Recast Your City: How to Save Your Downtown with Small-Scale Manufacturing

A guide to growing inclusive local economies by investing in and supporting small-scale manufacturing.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 200 pages
Publication date: 31 August 2021
Publisher: Island Press

Too many U.S. cities and towns have been fixated on a model of economic development that relies on attracting one large company (such as Amazon), a single industry (usually in technology), or pursuing other narrow or short-term fixes that are inequitable and unsustainable. Even before the historic retail collapse brought on by COVID-19, some cities and towns were beginning to shift towards a new economic model that works with the community to invest in place in an inclusive and thoughtful way, with short-term wins that build momentum for long-term growth. A key ingredient to this successful model is small-scale manufacturing.

In Recast Your City: How to Save Your Downtown with Small-Scale Manufacturing, community development expert Ilana Preuss explains how local leaders can revitalize their downtowns or neighborhood main streets by bringing in and supporting small-scale manufacturing. Small-scale manufacturing businesses help create thriving places, with local business ownership opportunities and well-paying jobs that other business types cannot fulfill.

Preuss draws from her experience working with local governments, both large and small, and illuminates her recommendations with real-world examples. She details her five-step method for recasting your city using small-scale manufacturing: (1) light the spark (assess what you can build on and establish goals); (2) find and connect (get out of your comfort zone and find connectors outside of your usual circles); (3) interview (talk to people and build trust); (4) analyze (look for patterns and gaps as well as what has not been said); and (5) act (identify short-term actions to help build long-term change). This work is difficult and sometimes uncomfortable, but necessary and critical for success. Preuss supports local leaders in their efforts to recast their cities by providing them with the tools and resources they need to succeed. She offers practical advice on how to identify and attract small-scale manufacturing businesses, how to create a supportive environment for them, and how to leverage their presence to drive economic growth and community development.

In conclusion, small-scale manufacturing is a powerful tool for recasting U.S. cities and towns. By bringing in and supporting small-scale manufacturing businesses, local leaders can create thriving places, with local business ownership opportunities and well-paying jobs that other business types cannot fulfill. Preuss's five-step method for recasting your city using small-scale manufacturing provides a roadmap for local leaders to follow, and her practical advice and resources can help them succeed in their efforts to revitalize their downtowns and neighborhood main streets.

Weight: 268g
Dimension: 153 x 227 x 15 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781642831924