Two paths diverge: take one

The rise of community development is a primary chapter theme. From its roots in settlement houses, social welfare, housing reform, community center/recreation movement and the rise of Privatist neighborhood improvement associations it is extensively detailed to demonstrate the development of our “other†economic development approach. A community development-relevant review of socialist and social reform mayors unveils the development of a citywide community development approach in practice. A discussion of the economic development schism among African-Americans is revealed by contrasting Booker T. Washington and Du Bois, uncovering a potential future community development perspective of enormous relevance to contemporary economic development. Community development pioneers a new economic development strategy, the City Beautiful. Developing from the Parks Movement, the Columbian Exposition and leadership of Charles Mulford Robinson, the strategy was adapted and refocused by Daniel Burnham in his implementation of Cleveland’s City Beautiful and his development of the Chicago Plan. Burnham emerges as an economic developer who first articulated and promoted a CBD strategy by central cities to retain influence over their sprawling hinterlands. The chapter concludes with two case studies: Kansas City’s bi-polar City Beautiful and Boston’s Honey Fitz/Chamber of Commerce alliance to implement a hybrid community development/mainstream classic economic development strategy, “the Noble Experiment†that conducted the “port of Boston movement†and attempted the nation’s first “regional government.†That chambers can follow community development strategies indicates the power behind political culture.