When he took office in 2005, Cincinnati mayor Mark Mallory (center) knew he had to turn around a city that had been on a slow, precipitous decline since the 1960s.
It was a lofty task by any stretch of the imagination, even before the recession. But by implementing smart growth strategies and examining how neighborhood development affects economic potential and residents’ quality of life, Mallory has his city back on track.
At the recent New Partners for Smart Growth conference, Mallory touted how his administration embraced a wide range of community improvement initiatives, like tearing down enclosed sidewalks to add ‘eyes on the street,’ and renovating important public spaces to spur economic development and rehabilitate the damaged public perception of downtown Cincinnati.
In an article featured today on Streetsblog, Mallory explains his driving vision:
“I set out to change the way we did business in Cincinnati,” he says. “You have to have dynamic leadership.”
Mallory co-chairs Smart Growth America’s Local Leaders council, a nonpartisan group of municipal officials who share a passion for building great towns, cities, and communities and represent diverse communities of all sizes from across the United States.
Smart Growth America’s Local Leaders Council are using smart growth strategies to help their hometowns compete and grow in today’s economy, generate better return on taxpayer investment, provide transportation and housing choices for their residents, and create vibrant places where people want to live, work, and play.