Partnerships to promote revitalization in the inner city -- the case of Downtown Brooklyn
Jill Gross
There is no legal definition of partnership, nor is there anything we can call the "typical" partnership. Yet increasingly the term is seen, not only as an essential component of urban policy but as the foundation of governmental strategies for the revitalization of central cities, particularly in areas which have experienced visible physical decline and a loss of civic vitality. While partnership strategies are touted on both sides of the Atlantic as vehicles to prevent urban blight and promote urban regeneration, there is little agreement concerning what constitutes a partnership. I utilize the term partnership to reflect coalitions of local government officials (public sector), business and corporate actors (private sector), community based interests and non-profit organizations (public sector) -- drawn together in the common task of urban redevelopment. This paper will analyze two types of development partnerships prevalent in New York (business improvement districts and urban tourism regimes). It will provide some conceptual clarity to the notion of partnership, through the lens of the development in downtown Brooklyn, and via comparisons with other blighted areas of the city.