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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Retail at the End of 2017: Apocalypse or Evolving Paradigm Shift

Posted on December 3, 2017 by DANTH

By N. David Milder

Introduction

A spate of recent articles has appeared that talk about our nation’s retail apocalypse. There is even a new Wikipedia entry for it: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Retail_apocalypse . On the other hand, some important players, such as Brookfield Property Partners, Elliott Associates, and Third Point (see: http://tinyurl.com/y9cgoa2u) have made significant contrarian investments in retail real estate development companies such as GGP and retailers such as Restoration Hardware. Moreover, while there have been many reports about numerous store closings, …

Toward a General Strategy for Small Town Economic Development

Posted on October 7, 2017 by DANTH

Toward a General Strategy for Small Town Economic Development

The above link will take you to the article I have just completed on this subject. It focuses on smaller and rural communities with populations under 35,000. However, much of the analysis is also applicable to many suburban communities and even some urban neighborhoods.

Since 2010, I’ve been trying to figure out a viable approach to stimulating meaningful economic development in our smaller communities that:
— Considers current …

Let’s Get Real About: Self-Driving Cars. Social and Political Engineering Will Also Be Required

Posted on September 3, 2017 by DANTH

By N. David Milder

Revised September 7, 2017.

Introduction

These days there is a lot of hype, puff, and unrealistic expectations associated with the coming transition to self-driving cars in our nation. For example, in September of 2016, Lyft’s president and co-founder, John Zimmer, made the astonishing claim that the coming “driverless car revolution” will “all-but end” car ownership in our cities by 2025 (1). Zimmer had not even a glimmer of the massive scale and complexity of the “car revolution” he was …

Let’s Get Real About: The Potential Audiences for Events at Arts Venues in Smaller Downtowns

Posted on August 15, 2017 by DANTH

The Arts As an Important Downtown Revitalization Tool — Redux. Part 3

By N. David Milder

Introduction

This is the third and final article in a series aimed at helping downtown leaders and stakeholders (downtowners) in our smaller communities to more accurately assess just how strong an economic engine the arts can be for their districts. The focus, this time, is on the potential audiences for the events their arts venues might put on. Audience preferences and …

Let’s Get Real About: The Impacts of the Arts on Smaller Downtowns. The Arts As An Important Downtown Revitalization Tool — Redux. Part 2

Posted on July 13, 2017 by DANTH

By N. David Milder

Introduction

My intent in this article is to help increase the understanding among downtown leaders and stakeholders (downtowners) in communities with populations under 25,000 about the potential impacts that the arts can have on their districts as well as the types of research techniques and data that should be used in assessing those impacts. (However, much of the content also is applicable to downtowns in larger communities.) Hopefully, such an improved understanding will lead to more realistic expectations, …

N. David Milder at DANTH, Inc.

Downtown Revitalization Specialist

The Downtown Curmudgeon

Retail at the End of 2017: Apocalypse or Evolving Paradigm Shift

Let’s Get Real About: Self-Driving Cars. Social and Political Engineering Will Also Be Required