KEN BANKS’ MAY/JUNE 2022
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RE-BRANDING OUR CITIES!
My recent visit to Savannah, Georgia, was short but enlightening. Not having been to the South Georgia city for over 10 years, I was impressed at how the city continues to revitalize itself as a destination for tourist and businesses. The city has long been one of the busiest ports in the US (second only to NYC/New Jersey in container traffic and it’s river front has been the core for much of the city’s revitalization. To be sure the growth of hotels and fine dining have helped Savannah rival other southern cities as a visitor destination. The squares that define the city have long been historical markers for the city and for the many stories that have been written about it, but the entire area continues to get more appealing for business and entertainment.
This is a typical rebranding story that is going on around our country and is representative of the rebirth of downtown areas in large and small cities alike. Here are some other examples of cities that recognizing the changing attitudes of their citizens and, as a result, are rebranding themselves.
DETROIT—Our final destination on this recent trip continues to experience revitalization from the industrial hub that it continues to be to great place to live and visit. The construction of a new international bridge connecting Detroit with Windsor, Ontario, will replace the depression era Ambassador Bridge which has long been a landmark that has failed to keep up with the growth in population and traffic between the two cities. The Michigan Central train station which had been one of the country’s largest and busiest decades ago before falling to vacancy and disrepair is now a target for rebirth and a new hub within the city. Greektown continues to give downtown a unique personaliy as well as energy from the casino’s that now draw many visitors to the metro area. Belle Isle was once the jewel of the Detroit River and is now a state park with many natural attractions as well as the home of the Detroit Grand Prix minutes from downtown. The downtown monorail is back in business and giving the core of the city a boost in energy along with the new Little Caesar’s Arena for hockey and basketball and the new School of Business for Wayne State University next door. The city will receive $826 Million in funds to continue improving the core for both business and residential growth,. There are still pockets of disrepair but there is a spirit in the city which provides promise for the rebranding.
ST. PETERSBURG/TAMPA. St. Pete has been on the move for several years now as it re-brands itself from the retirement haven that I found when I moved here in the ‘70’s to a a cosmopolitan city on the Bay that reminds me of many coastal cities in Europe with sidewalk café’s, boutique hotels, world class museums and art galleries, live theaters, a new pier, and updated parks on the waterfront. Tampa has long been the commercial hub of the Bay area, but it’s downtown was more like a ghost town after working hours. That’s not the case as the city has rebranded itself with a destination Riverwalk along the downtown shore with parks and museums and new hotels and restaurants. The hockey arena buzzes all year long and new hotels and a world class broadway theater and concert hall have brought life to the city all day and all week.
MINNEAPOLIS: I’ve always liked downtown Minneapolis with its inter-connected walkways to help keep downtown alive even in the coldest of winter days. The city has always been progressive and it has revitalized its North Loop from an industrial wasteland with artists coming to the area in the ‘90’s, a bustling Farmers Market, the Hewing Hotel in a former warehouse and renewed energy.
CINCINNATI: A city that I got to know during my early Procter & Gamble days, Cincinnati always surprises me with its historic residential areas and it energized downtown, It’s Over-the Rhine district has been revitalized and the Findlay Market (the city’s oldest) has been renovated as well. The train station is now a hub for entertainment and the Underground Museum is world class. The pedestrian bridge across to Newport, KY, is also a great venue for local events.
MILWAUKEE: The Third Ward, an 19th Century industrial district, has been reborn as a hub for artists and studios as well as the Broadway Theater complex. A reborn riverwa;k and public market make this city once known mostly for its breweries into a great place to live and play.
PITTSBURGH: Once the hub for the steel industry, the city has had a rebirth as one of the top cities in the US to live and work.It’s East Liberty neighborhood with its new Ace Hotel in the former YMCA and Hotel Indigo has led the way to the area’s rebranding. Tourism and relocation have led to the areas growth and revitalization.
RICHMOND: It was great to return to the former capital of the conferate union where we lived during my short stay with Circuit City in the ‘90’s. We were attracted by the beautiful neighborhoods both old and new when we moved there. There is a sense of pride in the colonial atmosphere and décor that make it such a comfortable city. The downtown has energized the rebranding of the city with development along Broad Street from downtown near VCU and its art center to the western suburbs. The rapid growth of shopping and chain restaurants has given way to boutique hotels , galleries, the National Theater and the Hippodrome. While the monuments to the south have departed the historical and traditions of this city have made it a hub for financial and hospitality organizations.
These are just a few that I have visited, but there are more smaller and lesser known cities that have rebranded themselves. While retailing in the age of mega-malls has definitely dwindled, the return to cities and towns that welcome people and homes have helped rebrand the US cities.
Ken
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