Below are excerpts from that column:<br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><em>At UF, license and royalty agreements from science and other inventions total about $43 million a year. At UCF that number is $1.2 million.<br /><br />Its current $1.2 million in licenses and royalties is far below the estimated $3 million average for a university its size, but the figure has grown more than 600 percent from $170,000 in just the past two years.<br /><br />Today UCF will host its fourth annual "Invention to Venture" workshop, aimed at helping professors and students connect with entrepreneurs and investors to turn research into business.<br /><br />UCF is on the cusp of quietly attracting major investor activity, even as its football team and new home stadium are attracting more fans.</em><br /></span><br />All that is generally good news, though it does make clear the significant strides we still have to make to just get onto the true science and technology playing field. It also – again – begs the question as to how we should best position Orlando to retain these companies, their founders and the workforce associated with them after they exit the university environment. The creative village isn’t the singular answer, but it’s certainly a key element.Laura Guitarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00598474089726395926noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6063038442368997548.post-46999804495320064452007-11-08T21:43:00.001-05:002008-12-11T09:50:19.342-05:00You're Gonna Wonder What a Boules Is<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZDEwLRcJV7NJwpJZH4_1juuQQAr1eHWMccRd5idRIC2LUZlAaU2DdnjCVevbm-bpGtV57Twu0Wx_j3sdYml587qdlMl3r3eTF2Y7Ym5sh4ifmJ1OHZPExRTtO8cF-H4vve3QIzPJ8lGo/s1600-h/rice.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5130668042284501682" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZDEwLRcJV7NJwpJZH4_1juuQQAr1eHWMccRd5idRIC2LUZlAaU2DdnjCVevbm-bpGtV57Twu0Wx_j3sdYml587qdlMl3r3eTF2Y7Ym5sh4ifmJ1OHZPExRTtO8cF-H4vve3QIzPJ8lGo/s320/rice.jpg" border="0" /></a>The <a href="http://alliance.rice.edu/alliance">Rice Alliance</a> was recently recognized as “the leading university entrepreneurship center in the United States for the creation of successful new enterprises" by the <a href="http://www.nationalconsortium.org/" target="_blank">National Consortium of Entrepreneurship Centers </a>(NCEC). <div></div><div> </div><br /><div>Since inception in 1999, the Rice Alliance has assisted in the launch of over 205 technology companies that have raised more than $300 million in funding. By comparison, <a href="http://www.incubator.ucf.edu/">UCF’s Technology Incubator</a> was also opened in 1999 and has served over 80 emerging technology companies, which have generated more than $200 million in annual revenues. That’s pretty good (though one should note that data difference between $300 million in funds raised and $200 million in annual revenues - not exactly a solid state laser crystal boules to solid state laser crystal boules comparison.) </div><div></div><br /><div>But as emerging companies are created – and exit into the real world – where do they go? High rise downtown office space? Suburban office parks? Popular opinion would say that neither are sufficiently attractive or synergistic or supportive for the workforce needed for success. Hence - big QED coming here - the value of a creative village. Square footage for emerging technology companies is not enough. Nurturing the next Microsoft is the goal.<br /></div><br />And - for playing along - your prize ... <a href="http://www.techweb.com/encyclopedia/defineterm.jhtml;jsessionid=SGLMPOYG1GNVKQSNDLRCKH0CJUNN2JVN?term=WAFER&_requestid=70529">the definition of boules</a>.Laura Guitarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00598474089726395926noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6063038442368997548.post-18407224766544431702007-11-08T20:45:00.000-05:002008-12-11T09:50:19.585-05:00The Problem with this Blog<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilDz9xc-00JDNfVbmRKMWLbdl8008xka2muRxXm4lGtrSw6js2dJghz3jgRejL8459lWMuyPAUIsn2LHo0QUG-YbssDPmkF0p8nkQR6HDmfO-QVJpTpERokVH9SOr7yooFIkSnKGdc_1I/s1600-h/caving.