When we see cranes, earth moving equipment and road detours, it abruptly informs us of major community construction projects. I drive by such sites and wonder what is being built. Sometimes a sign may provide evidence of a new hotel, a state of the art classroom building on a college campus, or some public works project. In many instances, the active construction may take place for months before project details are known to the masses.
The tag line of our firm, Visibility Marketing Inc. (VMI) is “making you more visible.” Since it is our job to increase visibility to the respective stakeholders of our clients, I may be sensitized more than most people relative to huge projects that manage to exist with a degree of obscurity. However, we exist in a digital world where anyone can convey misinformation or biased messaging in minutes over the Internet. In a world inundated with 24 / 7 cable television and ubiquitous Internet access, it is now more important than ever to tell your story before someone else does.
The owner of a multi-million or multi-billion dollar construction project has to take a proactive approach in owning message delivery to its stakeholders. Any project must have a clear identity. This will essentially allow a project owner to define the project from pre-construction through completion. VMI provided related services to a Northeast Ohio construction firm that recently built a government services building. Trade unions, the surrounding community, and employees were among the stakeholders engaged on an ongoing basis. A newsletter was published that provided information such as employee profiles and project status updates. It was the human side of the project that really resonated with community stakeholders. Our client repeatedly emphasized that communication to the community successfully separated fact from speculation.
A compelling project narrative also serves a purpose beyond the project itself. Reinvestment and development in an economically depressed area can serve as an integral part of an urban revitalization effort. An article entitled “University of Chicago Works on Its Neighborhood” was published October 23, 2012 in the New York Times. The article highlights that The University of Chicago is investing $250 million in a mixed-use residential and retail project. Leaders at major urban colleges and universities understand that they can no longer exist in isolation while being surrounded by blighted neighborhoods. This neighborhood revitalization effort also includes a $130 million hotel project. The University of Chicago is sending the message that it is a catalyst for urban change, and it is sending another message that it can provide a superior quality of life to prospective students.
The $334 million Opportunity Corridor three-mile boulevard construction project was announced this past July in Cleveland, Ohio. At immediate glance, this is a massive road construction project. Business and government leaders are conveying the more powerful message of urban revitalization. The new boulevard is expected to provide access to existing cultural assets, educational institutions, and jobs. This is a welcome shot in the arm to a city that has been disproportionately plagued by the housing foreclosure crisis and manufacturing job losses. The collaboration among public institutions, government, and business leaders says to outsiders and native Clevelanders that the city is coming back!
The common thread in the Chicago and Cleveland illustration is that of sustainability. We now live in a world that is global, tech-driven, and knowledge-based. The attraction and retention of smart people within a city now determine whether the city lives or dies. Cities are essentially competing for human capital. Strategies that prompt migration and immigration are more critical than ever. An immigration attorney recently stated to me that, “smart people are the new oil.” They are definitely the fuel of innovation in a 21st century economy.
The Millennial Generation (those born between 1980 and 2000) connect to smart urban landscapes. Their numbers are estimated to be 80 million people in America. High population density growth and transit-oriented growth resonated with them. Values such as green building and communities accessible by bike, rail, and foot are also important. Social, economic, and environmental factors now drive urban capital improvement initiatives. It is imperative that project owners articulate the project vision from the beginning of the project. Stakeholders must be engaged across various communication medium (print, Internet, community forums, etc.) during the entire project life cycle.
Local chambers of commerce and local politicians must convey a message that connects the dots for various capital improvement initiatives. A strategic urban plan has to communicate to diverse stakeholders that urban revitalization, transportation infrastructure improvements, and the expansion of a healthcare system is an integrated plan. Sustainable development facilitates diversity of people, of industry, and of thought.
Regional growth and sustainability will increasingly align physical infrastructure with social infrastructure. Smart construction accommodates people’s lifestyles and values. Messaging must assert that economic development and human capital development are inseparable. Messaging is also part of a continuum that may span for many years. More importantly, the project identity narrative must be concise, engaging, simple, and value-added to multiple stakeholders. 
