Economic Regeneration

in Legacy Cities and their

Metropolitan Regions

Hunter Morrison and Mark Salling

Levin College of Urban Affairs

Cleveland State University

Legacy Cities and Their Metropolitan Regions

Experts have recognized that there is a symbioticrelationship between legacy cities and theirregions, but it is particularly complex in placeswhere urban/suburban economic imbalance existand vehicles for fostering regionalism are unclearand ineffective.

Mallach and Brachman,

Regenerating America’s Legacy Cities , 2013

American Assembly: Legacy Cities

The Northeast Ohio Region

and its legacy cities.

Population Change, 2000-2010

Emerging

U.S. Mega-regionsCredit: University of Pennsylvania

America 2050: Megaregions

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RPA analysis of U.S. Census and BEA

data

America2050.or

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Great Lakes MegalopolisJean Gottman, 1961

Underperforming Regionsand their Legacy Cities

18 Northeast Megaregion Legacy Cities and their StatesState No. Legacy Cities

Connecticut 2 Hartford, New Haven

District of Columbia 1 Washington

Delaware 1 Wilmington

Massachusetts 2 Fall River, New Bedford

Maryland 1 Baltimore

New Jersey 3 Camden, Newark, Trenton

New York 2 Albany, Schenectady

Pennsylvania 3 Philadelphia, Reading, Scranton

Rhode Island 1 Providence

Virginia 2 Norfolk, Richmond

31 Great Lakes Megaregion Legacy Cities and their StatesState No. Legacy Cities

Indiana 2 Gary, Hammond

Michigan 5 Detroit, Flint, Pontiac, Saginaw, Warren

Missouri 1 St. Louis

New York 5 Buffalo, Niagara Falls, Rochester, Syracuse, Utica

Ohio 7 Akron, Canton, Cleveland, Cincinnati. Dayton, Springfield, Youngstown

Pennsylvania 2 Erie, Pittsburgh

Wisconsin 1 Milwaukee

West Virginia 2 Charleston, Huntington

Mahoning

Wayne Stark

Lorain

MedinaSummit

Portage

Trumbull

Ashtabula

Geauga

Lake

Cuyahoga

• Built on Broad Engagement of

people and organizations

through meetings, polls, and

social media.

• Used Scenario Planning and

Fiscal Impact Analysis to

study alternative futures.

• Developed a Regional Vision

and Framework for Action that

local communities can use to

become more vibrant, resilient,

and sustainable

VIBRANT NEO 2040 addresses the shared future of a

12-county region with four metropolitan areas.

Made possible by Partnership for Sustainable Communities

Initiative Grant from HUD in collaboration with USDOT & USEPA

and in-kind support from the Consortium ‘s 33 members

Current trends put our legacy cities

and their metros at risk

• Development without

demographic growth

leads to a widespread

supply/demand

mismatch.

• Outward expansion

requires building new

infrastructure.

• Inward abandonment

weakens the region’s

housing markets and

leaves existing

infrastructure behind.

• Result: Chronic fiscal

stress at all levels of

local government/

Outward Migration and Inward Abandonment

• Weakens local tax bases

• Increases infrastructure costs

• Increases household transportation costs

• Provides fewer options—other than a car.

Current trends will result in declining fiscal health

across the region

-0.3%

Workshop Map Activity

Public Support for Established Communities

Trend Scenario Development Impact

Do Things Differently Development Impact

Trend Scenario Fiscal Impact

Do Things Differently Fiscal Impact

Overarching Recommendation

Focus the region on livabilty by

• Investing in our existing cities,

suburbs, and town centers,

• Providing more housing and

transportation choices, and

• Connecting people and opportunity

Quality Connected Places

• Strengthen our Established Communities

• Increase our Housing and Transportation Choices

• Protect our Natural Resources

• Promote Collaboration and Efficiency

Vibrant NEO 2040A Regional Vision and

Policy Framework

Validation

The Daniel Burnham Award for Best Comprehensive Plan from the American Planning Association (2015)

VibantNEO2040

www.vibrantneo.org