I know this topic is supposed to be about Downtown, but the link that I am going to share about "the tragedy of suburbia" is a warning for downtown, as well. It also highlights the importance of a vibrant downtown in a community's overall sense of place.
In this presentation at one of the TED conferences, James Howard Kunstler argues that our public spaces should inspire us and create a sense of place, and instead are often not worth caring about.
If you have about 20 minutes to spare, I encourage you to watch this presentation. If we are ever going to have a vibrant downtown (and suburban neighborhoods for that matter), then we need to start considering and discussing the concepts and ideas that Kunstler talks about.
http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/view/id/121 (http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/view/id/121)
Good video. He's talking about the same things we've been promoting here, with a little comedic relief.
Fantastic! Thanks for the post. Everybody should watch this, and if you have Payton's email address.... send him a link too!!