The Downtown Curmudgeon

N. David Milder, founder and president of DANTH, Inc. is a nationally recognized authority on downtown revitalization and a leading proponent of developing market niches. He has more than 35 years of experience utilizing market research and management skills to help revitalize business centers.

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Reconsidering Some Points Raised in My White Paper: “Toward an Effective Economic Development Strategy for Smaller Communities (under 35,000)”

Posted on June 23, 2018 by DANTH

The Challenges

In October of 2017, I posted the above referenced White Paper that outlined my thoughts about how the construction of economic development strategies for smaller communities, especially those in rural areas, should be approached (1). Since then, two data-related findings have come to my attention that have caused me to review some of the arguments I presented in that paper:

I argued in the White Paper, reflecting conventional wisdom among economic development experts, that the lack of jobs was seen …
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A Critical Question Under the New Normal for Our Downtowns: Can Autonomous Cars Cure Growing Traffic and Pedestrian Congestion?

Posted on April 29, 2018 by DANTH

By N. David Milder

Introduction

A key facet of the New Normal for Our Downtowns is that many of the most important challenges they now face result from their successful growth and increased popularity — not from their failures. Nowhere is that more evident than with the issues of traffic and pedestrian congestion. Meeting those challenges probably means that many of our downtowns will have to develop and operate in new ways. Many observers believe the changeover to autonomous vehicles will have …

Some Downtown Equity Issues

Posted on March 17, 2018 by DANTH

Part 2 of the A Closer Look at Some Strategic Challenges Generated by the New Normal for Our Downtowns Series of Articles

By N. David Milder

Introduction.

There are a number of issues that involve questions about who will visit, live, work and play in our downtowns and how all stakeholders – be they those who live, work and play there or those who own properties and businesses – can share in their successes. The term “equity” seems to fit all of these issues. Their …

Some of the Impacts of the Emerging Retail Paradigm on Downtowns

Posted on March 11, 2018 by DANTH

Part 1 of the A Closer Look at Some Strategic Challenges Generated by the New Normal for Our Downtowns Series of Articles

By N. David Milder

Introduction

As I have been arguing for about 10 years now, our downtowns, no matter their size or geographic location, will be facing a set of challenges and opportunities for the foreseeable future that are quite different from those that downtowns faced from the 1960s through the mid-2000s (1). Even as more and more downtowns …

N. David Milder at DANTH, Inc.

Downtown Revitalization Specialist

The Downtown Curmudgeon

Reconsidering Some Points Raised in My White Paper: “Toward an Effective Economic Development Strategy for Smaller Communities (under 35,000)”