Good reading in this point-counterpoint from the Daily Beast.
Richard Florida Concedes the Limits of the Creative Class, by Joel Kotkin
The so-called creative class of intellects and artists was supposed to remake America’s cities and revive urban wastelands. Now the evidence is in—and the experiment appears to have failed.
Did I Abandon My Creative Class Theory? Not So Fast, Joel Kotkin, by Richard Florida
Joel Kotkin says I’ve turned my back on the idea that the creative class spurs economic growth and reinvigorates cities. My response? Bollocks.
Florida's work, while imperfect (and certainly poorly implemented by some cities who have used it as justification for egregious developer subsidy programs), at least points to an overall model that is realistically sustainable. Kotkin's model isn't sustainable, financially or environmentally.
ReplyDeleteIf we do it Florida's "way", we might win. If Kotkin's, we lose.