When people think of dangerous, fierce animals they rarely consider the deer.  It even boggled my mind when I learned that you are 300 times more likely to be killed by a deer than a shark.  Perception and reality are rarely running on the same track.  Otherwise one of the most feared movies of all time wouldn't be Jaws, but Antlers or Hooves.  The reality is that because of deer and car collisions the number skyrockets to the level it is at. 

                I'm not writing this piece to convince you to swim more or venture out into the wilderness less.  My goal is to show you a relation and how bowing to perceptions can have adverse affects.  As a redeveloper, I am continually hearing from a perspective downtown resident that they don't live or come downtown due to the safety factor.  Their response was to move to the suburbs where they feel safe and there are fewer homeless.  I cannot dispute that they feel safer and there are probably fewer visible homeless.  My argument goes back to the relationship of the deer and the shark.  I would say that downtown is the shark and the suburbs are the deer.  While downtown can be perceived as scary, the truth is getting in a car and driving more as one does in the suburbs greatly increases their chances of being injured or killed in a car accident.   Their flight from perceived danger has actually increased their chances of injury.   This is the basis for my argument that deer are more deadly than sharks and that downtowns are probably the safest places to be.  

This is a story straight from the comic books.  A twist on a classic tale of good vs. evil, but unlike any comic tale yet released.  Batman, the Dark Knight, is not just fighting the evil villain, the joker, he is also representing a trend going on throughout America right now. ..the trend and continued crusade known as Urban Renewal.   Amidst the explosions, fun gadgets and saving Gotham City from villains, the movies underlying theme has urban renewal painted all over it.  

The final three steps involve require a bit more drive, creativity and gumption.  In the world of urban economic development, you literally can't be afraid to get your hands dirty.  

While sifting through a plant bed yesterday in Orange Alley (our little urban garden next to our office building) I realized the connection of real gardening and the buzz word many people throw around called Economic Gardening.  

In many facets of our society we have had a "flight" mentality.  In that I mean when the going got rough, we left.  That idea has created so many problems for us that has been compounding for years.  Just infrastructure alone has caused us to almost go bankrupt based on years of moving out.  We abandon an area and have to build a new area with new infrastructure and services and all the things that go along with new and still have to maintain the old infrastructure.  The flight mentality is no longer an option for us anymore.  Some of us are saying now, it stops with me....I won't fly, I will fight.  

It's another great week in redevelopment.   I read an article published by the Harvard Business Review titled Back to the City.  A great tale of how companies are moving their headquarters back to the cities from the suburbs.  Their employees it says enjoy a greater quality of life as a result.  My major in college taught me to follow trends and when it hits the Harvard Business Review, it's no longer underground.  It seems that this movement will tip very soon, especially with all the signs pointing back to an efficient, socially conscious lifestyle that we see going on currently.  

For those of you who are thinking that this is a going to be a gripe fest over the inconvenience and hassle of being without an automobile, you are wrong.I had to take Kelly's car in last week.She was out of town and I figured I could do without for the weekend.Everything went smoothly and I had not problems since Kelly was gone, I had my scooter and friends always give me rides if I do happen to leave my close knit district.Well come to find out Monday that it won't be ready till later that week.I was a bit nervous since Kelly was flying home Tuesday morning, we both have meetings that usually require a vehicle and a scooter on a hot June day does make me perspire.

To make a short story long, I had no problems, I arranged Burch to help me pick Kelly up and it forced me to think and strategize about how to get around.For the meetings I did have, I asked if they could meet at my office and lastly for the one purpose I did have for leaving my downtown area, I actually rode the bus, which is becoming more efficient.I'm learning that sometimes we have to fake it till we make it and that covers many different areas.If you want something to come about we have to be willing to work at making it a reality even if it is more inconvenient in the beginning.

I encourage anyone to think of more creative ways from getting from A to B without the conventional car.We are constantly challenged to think outside the box, in this case I would say figure a way to stay inside the box if possible.