MLive Detroit: Author at Detroit Policy Conference: 'Creative classes' of Detroit and surrounding area must work together

By Ben Freed Business Reporter
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Posted on Thu, Feb 28, 2013 : 6:30 p.m.

The Detroit Policy Conference was hosted by the Detroit Regional Chamber of Commerce on Thursday, and at least one speaker spoke about the importance of regional collaboration.

Richard Florida, author of Rise of the Creative Class, preached cooperation between the city of Detroit and its surrounding suburbs according to a story on MLive Detroit.

Detroit_Night_Skyline.JPG

A regional transit authority connecting Detroit to surrounding areas has so far failed to gain traction in Washtenaw County.

Courtesy of Wikipedia

The author praised Detroit for having a high concentration of “creative class” professionals, which he defines as technologists, artists, designers, managers, health care, and education workers. He said Ann Arbor has the fifth highest concentration in the country, while in parts of Detroit, more than 50 percent of the population fall into the category.

"You need to cooperate as a region,” Florida told MLive. “The city-suburb thing has to go away. If I hear it again in the suburbs, I’m going to start screaming."

Florida advocated increased regional transit as one way to continue the flow of information and innovation throughout southeast Michigan.

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Ben Freed covers business for AnnArbor.com. You can sign up here to receive Business Review updates every week. Reach out to Ben at 734-623-2528 or email him at benfreed@annarbor.com. Follow him on twitter @BFreedinA2

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