As a great model for city economic innovation, brain-drain mitigation, neighborhood revitalization, independent retail invigoration, the Charleston Digital Corridor (CDC) expands one of its proven initiatives into full scale incubation. The CDC economic development initiative continues to enjoy documented growth in knowledge-based business sectors, elevating wages, and workforce development at the entrepreneurial, student and neighborhood level. Previously housed in a second floor office of a renovated building on Meeting Street, the Charleston Digital Corridor recently launched its new community multi-use building – The Flagship!
In its previous space, there was room to support two start-ups at a time. Now, as a result of continued growth, demand and a commitment to sustainable construction techniques, the Corridor renovated an old video store into a 5,400-square foot space on East Bay Street, staying in close proximity to downtown amenities and universities. Like most incubation spaces, the Flagship is not meant to be a long term home, but rather be a supportive ecosystem to start-ups that sync with the special economic development goals of the City.
For me, I’ve been a believer, willing student and contributor to the Corridor initiative since its inception, when it was met with opposition that Charleston was no “Raleigh Research Triangle Park, or Atlanta, or Charlotte, etc. However, through the vision and perseverance of its founder, Ernest Andrade, the city’s Business Development Director, along with a few committed investors and start-ups, vibe and ideas were harnessed and the Corridor project has succeeded even beyond the expectations of city officials. Not only has it helped grow the city’s knowledge-based businesses from 18 to 88 and counting, and doubled wages for those working in these companies within the defined corridor districts, but it has also helped revitalize entire neighborhoods, foster retail traffic, and provides job opportunities for downtown residents and students who’d normally look outside the area for employment. Now the model is being set-up as one to follow for other communities looking to turn around their downtown, keep the students and entrepreneurs home and make a new name for themselves to change perceptions and attract high tech companies.
We’re now supporting similar efforts now afoot in Hagerstown, MD and have brought many of the initiatives, strategies and innovative focus points to a city that has a vibe similar to one I witnessed in Charleston, SC in 2001. Downtown Hagerstown has a good inventory of historic buildings (with unique second and third floor office space) – most in much better shape than those in the targeted districts in Charleston. Hagerstown has many higher education facilities, as well as a nationally ranked public education system. Hagerstown has Barbara Ingram School for the Arts – downtown! There are new, independent shops, restaurants and coffee houses popping up. Hagerstown has a strong collection of design and high-tech firms that do big city-level work, and stand to benefit from the effort’s goals of growing more professional services, bio-tech and other knowledge-based enterprise.
Hagerstown Regional Airport now provides commercial jet service, though just to Florida at the moment (I’d like to see a direct to Charleston), and offers short commuter flights to BWI and Dulles. Hagerstown is a “quick” 90 minutes from Baltimore and Washington, DC – an easy drive facilitated by its great location at the crossroads of two of the most accessible interstates in the country. The City has an impressive collection of incentives to help investors, start-ups and others who want to jump in the arena and make things happen. And, just like Charleston, SC, Hagerstown enjoys a strong logistics and manufacturing economic backbone, which is locally supported by the Washington County EDC. In Charleston, and other successful communities, their regional development authority and specialized economic development initiative strategically work together to reach their respective goals for the overall community.
I am enthused with the area’s positive energy and feedback, and feel Hagerstown is poised to really take-off and make its own name that will attract and foster more positive things for area businesses and citizens. As our national and global economies continue to present challenges, I feel fortunate to live in an area that has so much going for it, and a city that is taking bold, strategic steps to make good things happen, rather than waiting for things to happen to them. If only communities like Detroit and others would have fostered more diversity in their economic initiatives, there could be less blight and joblessness in some of these communities.
In the end, the Hagerstown goals are very similar to Charleston’s; diversify an economy so the region doesn’t have its eggs in one basket, grow wages, revitalize neighborhoods, and bring more (and better) opportunities for gainful employment and positive activity to support the quality of life benefits that make this area a great place to live.
