Travel + Leisure, in conjunction with CNN, recently surveyed what 600,000 people thought of 25 U.S. cities based on a list of specific criteria as part of their 2008 America’s Favorite Cities guide. CoolTown Studios took the list, broke it down to the qualities that matter to creatives, and posted the results.
Not surprisingly, names like Portland, Austin, and Chicago appear near the top.
New Albany's puzzle, however, is not national. It's regional. It's metro. It's within 10 miles in any random direction. A notion of revitalization that at times seems vague and impossible is really just a matter of capturing a tiny percentage of real estate and retail activity within a relatively small area.
The categories, as defined by Travel + Leisure and separated out by CoolTown, are below. I might cavil at a couple of them, but I'm not editing a national magazine or running an international television network.
Within the Louisville Metro-Southern Indiana area, how do we comparatively rate? What are we good at? How do we capitalize? What and how do we improve?
Figure it out or die. No biggie.
People
Diverse
Athletic/active
Culture
Live music bands
Shopping
Local boutiques
Art galleries
Vintage stores/flea markets
Food/dining
Ethnic food/cheap eats
Cafes/coffee bars
Farmers’ and specialty food markets
Quality of Life & Visitor Experience
Public transportation and pedestrian friendliness
Affordability
Environmental Awareness
Nightlife
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