Comments on: Hip to be (Harrison) Square http://www.thegoodcity.com/2007/09/hip-to-be-harrison-square/ city, culture and church ยท Fort Wayne, Indiana Sun, 24 Jul 2011 15:50:38 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Josh http://www.thegoodcity.com/2007/09/hip-to-be-harrison-square/comment-page-1/#comment-18 Josh Thu, 24 Jul 2008 16:04:47 +0000 http://thegoodcity.wordpress.com/2007/09/13/hip-to-be-harrison-square/#comment-18 I am in this class of people they call the "Creative Class" I was never asked why I choose a certain city to live and work. I would have told them that yes indeed pro sports and nice comfortable stadiums do attract the young Creative Class people, we need something fun to do. And yes these facilities need to be downtown not off in the suburbs or in any nook and cranny of the city. They need to be where we want to be, and that is downtown. Have you ever asked why kids from Fort Wayne want to live and work in Chicago, Indy, Cleveland, Columbus, Cincinnati, Louisville, Atlanta or even Chattanooga, TN. Its because they have vibrant downtowns, they have restaurants, clubs, stadiums, arenas, and most importantly they have housing in the way of Downtown Condos. My age group is the 18 to 35 year age group but more important than that is that I am a 26 year old male with a Bachelors of Fine Arts in the concentration of Visual Communications I am part of the rising Creative Class. But I must say again that I was never asked what attracts me to a given city. I grew up in Fort Wayne, I went to college in Chicago and now I work, live and play in Downtown Atlanta. I work in an office of young professionals that enjoy downtown activities. Hell August 16th some coworkers of mine and myself are going to go to the Colts game in Atlanta, because it's fun and we have the money to blow. And that is what Fort Wayne needs is an outlet of young professionals to blow there money. And currently Fort Wayne has very little to attract it's young pros back to the city. The condo's and ballpark in a start. I love the Coliseum as much as anybody but they should have built a new arena downtown. Because again that is where young pros want to spend time. When I went to college in Chicago I went to a Cubs game and night and was astounded by the amount of people that filled the bars and restaurants after the game, I can remember thinking that, that could work in Fort Wayne given the correct location which is only Downtown location because that is where you walk, you have to pass by the bars and restaurants before you get to your car. And that is the chance that the bars and restaurants need to get you in the door. At the current location name one restaurant or bar you have to walk past to get to your car? But this is just one young professionals point of view. I am in this class of people they call the “Creative Class” I was never asked why I choose a certain city to live and work. I would have told them that yes indeed pro sports and nice comfortable stadiums do attract the young Creative Class people, we need something fun to do. And yes these facilities need to be downtown not off in the suburbs or in any nook and cranny of the city. They need to be where we want to be, and that is downtown. Have you ever asked why kids from Fort Wayne want to live and work in Chicago, Indy, Cleveland, Columbus, Cincinnati, Louisville, Atlanta or even Chattanooga, TN. Its because they have vibrant downtowns, they have restaurants, clubs, stadiums, arenas, and most importantly they have housing in the way of Downtown Condos. My age group is the 18 to 35 year age group but more important than that is that I am a 26 year old male with a Bachelors of Fine Arts in the concentration of Visual Communications I am part of the rising Creative Class. But I must say again that I was never asked what attracts me to a given city. I grew up in Fort Wayne, I went to college in Chicago and now I work, live and play in Downtown Atlanta. I work in an office of young professionals that enjoy downtown activities. Hell August 16th some coworkers of mine and myself are going to go to the Colts game in Atlanta, because it’s fun and we have the money to blow. And that is what Fort Wayne needs is an outlet of young professionals to blow there money. And currently Fort Wayne has very little to attract it’s young pros back to the city. The condo’s and ballpark in a start. I love the Coliseum as much as anybody but they should have built a new arena downtown. Because again that is where young pros want to spend time. When I went to college in Chicago I went to a Cubs game and night and was astounded by the amount of people that filled the bars and restaurants after the game, I can remember thinking that, that could work in Fort Wayne given the correct location which is only Downtown location because that is where you walk, you have to pass by the bars and restaurants before you get to your car. And that is the chance that the bars and restaurants need to get you in the door. At the current location name one restaurant or bar you have to walk past to get to your car? But this is just one young professionals point of view.

