Last year, urban experts Bruce Katz and Jeremy Nowak completed a book titled The New Localism: How Cities Can Thrive in the Age of Populism.
"Cities and counties are solving problems because they can," Katz and Nowak write. "The knowledge- intensive industries that increasingly dominate the U.S. economy seek the convergence of assets that many U.S. cities and metropolitan areas naturally possess: anchor research institutions and collaborative ecosystems of firms, entrepreneurs, investors and intermediaries. The emerging economy is revaluing proximity, density, authenticity and the solid bones--historic buildings, street grids, access to waterfronts, cultural institutions--that can be found in the traditional downtowns and midtowns."
In this blueprint for urban change, Katz and Nowak note that there aren't many examples of true urban revitalization that don't have universities and medical centers playing a role.
"The University City District of west Philadelphia, the midtown institutions in Detroit, University Circle in Cleveland, Johns Hopkins in Baltimore and Washington University in St. Louis are just a few examples," they write. "These prestigious community pillars create a residential, business and real estate multiplier effect for their local environment."
They are among the examples across the country that have led me to state that the next big thing for Little Rock should be a concerted effort to take the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences and the University of Arkansas at Little Rock to the next level. Such an initiative, combined with the growth of the Little Rock Technology Park, could lead to a bright future for the state's largest city. With two-thirds of the state now losing population, Arkansas needs the Little Rock area to begin matching the dynamism of northwest Arkansas. How does Little Rock get there?
Using the previously mentioned examples, Katz and Nowak note: "These vanguard cities are igniting growth by leveraging their distinctive sectors to commercialize research, seed and grow businesses and create quality jobs. Local leaders are aligning their educational systems to provide workers with the skills they need to obtain jobs in an advanced economy and are seeking solutions to deep-seated poverty through early childhood education and school-to-career strategies."
One of the things I've found most encouraging since beginning a series of columns on Little Rock's future has been the number of bright young people who've contacted me with ideas. One of these is an attorney named Will Gruber. We're having coffee at Blue Sail, the hip caffeine provider in the lobby of the Little Rock Technology Park on Main Street, and Gruber is full of ideas.
He paraphrases a quote from one of my favorite movies, the 1978 comedy classic Animal House. The original quote was, "I think we have to go all out. I think that this situation absolutely requires a really futile and stupid gesture be done on somebody's part."
Here's Gruber's version: "I think we have to go all out. This situation absolutely requires a really bold and grand gesture be done on somebody's part. Whereas in Animal House the Delta Tau Chi fraternity members were on the verge of being expelled from college after being on double-secret probation, Little Rock is suffering from something more serious and existential, a question of its future. Do we remain static, beginning a downhill trajectory, or do we make the changes necessary to become a dynamic, world-class city? While Otter did a fantastic job of motivating his fraternity brothers to the cause of committing a futile and stupid gesture, Little Rock needs a shared goal that is instead bold and grand, something that will radically transform the city."
Gruber suggests a program known as the Little Rock Commitment. Public school graduates would be provided the financial resources needed to obtain an associate's degree, technical training or computer coding certifications from institutions in Pulaski County. Randy Zook, who heads the Arkansas State Chamber of Commerce, has noted in recent speeches that the state's most pressing problem is finding enough skilled workers to take thousands of good-paying jobs that are going unfilled. An effort such as the one Gruber proposes would complement the initiative to improve UALR and UAMS.
"Plenty of people have suggested that Little Rock needs a promise scholarship like El Dorado or Arkadelphia," Gruber says. "I hope that every student who wishes to obtain a bachelor's degree has the financial resources to do so, and I would never want to restrict a child's dreams. But I believe that we need to create incentives for students to obtain the skills that the market is demanding. Countless high school graduates in Little Rock could benefit from access to technical and vocational programs, becoming the professionals that Arkansas businesses are desperately searching for."
Gruber suggests raising $60 million for such a program.
"It's ambitious but reasonable based on the number of graduating students and the cost of the educational programs," he says. "Last year was the 60th anniversary of the Little Rock Central High School desegregation crisis. This $60 million would be a symbolic gesture. It would serve as a reminder that while this tragic event is part of our history, we can transform the narrative to one where Little Rock is making a commitment to improve the lives of every student."
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Senior Editor Rex Nelson's column appears regularly in the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. He's also the author of the Southern Fried blog at rexnelsonsouthernfried.com.
Editorial on 07/07/2018