I think that the credit crisis will, in the long-term, be good for places like Philly and Baltimore. These cities need a shake out from the "Global City" crap that has been such a large part of the economic geography discourse since the early '90s. To many young, smart people think that the only places in the whole entire country to live and work are New York, DC, LA and MAYBE Chicago and San Fransisco. This isn't true and it is a huge stigma that "second tier" regions fight.
But as the Investment Banks go bankrupt and shrink in scope, hopefully we will see regional players take up a greater piece of market share. There is no reason why one's financing deals need to be brokered by NYC or London based institutions, which therefore feed the law firms, which sort of kicks off the whole "Global City" thing. Financial markets are more seem-less than ever. Privledge and a brand name are what the old institutions had, whether they be investment banks or law firms. The brand name is tarnished, for both. I am hoping that we will see a return of regional players in both fields.
Still, it's all about agglomeration, which gives a leg up to the places which are already successful.
Close to home, it's the difference between Dupont Circle or Manor Park (where I live), H Street vs. Brookland or Capitol Hill -- older folks prefer CH, younger now with the new taverns and stuff, H Street, and people with children Brookland. But Capitol Hill still has the best broad set of amenities. But not compared to Dupont Circle, etc.
Sure, but NYC has been down before, like in the 70s and 80s. It will certainly be down again. Especially if their major employers are not successful.
MZ you are right about "second tier "cities. They are sometimes superior to the so-called"first tier" places. Also- the people are friendlier.
One advantage that second tier cities has is what I call "a desperate willingness to experiment" because they have no other choice. DC isn't very innovative. Baltimore and Pittsburgh are, at least in terms of the arts, and this isn't just because they have an industrial tradition and heritage and base.
we have a manufacturing sector in DC that is not very visible.I work in it.I know that there is a tradition of manufacturing here- even if people from elsewhere do not see it [ us] right off the bat.For instance- much of Capitol Hill Navy Yard area would not be there w/o the construction, printing, and heavy cast steel & fabrication industires that existed there at one time and enabled a large middle class to thrive.It is the primary reason that most of the historic building stock even exists in this area.We are not a completely white collar place with a white collar only history.Not by a long shot.
even if the Navy Yard was a government installation- it is unfair to exclude it from the vaunted ranks of private sector blue collar industry- as it fuctioned fist-in-glove with private industry and many employees rotated back and fourth between it and the private sector.The same is true even today in government manufacturing.The private sector is as dependent on the gov't as the gov't is on them... Iam sick of people belittling us here in DC as being only a white collar city- and when this giant factory is brought up- "it;s only government so it does not count". Total BS in my book.
printing as you know tended to locate around the GPO (out North Capitol and Florida Ave.--in fact the XM building is a former printing plant), although that changed somewhat once the BEP calved off the GPO.
I reviewed many census enumeration sheets from the H St. neighborhood from 1880, 1900, 1910, and 1920 and tons of people worked at the GPO. Of course, back then people mostly walked to work. I bet that today no one who lives in the greater neighborhood around GPO works there...
same is true with the rest of the printing industry here in DC.The blue collar people mostly have left the city.True also- these are great jobs and folks, when they could, got out of dodge and hit it with the 2 car house .It is amazing how many people, where I work either grew up in DC or had parents or GPs that were from DC and also worked in the industry- which - as in my family as well- is a multi-generational business and toatlly against the stereotype of the DC worker only living here or working here for a few years and returning to Califonia or Kansas.These people might move away from the city- but they have deep roots here,and there are many many more of them [ us] here than meets the eye.
BEP was totally separate from GPO.
BEP was also using many outside contractors going way back.
USCS was another- and much earlier- plant- that had quite a big impact on the Capitol Hill area that is very much ignored or unknown.It was the first large printing factory in the city and was situated where the House office buildings are on NJ Avenue back prior to the Civil War.The Washington Post and Evening Star factories were just south of the freeway near Garfield Park. they were up and runinng until recently.Both were very large plants, situated near the railroads for supply deliveries, as were all of these other plants.The railroads & printing plants were usually closeby for obvious reasons.Ink barrels and paper were some of the manufactured items easily put onto freight cars before autos came into existence...paper and ink was also manufactured right here in good ole DC.
I forgot about the Star plant.
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