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5130654839555033730" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilDz9xc-00JDNfVbmRKMWLbdl8008xka2muRxXm4lGtrSw6js2dJghz3jgRejL8459lWMuyPAUIsn2LHo0QUG-YbssDPmkF0p8nkQR6HDmfO-QVJpTpERokVH9SOr7yooFIkSnKGdc_1I/s320/caving.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>Urban planning is interesting. The idea of a place that attracts and sustains the creative class is interesting. The State of Florida’s potential is interesting. And there are about 1,000 other unrelated issues, topics, ideas and opportunities that enter my world in the course of a day that are interesting. So, apologies, this blog is by its very nature an inch deep and a mile wide. But there are people who go spelunking instead of surfing on this subject ... and thank goodness for that. For some real substance instead of pithy rambling it may be worthwhile to check out some reading – as in actual books. The following is a suggested bibliography from <a href="http://www.citispaceorlando.com/">Craig Ustler</a>. You’re not gonna read them all, of course. But they’ll look great on the bookshelf in your condo or office. And – BTW – to do this right, you really need to purchase them from <a href="http://www.urbanthinkorlando.com/">UrbanThink</a> (ask for Jim) and not Barnes and Noble. It’s the little things people. </div><br /><div><br /><em>The Tipping Point </em>(Malcolm Gladwell)<br /><em>Rise of the Creative Class </em>(Richard Florida)<br /><em>Radical Marketing</em> (Sam Hill and Glenn Rifkin)<br /><em>Home from Nowhere </em>(James Howard Kunstler)<br /><em>Death and Life of Great American Cities </em>(Jane Jacobs)<br /><em>The Great Good Place</em> (Ray Oldenburg)<br /><em>City Comforts</em> (David Sucher) </div>Laura Guitarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00598474089726395926noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6063038442368997548.post-70333383406622607012007-11-06T20:23:00.000-05:002008-12-11T09:50:19.897-05:00Creative Cowboys<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZQhlLALTX9N4JsDs3jnFbXu7UWpInoRq7lpyT1j6-loKRBoMn-7Zbb7uNb73lYt65Kx_FXkuchu2W-44Cem49jSpXIV0mZS1bxXWKrLJ89YMAmAs-NSECg0jx2lONEkNmdOW2oRNVEkQ/s1600-h/boots+images.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5129904806248034786" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZQhlLALTX9N4JsDs3jnFbXu7UWpInoRq7lpyT1j6-loKRBoMn-7Zbb7uNb73lYt65Kx_FXkuchu2W-44Cem49jSpXIV0mZS1bxXWKrLJ89YMAmAs-NSECg0jx2lONEkNmdOW2oRNVEkQ/s320/boots+images.jpg" border="0" /></a> The City of Tempe (that’s in Arizona, cowboy) has a section on its Web site called <a href="http://www.tempe.gov/business/Resources/creative_class_workers.htm">Creative Class Workers Typify Tempe</a>. Whether or not that’s actually the case, Tempe deserves perks for attempting to align its characteristics with those of the creative class. Effort counts, friends. According to the site:<br /><br />#1 Creative class members are attracted to places where they can easily find opportunities to thrive, be themselves and fit in, solve problems and move onto the next challenge. Diversity is extremely important.<br /><br />#2 Creative class workers want an active nightlife with a strong cultural focus.<br /><br />#3 Creative class members tend to want to push their bodies with active sports such as kayaking, triathlons and distance bicycling. (NOTE: Orlando has world-class wakeboarding. Seriously. That’s a good thing.)<br /><br />#4 Music and art are key elements to attracting the creative class.<br /><br />#5 Authenticity of a neighborhood is important.<br /><br />#6 The Creative Class wants late business hours, open to the public events, and drop-in events without set start times are key.