]]> By: John B. Kalb http://www.thegoodcity.com/2007/09/hip-to-be-harrison-square/comment-page-1/#comment-17 John B. Kalb Fri, 28 Sep 2007 01:58:43 +0000 http://thegoodcity.wordpress.com/2007/09/13/hip-to-be-harrison-square/#comment-17 Jon & Scott: I assume that "The Rise of the Creative Class" is a recent publication. Thanks for this post - I am looking for this book at the library - It sure sounds like we can use his knowledge to support our claim that the wanton destruction of Memorial Stadium is counter-productive to any attempt to renew our downtown area. In addition, the leveling of all the homes on McClellen Street is bittersweet when viewed through the 1970's camera of two Elmhurst graduates (the Turnley brothers) in their photo book coming out next week. I am looking forward to routine reading of your new blog and asking our Lord to bless your work on "the good city". John B. Kalb Jon & Scott: I assume that “The Rise of the Creative Class” is a recent publication. Thanks for this post – I am looking for this book at the library – It sure sounds like we can use his knowledge to support our claim that the wanton destruction of Memorial Stadium is counter-productive to any attempt to renew our downtown area. In addition, the leveling of all the homes on McClellen Street is bittersweet when viewed through the 1970′s camera of two Elmhurst graduates (the Turnley brothers) in their photo book coming out next week.
I am looking forward to routine reading of your new blog and asking our Lord to bless your work on “the good city”. John B. Kalb

]]> By: fairplaybeach http://www.thegoodcity.com/2007/09/hip-to-be-harrison-square/comment-page-1/#comment-16 fairplaybeach Thu, 27 Sep 2007 03:15:56 +0000 http://thegoodcity.wordpress.com/2007/09/13/hip-to-be-harrison-square/#comment-16 Nice read. We need more make-it-happen-on-their-own-kind of people in Fort Wayne. I would like to meet those people and I may be very interested in the types of goods, services and ideas that have to offer. That's where Fort Wayne needs to "step to the plate". Nice read. We need more make-it-happen-on-their-own-kind of people in Fort Wayne. I would like to meet those people and I may be very interested in the types of goods, services and ideas that have to offer. That’s where Fort Wayne needs to “step to the plate”.

]]> By: Craig Ladwig http://www.thegoodcity.com/2007/09/hip-to-be-harrison-square/comment-page-1/#comment-15 Craig Ladwig Wed, 26 Sep 2007 17:56:16 +0000 http://thegoodcity.wordpress.com/2007/09/13/hip-to-be-harrison-square/#comment-15 A well-reasoned and insightful commentary. You might have added that the Indiana Policy Review Foundation, on everybody's Old Fogey list, has been saying exactly that for 10 years (beginning when we were Young Fogeys). At one point we filled an entire issue of our quarterly journal with peer-reviewed citations on the economic futility of sports stadiums. Good luck with the blog. One of our adjunct scholars from I.U., Dr. Eric Schansberg, would seem to be a particularly fitting asset. He is the author of "Neither to the Left nor the Right: A Thinking Christians Guide to Public Policy." A well-reasoned and insightful commentary. You might have added that the Indiana Policy Review Foundation, on everybody’s Old Fogey list, has been saying exactly that for 10 years (beginning when we were Young Fogeys). At one point we filled an entire issue of our quarterly journal with peer-reviewed citations on the economic futility of sports stadiums. Good luck with the blog. One of our adjunct scholars from I.U., Dr. Eric Schansberg, would seem to be a particularly fitting asset. He is the author of “Neither to the Left nor the Right: A Thinking Christians Guide to Public Policy.”

]]> By: IndyChristian http://www.thegoodcity.com/2007/09/hip-to-be-harrison-square/comment-page-1/#comment-14 IndyChristian Sun, 16 Sep 2007 20:31:45 +0000 http://thegoodcity.wordpress.com/2007/09/13/hip-to-be-harrison-square/#comment-14 Glad to find your blog re 'cityreaching' (as we tend to call it). [You'd see more at <a href="http://cityreaching.org" rel="nofollow">CityReaching.org</a>.] I've followed some of the work of Richard Florida, and would caution you to beware his agenda... and those who thrive on (some of) his stats. Here in Indy, for instance, <a href="http://gotchange.blogspot.com/2004/03/intolerant-indy.html" rel="nofollow">a major 2004 headline</a> implied that jobs are at stake of 'diversity' (which Florida defines using at least one metric of gayness). Yet the IndyStar article failed to go on to mention that in fact, Indianapolis has successfully defied the correlative odds. Fact is, we ranked well, despite not being gay enough. In any event... I'm glad to have come across your city-focused site. Be sure and check out the Ft. Wayne page at CityReaching. Maybe even come join the Facebook group specifically for the "City Reaching Movement"... to connect & communicate. Blessings from Indy. Glad to find your blog re ‘cityreaching’ (as we tend to call it). [You'd see more at CityReaching.org.]

I’ve followed some of the work of Richard Florida, and would caution you to beware his agenda… and those who thrive on (some of) his stats. Here in Indy, for instance, a major 2004 headline implied that jobs are at stake of ‘diversity’ (which Florida defines using at least one metric of gayness). Yet the IndyStar article failed to go on to mention that in fact, Indianapolis has successfully defied the correlative odds. Fact is, we ranked well, despite not being gay enough.

In any event… I’m glad to have come across your city-focused site. Be sure and check out the Ft. Wayne page at CityReaching. Maybe even come join the Facebook group specifically for the “City Reaching Movement”… to connect & communicate.

Blessings from Indy.

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