Post-industrial redevelopment and the mega-region: New strategies for the sustainable city of the 21st century

Cities throughout the U.S., Canada, and Europe are repurposing their abandoned post-industrial districts for the 21st century urban living and the innovation economy. As post-industrial cities redefine themselves, they must consider the consolidation of resources and scale in response to constantly changing economic and demographic variables. This means that, paradoxically, cities may need to physically shrink to create density before they can grow economically. This paper, therefore, presents the post-industrial redevelopment phenomenon that is occurring in North America and Europe and discusses how it is redefining post-industrial cities as sustainable and innovative epicenters. It examines how post-industrial infrastructure is being redeveloped through initiatives in transportation, sustainability, and manufacturing that will promote economic, social, and ecological benefits to the metabolisms of cities and regions especially in the U.S. Midwest.