Municipalities are increasingly realizing they need to take steps to ensure fast, affordable, reliable Internet access for local citizens. Some are doing the work themselves with publicly owned projects while others seek public-private partnerships. In order to capitalize on collaboration, a group of city leaders are now forming Next Century Cities. On October 20, 2014, they … Read More
In the wake of Google’s announcement that Portland could be one of the next communities for the Google Fiber network, CenturyLink is circulating an offer to select apartment buildings to apply for CenturyLink fiber. This appears to be more than the standard fiber-to-the-press-release responses we often see from the big telephone companies that prefer to lobby, … Read More
This new resource shares real world examples of public savings directly connected to municipal networks. Publicly owned broadband networks provide opportunities for local savings to taxpayers. Local and regional governments find new and unexpected ways to cut costs when they build their own next-generation networks. In addition to saving connectivity fees for administrative facilities, local broadband … Read More
Responding to intense public pressure, developers in a three-way competition to redevelop a site on the east side of Portland, Oregon, have dropped plans to include big-box retail in their projects. The Portland Development Commission has been considering proposals to redevelop five city blocks at the base of the Burnside Bridgehead east of the Willamette River.… Read More
Independent business owners in Portland, Oregon, and Grand Rapids, Michigan, have launched a multi-year educational campaigns to persuade residents to "think local first" when shopping. "We’re looking to achieve a percentage change in behavior," said Paul Needham, a founding board member of the Sustainable Business Network of Portland (SBNP), which organized the buy-local initiative.… Read More
Having saturated rural and suburban markets, big box retailers are making an aggressive push into central cities. In many communities, however, they are facing strong neighborhood opposition. Last year, Home Depot, which has 1,100 outlets worldwide, announced its intention to open a store in the Hollywood neighborhood of Portland, Oregon. The corporation proposed a 4-block, multistory building that would combine a 100,000 square foot store with offices, apartments, small shops, and two levels of above-ground parking.… Read More