<br /><br />Think about it. If we did nothing but concentrate on these six areas as Orlando grows, we may or may not attract the creative class ... but we sure would have a community I'd love to live in.Laura Guitarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00598474089726395926noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6063038442368997548.post-9202816191130254282007-11-04T08:45:00.000-05:002007-11-04T13:41:29.108-05:00Wikicool?Thinking about being cool - or not - <a href="http://www.wikihow.com/Be-Cool">this</a> is what Wikihow has to offer on the subject. It’s silly and meant for people but, if you extrapolate it to communities, the principles hold oddly true. For example, tip #8 suggests that you practice your voice. For individuals, the meaning is obvious. For communities, however, voice is also important and we should consider the collective voice we use to speak of ourselves as a city. Tip #16 notes that it’s necessary to stay true to your roots. Of course, we’ve already violated the one thing they say never to do – admit that we’re searching the Web for tips on being cool.Laura Guitarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00598474089726395926noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6063038442368997548.post-47419222392053385742007-11-04T06:26:00.000-05:002008-12-11T09:50:20.065-05:00So totally depressing<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhigENpEiikbtAk1hyphenhyphenrOj9Hmvx7EDg-hbC6bzWxs461uKUu06byeOzd_6MWn3jrGwa8nBo-dOHk1tbeyPtzH8jceIpTbNpM3FSdrpwRQGjULgYJ4x9BluOaRh-moTuXyeO-mBMqxPAlHNQ/s1600-h/imagemap.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5128947788750238146" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhigENpEiikbtAk1hyphenhyphenrOj9Hmvx7EDg-hbC6bzWxs461uKUu06byeOzd_6MWn3jrGwa8nBo-dOHk1tbeyPtzH8jceIpTbNpM3FSdrpwRQGjULgYJ4x9BluOaRh-moTuXyeO-mBMqxPAlHNQ/s200/imagemap.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbha5ozU71Ujr-dcVceV8ACUjlXxcySIuzND1PXMX3b39AkK67V9WsrZdElKJJ-lQZL8ybCZT7v9cBdZb86Dz_cVZWOKgNyHCkV6Q-y10ff-Rztpo7-St8R2gOU7U0E0GZmMSuu9lsunk/s1600-h/imagemap.jpg"></a>Hoping not to be glass half empty here. We did make the list of America’s 25 favorite cities. But we ranked really poorly in the categories that might hint to a creative culture. Scott Maxwell covers our performance in his <em>Orlando Sentinel</em> <a href="http://orlandosentinel.com/news/columnists/orl-maxwell0407nov04,0,1267276.column">column</a> today and links to the entire survey from his <a href="http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/news_local_namesblog/2007/11/im-having-a-lit.html">blog</a>. Sigh. How come everybody else doesn't get how cool we really are? And how come I feel like I'm back in sixth grade just having asked that question?</div>Laura Guitarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00598474089726395926noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6063038442368997548.post-72350123146191633952007-11-03T17:37:00.000-04:002008-12-11T09:50:20.309-05:00SXSE?!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjljztYjfxxeBoJIV4qg0gcO-j_ub555dhWwhQ0FNCTiOgOpkhmypUlgNoVE9J51IyCoTNCmaLTRo2PokH-scMU5lRrTpviXjEMoEsq8gKaEBVVgzwDDplfW4KuQs6qafZsEaUdX6eJuRg/s1600-h/1GSCA4BSB3QCA2EOKAECAP0PSMJCAOFEF7VCAUF8SW6CARG7QYVCA297VE1CAGYK8QICAORLFQ0CA2LMPVXCAJKYXWXCAJUH11NCAM8SD2ECAHDO1KBCAGLIWY1CA9HN33FCA8KGSS7CAB0Y297CA2DRL8L.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5128732069722829218" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjljztYjfxxeBoJIV4qg0gcO-j_ub555dhWwhQ0FNCTiOgOpkhmypUlgNoVE9J51IyCoTNCmaLTRo2PokH-scMU5lRrTpviXjEMoEsq8gKaEBVVgzwDDplfW4KuQs6qafZsEaUdX6eJuRg/s320/1GSCA4BSB3QCA2EOKAECAP0PSMJCAOFEF7VCAUF8SW6CARG7QYVCA297VE1CAGYK8QICAORLFQ0CA2LMPVXCAJKYXWXCAJUH11NCAM8SD2ECAHDO1KBCAGLIWY1CA9HN33FCA8KGSS7CAB0Y297CA2DRL8L.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><br /><div>In considering the power of creative-oriented festivals on a city’s credibility, it’s hard to deny the power of Austin’s South by Southwest <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">(SXSW)</span>. Yes, I know. We’re back to Austin. Again.<br /><br />This year, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">SXSW</span> hosted 123,000+ attendees across the music, film and interactive platforms. The Austin <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">CVB</span> estimated the economic impact of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">SXSW</span> on that city’s economy to be $43.5M. Held in March, the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">SXSW</span> was started in 1987 as a music festival. Today it also encompasses the film industry <a href="http://www.sxsw.com/film/">(<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">SXSW</span> Film)</a> as well as interactive media <a href="http://www.sxsw.com/interactive/">(<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">SXSW</span> Interactive Festival).