Curtin Call: November 2025

As cities continue to evolve at a rapid pace, one theme keeps rising to the surface: progress is only powerful when it’s inclusive. This month’s stories highlight the balancing act many communities face, embracing innovation while ensuring the benefits reach everyone. From the rise of cashless economies to advanced manufacturing, zoning reform, placemaking, and the rise of suburban epicenters, each trend reveals both opportunities and responsibilities. 

For place marketers and economic developers, these insights serve as a reminder that shaping the future isn’t just about adopting the newest tools or chasing the next big idea. It’s about championing solutions that strengthen economic competitiveness while keeping communities connected, accessible, and authentically themselves. Here’s what caught my eye in the month of November:

On The Push Toward a Cashless Economy 

The New York Times highlights a growing trend: cities and businesses rapidly moving toward cashless transactions in the name of convenience, security and efficiency. But innovation comes with a shadow side, and this shift exposes a critical tension. When we eliminate cash, who do we unintentionally eliminate with it? For residents without access to banking, credit or digital tools, a fully cashless environment doesn’t feel innovative — it feels exclusionary. 

For place marketers and economic developers, the cashless conversation serves as a cautionary tale about progress that outpaces equity. Yes, digital payment infrastructure signals modernity and can attract tech-forward businesses and visitors, but at what point does efficiency override accessibility? As communities adopt cashless systems, they must also implement safeguards that ensure everyone can participate in the local economy. The challenge — and the responsibility — lies in drawing the line between embracing the future and leaving people behind. 

On Manufacturing Innovation and Skilled Trades 

As a former rower, this Washington Post article that mentioned a welding job at RowAmerica piqued my interest and then kept it with a fascinating report on how U.S. cities are revitalizing manufacturing through advanced technologies and skilled trades, creating new pathways for economic resilience. The piece emphasizes collaboration between industry and education to prepare workers for evolving roles in robotics, precision engineering, and sustainable production.

For economic developers, this is a blueprint for positioning regions as hubs of innovation. Highlighting how advanced manufacturing capabilities can attract investment and talent, while workforce development partnerships strengthen local economies.  

On Housing and Zoning Battles 

The Banner’s look at Baltimore’s City Council debates is a familiar story for anyone working in place marketing: well-intentioned housing and zoning reforms aimed at improving affordability and density running headfirst into NIMBY opposition. The article highlights how resistance, often rooted in fear of change or misconceptions about density, continues to slow progress, even when reforms are designed to strengthen the city’s long-term vitality. 

For place marketers, stories like this are a reminder of just how often we’re navigating around NIMBYism while trying to advance transformative projects. It’s why genuine YIMBY momentum, when it does appear, feels so refreshing, because it signals a community ready to embrace opportunity rather than retreat from it. In the meantime, our work remains focused on transparent communication, community engagement, and storytelling that reframes development as a shared investment in vibrancy and inclusivity. When people can see themselves in the future being built, overcoming NIMBY pushback becomes far more possible. 

On Edge to Epicenter 

The Congress for the New Urbanism highlights a growing shift that underscores how our cities, and the areas surrounding them, are continuously evolving to meet the future. Suburban edges, once defined by car-centric design and limited activity, are transforming into dynamic epicenters that prioritize walkability, mixed-use development, and transit connectivity. It’s a clear reflection of changing preferences as residents seek urban-style amenities without being anchored to a traditional downtown.

For economic developers, these emerging epicenters show how adaptation can become a strategic advantage. As communities rethink long-standing development patterns, they create fertile ground for investment, entrepreneurship and new residents looking for convenience, character and connectivity. Marketing these areas as vibrant and future-ready reinforces a broader truth: competitive communities aren’t just keeping pace with change — they’re intentionally reshaping their landscapes to thrive in the decades ahead. 

On Education, Flexibility and the Future of Work 

A recent Washington Post article reports that many students are choosing to double-major in response to uncertainty in the labor market. This trend, students deliberately broadening their skill sets, speaks to a larger shift in how people are preparing themselves for a world where flexibility and adaptability increasingly matter. According to the story, graduates holding two majors are significantly less likely to suffer job-related setbacks such as layoffs or pay cuts during economic downturns. And it’s not just about resume padding: the value lies in fostering diverse talent, giving workers the agility to pivot if one field weakens while another remains strong.

For economic developers and place-marketers, this isn’t just an education story — it’s a signpost. Regions that support higher-education institutions, promote skill-building and embrace “stackable,” diverse credentials make themselves more resilient. In a future shaped by technology, shifting industries and evolving labor demands, communities that invest in human capital are more likely to attract both talent and investment.