Once upon a time, tech start-ups located almost exclusively in the suburbs. New data reveals the extent to which this pattern has been reversed.
Richard Florida analyzed the urban shift in America’s start-up economy for a report from the Martin Prosperity Institute. He found that in seven out of 13 metropolitan areas, more than half of venture-capital funds went to businesses located in city centers or the walkable suburbs.
Why the switch from the suburbs to downtown? Florida identifies several factors. First is the tendency of talented workers to cluster in urban areas. Then there’s the efficiency factor: dense areas enable companies to offer workers more amenities for less. Finally, the fact that so much of today’s tech is based in the virtual world means that it no longer requires large campuses.
FULL STORY: The Urban Shift in the U.S. Start-Up Economy, in One Chart
Oregon Passes Exemption to Urban Growth Boundary
Cities have a one-time chance to acquire new land for development in a bid to increase housing supply and affordability.
Where Urban Design Is Headed in 2024
A forecast of likely trends in urban design and architecture.
Savannah: A City of Planning Contrasts
From a human-scales, plaza-anchored grid to suburban sprawl, the oldest planned city in the United States has seen wildly different development patterns.
Washington Tribes Receive Resilience Funding
The 28 grants support projects including relocation efforts as coastal communities face the growing impacts of climate change.
Adaptive Reuse Bills Introduced in California Assembly
The legislation would expand eligibility for economic incentives and let cities loosen regulations to allow for more building conversions.
LA's Top Parks, Ranked
TimeOut just released its list of the top 26 parks in the L.A. area, which is home to some of the best green spaces around.
City of Rochester
Boston Harbor Now
City of Bellevue
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Mpact Transit + Community
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
City of Birmingham, Alabama
City of Laramie, Wyoming
Colorado Department of Local Affairs
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.