</a><br /><br />This from the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">SXSW</span> Web site: “<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">SXSW's</span> original goal was to create an event that would act as a tool for creative people and the companies they work with to develop their careers, to bring together people from a wide area to meet and share ideas. That continues to be the goal today whether it is music, film or the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">internet</span>. And Austin continues to be the perfect location.”<br /><br />But not the only perfect location. The private company that produces <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">SXSW</span> is also involved in <a href="http://www.nxne.com/">North by Northeast</a> (<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">NXNE</span>), held in Toronto in summer, in association with NOW, an alternative newsweekly.<br /><br />So … dare we dream? <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">SXSE</span> in Orlando? Hey – it could happen. Of course, if we’re to follow Toronto’s model, we’ll need the <em>Orlando Weekly</em> to kick its <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">MBI</span> problems first.<br /><br />Better yet, let’s take what we have – our urban film festival (<a href="http://www.orlandofilmfest.com/">Orlando Film Festival</a>), our own interactive conference (<a href="http://www.blogorlando.com/"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">BlogOrlando</span></a>) and growing digital media industry – and create a mix-up mash-up event of our own. </div></div>Laura Guitarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00598474089726395926noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6063038442368997548.post-45661835574914118242007-11-01T10:13:00.000-04:002008-12-11T09:50:20.467-05:00The Need for Geek<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-rufBF0YrKRXS7oH9lKMS_3hG4_MXl-_Ic7me6BjWIKzA7hd85rzl0SlSI60wWKTDHc5g0pNFLZryYZ3ZbNBef8rUc1kzZrr88YR9lUbVfIKXXvyw80ta-H-WkVI0AS04Kv_zeCux7us/s1600-h/HALLOWEEN+2007+042.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5127875932416881026" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-rufBF0YrKRXS7oH9lKMS_3hG4_MXl-_Ic7me6BjWIKzA7hd85rzl0SlSI60wWKTDHc5g0pNFLZryYZ3ZbNBef8rUc1kzZrr88YR9lUbVfIKXXvyw80ta-H-WkVI0AS04Kv_zeCux7us/s200/HALLOWEEN+2007+042.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>Yesterday, Etan Horowitz <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">bylined</span> an article in the <em>Orlando Sentinel</em> about <a href="http://www.orlandosentinel.com/business/orl-wiki3107oct31,0,5828035.story"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Wikipedia</span> moving its headquarters from St. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Petersburg</span> to San Francisco</a>. According to the article, the lack of a geek culture in Tampa Bay is part of the reason the organization is making the move. Jimmy Wales, the founder <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Wikipedia</span>, is cited as saying the state must foster a “geek culture” to become a center of technological innovation. While there is a quote later in the article noting that we can’t artificially create that culture, I think that the information on this blog makes the case that there are definite steps we can – and should – take to nurture, elevate, and foster a creative class in Orlando. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Wikipedia's</span> move is a clear fulfillment of the formula that creativity + diversity = economic growth. </div>Laura Guitarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00598474089726395926noreply@blogger.com1