American Legacy Tours – located at 1218 Vine Street in Cincinnati’s historic Over the Rhine (OTR) – has continued to gain popularity, media attention and distinction since their opening in 2008. The company, founded by a small group of friends, offers a diverse range of engaging walking tours through Cincinnati Heritage, legend and folklore. These [...]
In the summer of 2012 I was a fresh graduate from the University of Texas at Austin, trying to make my way into the working world. Having been an Urban Studies student minoring in Architecture, I was hopeful I would be able to find work in which I could apply my passion for urban development, [...]
Do you have a unique specialty in the field of environmental design? Do you currently live in a town or city that has not/or is currently not being covered by another blogger? Have you successfully managed social media platforms? Do you have a passion for writing and want to learn how to successfully blog? If [...]
In the course of the last decade, American river cities have sustained continued interest from policy makers and urban planners who have worked to create targeted opportunities for significant long-term investment and economic development. In Cincinnati, this reinvestment has received national attention in terms of how the city has been able to connect environmental design [...]
In a global economy, where places are in tight competition for investors, companies, workforce, and tourists, creating a place brand has become a powerful tool. Cities like Paris, London, and New York have distinctive features that tell a story about their urbanity, history and lifestyle. These images are commonly created not by accident, but are [...]
During the twilight of the 1880s, Cincinnati, OH, (the Queen City) was internationally celebrated as one of the most prolific centers for beer brewing in the United States. According to Michael D. Morgan, Author of Over the Rhine: When Beer was King, Cincinnati, during this pinnacle era, was chief among the Great American Brewing cities. The city [...]
It’s no secret that in order to attract investors, companies, and tourists, cities are under increasing pressure to stand out. More and more cities make use of social media to create a positive image and strengthen their place in the global competition of attractive cities. Imagine, you are in charge of your city’s social media [...]
Vancouver, British Columbia can only be described as picturesque; mountain framed and seaside, the city begs to be photographed and experienced by tourists and locals alike. Along with the gorgeous scenery and temperate climate has arisen a high demand for real estate in the downtown peninsula, which has gradually resulted in a real lack of [...]
Cheap labour is good, but free labour is even better. With the emergence of ever evolving social media platforms, many of the world’s industries are formulating creatively inexpensive strategies for optimal gain. However, when it comes to the tourism industry, the utilisation of platforms like Instagram and Pinterest are either non existent or tepidly innovative. [...]
Chinatown is one of Vancouver, British Columbia’s original four neighborhoods. Located at the neck of the downtown peninsula, the district holds particular historical and cultural importance. In the past several decades Chinatown has seen a mass exodus of retailers and residents as Chinese communities have become more developed in Vancouver’s suburban cities. Recognizing the importance [...]
While I don’t have a background in design, I know a good website when I see one. Elton Consulting Group is a planning firm with three offices in Australia. In addition to consulting services, Elton Consulting Group operates a news bulletin called Urban Affairs. Here are five things that make their website stand out. 1. [...]
Wheels of Progress, a 501(C)3 organization, has a simple mission “to create affordable, accessible, supportive housing and transformative environments for people with physical disabilities.” One may not have guessed this noble cause from first impressions of its website. Here are a few suggestions to update and modernize, Wheels of Progress: 1. “Splash pages” or “splash [...]
The explosion of online education in the past decade is rapidly changing the face of education. In 2006, 3.5 million students were listed as enrolled in an “online learning institution of higher education.” In 2009, it was asserted that 44% of USA post-secondary students were taking either some or all of their courses online. This [...]
The explosion of online education in the past decade is rapidly changing the face of education. In 2006, 3.5 million students were listed as enrolled in an “online learning institution of higher education.” In 2009, it was asserted that 44 percent of USA post-secondary students were taking either some or all of their courses online. [...]
With the rise of Twitter chats being implemented within the fields or architecture and urban planning, and as a participant to many, I recently interviewed a few coordinators from my favorite chats: Joe Peach from This Big City (#citytalk), Alexa Mills from MITCoLab (#citychat), Sybil Barnes from the American Institute of Architects National (#AIAchat), and [...]
The new wave in social media communication is quickly creating a method for discussing topics relating to urban planning, architecture, and community development. The social media site Twitter is leading the charge in this evolution by creating a way for people from around the world to gather in one centralized location to discuss and solve various [...]
I began writing for The GRID after re-locating from Albuquerque, NM to Mammoth Lakes, CA. While I have always found blogging to be an exceptional outlet for personal use and staying connected with family and friends, I had never considered the benefit I could derive from it professionally until I joined Global Site Plans. For [...]
Economic development is the practice of inspiring private investment, retaining, and creating jobs. Economic development specialists and urban planners focus on economic development, work towards promoting entrepreneurship and small business development, implementing tax incentives for development projects, and expanding employment opportunities for local residents. In Mammoth Lakes, CA the current economic development strategy is to [...]
Marketing is the set of planning and implementation practices that result in a product or service that is both satisfying to customers and results in a profit. Advertisements are only one component of a marketing strategy which also includes market research, media planning, public relations, product pricing, distribution, customer support, sales strategy, and community involvement. [...]
Food talk is hot these days. Urban planning councils and governments now implement sustainable food mandates, and city revitalization projects transform old buildings into gourmet mixed-use shopping centers. It’d be easy to assume that food producers have an easy time getting their products to city consumers. Yet even with a growing appetite for their goods, [...]
