Art and urban renewal

The Free Press's Jeff Gerritt is the latest to herald the power of art and creative enterprises to revitalize the city. The editorial is part of an ongoing series, "Cities Now and Tomorrow," endorsing an aggressive new plan for revitalizing urban areas.

For an example of what art as development might look like on a grand scale, check out Prospect.1 New Orleans, which was recently reviewed by The New Yorker. The biennial has placed major works of contemporary art throughout New Orleans, from museums to vacant lots in the Lower Ninth Ward, encouraging residents and tens of thousands of visitors to crisscross the city and explore its post-Katrina neighborhoods (and spend money along the way).