Introduction  |  Conclusion   |   Speakers  |   Sponsors

Mayor Joe Riley of Charleston, South Carolina, made a case that is hard to argue with: "Our culture is shaped by the quality of our cities. We need a large, diverse, stimulating and beautiful public realm that we all own. A large part of that public realm has to be the center of our cities. It belongs to everyone."

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"There is increasing evidence that urban and suburban economies are interdependent, and the health of the region is linked to and influenced by the health of the core." - Bruce Katz

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Downtown Columbus has come a long way but has farther to go before it is the public realm where all citizens of the metropolitan area feel they have a stake. As a community, we must take steps to make downtown a convenient, safe and livable neighborhood for people of all incomes. We must evaluate and improve deficiencies in current policing, maintenance of public improvements, parking policies and development of housing and shopping options.