Anytime you've got activities going on in your community that are going to result in quality-of-life offerings, it can't be anything but an added benefit. |
I think we have a tremendous number of assets in the region, and getting those assets marketed to the right people is going to be key to how the region grows, and how fast it grows. |
If the existing industry is happy and growing, you can market that to others. You can point to those companies' success and attract other companies to the area. |
It all goes into the matrix when you're talking about economic development. If your family's not happy where you live and work, you're not going to be happy, and all that goes into a company's decision about where to locate. |
Our office worked hard with Federal Realty, encouraging them to first buy the center and then upgrade it. Since Federal Realty has taken ownership, the center has been totally rehabilitated, landscaping has been added, new quality anchor tenants have come, new buildings have been built, and finally the center is pedestrian friendly. |
People pick up on the vibrancy of your downtown area. Communities that take pride in their downtowns, and have a lot to offer, it instills a good feeling. They want to know that there's life outside of the walls of the place where they work. |