How the crash will reshape America

As the economic crisis deepens, and then wanes, some cities and regions will be able to bounce back much better than others.

In the March issue of the Atlantic, Richard Florida argues that mega-regions such as the Boston-New York-Washington Corridor, the Pacific Northwest, and the "Texas Triangle" seem well-positioned due to their sheer size, their diverse and innovative economic profiles, and their heavy concentrations of creativity.

He also says that the ability of certain hubs to attract human talent creates a sort of "urban metabolism", where a city's innovation and economic growth actually speeds up as more and more highly educated people are added to the mix.

To navigate the storm, Florida suggests that we should remove homeownership as the centerpiece of our economy, encourage growth in the mega-regions that can best support the new economy, and realize that we can only manage - not stop - the decline of some of our urban centers.

Read the full article here.