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Calendar

LEC # TOPICS EVENTS
1 Course introduction; What is a business improvement district? A comparison of the BID to other urban revitalization strategies, followed by a brief introduction to policy network theory. Assignment 1 - Crafting a Comprehensive Definition
2 Where and why did the BID concept emerge? Canada: A discussion of the broader political and economic context; An examination of Toronto's Business Improvement Areas, beginning with West Bloor Village (The world's first BID); A review of provincial enabling legislation, organizational issues, structure, scope, services, performance, and evolution. Assignment 1 Due - Crafting a Comprehensive Definition

Assignment 2 - A Short Research Paper
3 Where and why did the BID concept spread? The United States: A discussion of the broader political and economic context; An examination of Philadelphia's business improvement districts, beginning with the Center City District; A review of state enabling legislation, organizational issues, structure, scope, services, performance, and evolution.  
4 Crossing the ocean: How and why did the BID concept migrate to Africa? The Republic of South Africa: A discussion of the broader political and economic context; An examination of Cape Town's city improvement districts, beginning with Green Point; A review of provincial enabling legislation, organizational issues, structure, scope, services, performance, and evolution.  
5 A discussion of the theoretical underpinnings; An exploration of sociological theories beginning with an introduction to Tonnies, Durkheim, Park, and Wirth (consequences of urbanism), followed by a closer look at theories of urbanologists and criminologists like Jacobs, Newman, and Kelling (relationship between public space and human behavior). 
6 A critical evaluation of the advantages and disadvantages associated with BID development, beginning with the question: What are the advantages/disadvantages of transnational policy transfer to spatial management and development policy? A discussion of the salient controversies associated with BID formation and proliferation, including whether BIDs exacerbate wealth-base inequalities, challenge the notion of democratic accountability, complicate the delivery of security services, promote generic design schemes, push criminal activity to adjacent neighborhoods… Assignment 2 Due - A Short Research Paper

Assignment 3 - The Business Improvement District, Friend or Foe?
7 Guest Speaker, Jerry Mitchell (Professor of Public Administration, Baruch College, City University of New York), "Business Improvement Districts, Friend or Foe?"
8 Which nations will soon adopt the BID concept? An introduction to the International Business Improvement District Project, with a presentation of the survey process and findings; An introduction to Town Center Management in the United Kingdom by guest speaker, Todd Lieberman; Main Streets (with separate ratings) in New Zealand and Australia by guest speaker, Shahana Chattaraj; and Town Management Organizations in Asia by guest speaker, Noriko Komiyama.  Also, an introduction to the final project. Assignment 3 Due - The Business Improvement District, Friend or Foe?

Assignment 4 - Synthesis of Lessons Learned: Recommendations for the City of Boston
9

Discussion with Client, Artery Business Committee, led by Thomas Piper, Principal Research Scientist in the Department of Urban Studies and Planning; International Downtown Association Conference, Memphis

10 The Future; Neighborhood Improvement Districts; Industrial Improvement Districts; Questions about Group Presentations; Course Evaluations.
11 Final Discussion Assignment 4 Due - Synthesis of Lessons Learned: Recommendations for the City of Boston.