But one city offers a blueprint for revitalization combining economic development with more livable neighborhoods that put residents closer to their jobs - and cut car use in the process. Supported by a $20 million grant from the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA), local leaders in Allentown, Pennsylvania are fostering small-scale manufacturing as one way to breathe new life into the city's brownfield sites, tap into the city's industrial heritage and improve quality of life for all through vibrant urban spaces.
When you're hunting for a building plot, it's easy to think you'll stumble across a neat patch of grass with planning permission already sorted and services waiting at the boundary. In reality, that almost never happens and more often than not, the best opportunities are hidden in plain sight - old garages, barns, or even, in building expert Mark Stevenson's case, a disused post office.