Is a Different Kind of Silicon Valley Possible? [TheAtlantic.com]
Downtown, sprawling factories are constant reminders of this city’s past life. A few decades ago these massive buildings were owned by tobacco companies and bustling with blue-collar workers. After the tobacco business contracted in the second half of the 20th century, and factory jobs disappeared or were relocated, the buildings—and much of Durham’s downtown—were abandoned. Now, the city is in the midst of an ongoing, carefully orchestrated plan to boost the economy. These vast spaces are...