Economy
Are 'Innovation Districts' Right for Every City?
“Labeling something innovative does not make it so.”
City planners are rightly on guard for fads. Think the festival marketplaces of the 1970s, or naming neighborhoods to sound like New York’s fabled SoHo. This year’s model—the Innovation District—may be next in line for a dose of healthy skepticism.
As an economic development strategy, the basic idea is perfectly sound: Gathering together a critical mass of tech start-ups, incubators, and lab space in one part of town, and paving the way with rezoning, redevelopment, and adaptive re-use. As a city-building exercise, Innovation Districts are generally dense, walkable, bike-friendly, transit-oriented areas with a strong sense of place—all good.