Trendy travelers tend to talk of London, Paris, Rome, New York. But the city we like best isn’t East Coast, but Midwest (fight us on this), and starts with P I T T … PITTSBURGH! From rust belt — to ruin porn — to revitalization, this little-city-that-could has pulled itself up by the bootstraps and is a shining example of downtown recovery. Once considered a bit of a backwater, and not surprisingly so, Three Rivers is today on the upswing due to a massive, coordinated effort — much of which stems from its pioneering and potent Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership, which has been garnering so much positive press, we can’t wait to make it back for another visit. It’s not all sugar-coated editorial either, but consider this — while daily downtown activity and RTO workforce stats may be down, the core of Downtown Pittsburgh is showing significant indicators and investments, including an increase in downtown residents, a slate of affordable and market-rate housing is coming online, event attendance is poppin’, and there’s over $600 million in investment pending at this very moment. That includes about 79 million square feet of adaptive reuse (or 21% of downtown inventory) that is poised to replace unused office space with uber-desirable downtown residential. The Golden Triangle is inciting the Virtuous Cycle, and that’s something we should all take note of.

Photo credit: Envato Elements  

Perhaps it’s purely nostalgia. Maybe it’s all that flocked fur, or the adorably anthropomorphic woodland creatures. Or perhaps it’s just we could all use a little levity in these weird ass times. Chockfull of internet speak and adult themes like infidelity, divorce, drugs, and even “unaliving”, the dichotomy of watching fetching li’l forest friends acting out real-life situations, (some inspired by Real Housewives), the “Sylvanian Drama” tickles our ribs and takes our mind off the supremely scary headlines of today. Apropos of nothing place management-related, we literally just wanted to share one internet superstar’s absurdly sensational musings … just because. If you need a laugh or just a brief break from reality, give these fantastical furry friends a quick peep and you’ll see why we’re addicted. Meow.

Photo credit:  Envato Elements

 

… that despite a loneliness epidemic, people aren’t hanging out in public spaces anymore? A new study, utilizing advanced tech applied to historical research confirms assumptions we probably all have noticed. Life moves at a faster pace, mobile phones have considerably impacted our social routines, and with evaporating third places, public spaces aren’t replacing the organic mesh of our social fabric. This piece from Bloomberg is pretty eye-opening, especially for those of us working in the public realm. We endeavor to create moments, and curate meeting spaces, public art, and parks to provide our denizens some respite. But the fact of the matter is — collectively, we’re not taking advantage of it. Looking to our pantheon of patron saints like William Holley Whyte and Jane Jacobs, you’ll recognize the old adages, maxims, and notations on public life  — and the role we humans play in our civic lives. But at the end of the day, we may be chasing an unrealizable dream. Can our cities provide the social constructs we need — or are all our infrastructure, technology, and nominal attention spans imprisoning us in our own cells of solitude? We’d love to hear what you think on the topic. Give a read and hit us up (before you hurriedly rush down the block, mobile-ordered frappucino in-hand, headphones in, while you take your next meeting on the move).

Photo credit: Envato Elements

When cultures collide, there’s often an unexpected sharing of knowledge, ideas and even the words we use. While you may be familiar already with Japanese concepts like bokeh, kaizen, kaiseki, kawaii, omakase and even an Ishikawa diagram — here’s a new one to add to your vocabulary — IKIGAI! This endearing Japanese word is made of two components; “iki” (meaning to live), and “gai” (meaning the value that you expect to realize). Put it all together, and what have you got? Ikigai is a centuries-old Japanese word that represents the idea of a meaningful life. And ikigai resonated so strongly with serial entrepreneur Dan Soha, that he named his new concept after it. But the real impact isn’t just another fancy-sounding culinary hotspot. This restaurant has heart. So much so, that Soha intentionally developed the concept as a non-profit that supports a food bank. Since opening in July 2024, Ikigai has donated over $17,000 of profits which equates to 87 tons of food for the food bank. Soha’s story behind the model is inspiring, so we wanted to “share what’s good” with you this week while ameliorating our collective vocabularies. Well done, Soha!

Photo credit: Envato Elements

In this edition, we’ve rounded up some quick hits from different cities around the country, giving you a brisk glimpse into what’s happening in your peer places. Chew on this:

  • Dallas, TX — our friends at Better Block asked the question, “Can a humble bench truly make a difference in a community,” and the answer is here, thanks to their Wikiblock Library of FREE placemaking schematics.
  • Detroit, MI — the city is rolling out a series of eight “Motor City Tech Bars” where residents can bring broken devices for free repair, and even recycle pesky post-consumer components to keep them out of landfills.
  • Hardwick, VT — A recent community theater production in Hardwick, Vermont exemplifies how a nonprofit is working to rebuild community connections in this town of 3,000 through events, performances, and gatherings that bring together diverse residents, from farmers to anarchists, while helping the town maintain its identity amid development pressures and economic changes.
  • Philadelphia, PA — Streets Dept, the OG legit resource for all things street art in Philly, recently featured a 501(c)(3) zine that highlights the city’s rich sticker art culture. Next time you’re in Philly, hit Josh up for a personal tour of Tattooed Mom’s (colloquially called “T-mom’s”) and he’ll point out his fave assemblages!
  • Providence, RI — From a reliable diner on wheels to numerous bars, restaurants, clubs and cinemas — the city reports that its nighttime economy generates about $990mm in direct annual revenue — but many after-dark employees can’t get a bus home after their shift ends.

Photo credit: Envato Elements

“To the best of our knowledge, this is the first iteration of a municipal tech bar,” —  Keonda Buford, City of Detroit Digital Equity & Inclusion Manager