Manufacturing

Luxury Condos Versus Philadelphia's Jewelers' Row
Downtown gentrification threatens to displace skilled artisans in a district where workshops go back five generations. Some of the jewelers own their premises, but the rewards for building pricey condos are tempting.
Mapping America's Toy Manufacturing
All those toys under the Christmas tree came from somewhere.
The Middle Class Fights for Survival in Lima, Ohio
An article surveys Lima, Ohio's long-term residents, politicians, and economy to weave a narrative tracing the ups and downs of the shrinking small town.
California High Speed Rail Authority Reaches Milestone
The Authority is ready to purchase trainsets, and once again, the Siemen's rail manufacturing facility in Sacramento is looking to add another contract to add to its growing rail car orders. A request for "expressions of interest" was issued.
San Francisco's Shopping Spree for New Muni Cars
After winning the contract to build All Aboard Florida's locomotives and passenger cars, Siemens Sacramento manufacturing plant landed a $648 million contract much closer to home: Replacement of the San Francisco Muni Metro Breda light rail cars.
What's Driving the Economic Turnaround in Youngstown and Canton, Ohio?
Youngstown had been one of those Rust Belt, "shrinking" cities long noted in Planetizen, but thanks in part to fracking and its location on the Utica shale formation, manufacturing has returned and unemployment has dropped by half since 2010.
Nevada's $1.2 Billion Investment in Tesla Predicted to Have $100 Billion Impact
The generous incentives granted the electric car company for securing the $5 billion factory will yield disproportionate economic benefits, according to Gov. Brian Sandoval, for a state suffering high unemployment and a lack of economic diversity.

Ranking the Cities Leading the Industrial Revival
Forbes has produced a list of 'The Big Cities Leading A U.S. Manufacturing Revival.'
Will Manufacturing and Trade Work for Florida's Recovery?
Adie Tomer challenges local and state leaders in Florida to leverage its strengths in trade and logistics for a more production-oriented economy—to the benefit of the long-term economic prosperity of the state.
'Innovation Hubs' Called a Manufacturing Silver Bullet
A recent Wall Street Journal editorial calls for "Topic-specific, industry-led, and place-based…public-private hubs" as the key to a manufacturing renaissance. The idea is already being tested in four cities.
Technology and Robust Economies Drive Rural Town Revival
Population loss has been a fact of life for many of the United States' rural towns for decades. But if the experiences of rural towns across Minnesota are any indication, manufacturing, farming, and technology may generate a widespread rural revival.
Detroit Bankruptcy Highlights Nation's Obsession With Diplomas
If you thought the bankruptcy in Detroit was caused by the disappearance of manufacturing jobs, well, you'd be wrong. Alan Mallach explains how our obsession with college degrees contributed to the downfall of a city.
Can Chicago Ride Its Rails to Economic Growth?
Chicago's position as a central hub for manufacturing and shipping helped establish the city as the economic powerhouse of the Midwest. A new report recommends the city update that infrastructure to grow the region's economy.
Battle Over Gas Exports Pits Manufacturers Against Energy Industry
America's oil and gas boom has energy companies ramping up their ability to export natural gas, and the feds eager to approve export terminal projects. But Dow Chemical’s chief executive warns that exports threaten the U.S. manufacturing renaissance.

The Geography of America’s Industrial Renaissance
After a sharp decline during the recession, an industrial expansion is helping to drive job growth in many of America’s metropolitan areas. New analysis outlines the country’s best manufacturing ‘storylines’.
State of the Union Recap: Energy, Economy, Infrastructure and Environment
In an address heavy on President Obama's domestic agenda for the first year of his second term, issues of importance to planners and urbanists got plenty of play, including: the environment, energy, infrastructure, and the economy.
The Tokyo Model: From Post-War Slum to Superpower
In this compelling essay, authors Matias Echanove and Rahul Srivastava take a look at Tokyo's post-war development and explore how lessons learned from its unplanned growth may be useful for other rapidly urbanizing Asian cities today.
Building Small is the Next Big Thing
A recent study documents the shift from large-scale units of production to smaller mass-produced units that can be dispersed across many locations. This shift promises to change a host of industries, from transportation to power generation.
A Ride on the Rails Reveals America's Changing Economy
Adam Davidson reflects on the urban decay that can be glimpsed out the window of an Amtrak train traveling between New York and Washington D.C., and the forces transforming the nation's economy that cannot.
New York City Struggles to Retain What's Left of its Manufacturing Industry
During the last two decades, New York City has continued to shed manufacturing jobs. But recent efforts led by the city, in partnership with private developers, are looking to retool some of New York's largest legacy sites for a new breed of tenant.
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City of Albany
UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
City of Piedmont, CA
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research