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Posts Tagged ‘economic development’

New places to sleep in the city that never sleeps…

posted by Tim on June 21st, 2010

We’re always pulled to stories of smaller is often better, being different and passionate can be “the” product, and of course, reading about buildings being used in a way that not only serves a purpose, but brings them to life.  The NY Times recently ran an article on the growth of boutique hotels that touched on all of these topics. From an online perspective, and a reason why paper doesn’t live up to web in the richness of information,  the NY Times does  “functional” web graphics well. In this case, an interactive map that supports the article and allows users to explore hotel locations, photos and profiles right there within the article. The addition of the interactive map extends the usefulness of the article, and is sure to get visitors to come back for more.  The map, (like the hotels) is elegant, functional, and creates an experience that people will want to (and can) share with others.

NYC_boutiqueHotels

Weather, wages and opportunities

posted by Tim on January 21st, 2010

Time of year where I begin to yearn for a trip back to Charleston, SC. As you may know from previous posts or other sources, I was fortunate to dabble in a specialized economic development, revitalization and knowledge-based workforce development effort while living and work there some years ago. Actually, the effort, known as the Charleston Digital Corridor (CDC), got started in 2001 and in eight relatively short years, goals continue to be surpassed in high tech job and wage growth for Charleston’s economy. Now, their new website allows them to boast a little. http://charlestondigitalcorridor.com/relocation/quick-facts.php

Take note to the wage levels in the CDC sectors compared to those in the region and nation. So much for Charleston being a quaint little southern town with no high tech appeal. Even Google has selected Charleston as a regional location, after an exhaustive search. However, the graph that appeals most to me right now is the average temp stats.

Hagerstown Advance launches in September

posted by Scott on October 16th, 2009

Hagerstown Advance

The City of Hagerstown contracted us to plan, map out and create a new web presence that would promote a new specialized economic development initiative. After listening to the goals of the project, we recommended building a set of tools that can actively be used by city staff, current business owners, and new business prospects, instead of a static brochure-style website.

The site also includes a custom content management system that allows the city to update it whenever they want without any programming knowledge required. From adding text to images to updating page title tags, practically everything is managed in the CMS while maintaining its simplicity and easy of use. The city decided that instead of relying on one staff member to keep the entire site fresh and relevant, they wanted to assign staff to specific sections — we added a user permissions module so that staff personnel could only update their assigned section. We also included some safeguards to prevent those “oops!” moments.

The site plan includes separate phases, with “Phase 1″ being launched in September.

Hagerstown Advance has been a fun project to work on and it means a lot to us that this initiative is successful because we live and/or work in Hagerstown. And with our past experience in specialized economic development projects, it was natural fit for us.

We’re continuing to add content and new features to the site, so be sure to check it often. www.hagerstownadvance.com

Note: The Hagerstown Advance project also includes a DVD which was produced by High Rock Studios, and print pieces which were created by High Rock Studios and Fleetwood Design. High Rock also designed the Hagerstown Advance logo and Ridgerunner Publishing provided all of the photography.

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