Assorted Links Thursday

Almost 1,000 empty call centers are available as the industry shifts to hybrid work-from-home & brick-and-mortar site selection strategy.  What are you supposed to do with a former call center?  

I remember a couple years ago when econ dev consultants were advising that we prepare for the day when the big box store might go away, and we'd all be stuck with large derelict structures.  They're advice then: maybe you can make them into call centers.  Oops.

We're going to see more and more of this kind of radical transition across a host of industries.  Reuse is going to be one of the catchphrases.

Largest economic incentive deals of first quarter 2021.  It's not difficult to predict that it's going to grow from here.

Moving Talent to Middle America: Can an innovative new program attract a diverse group of remote workers to rural America?

Interesting read: How tax incentives can power more equitable, inclusive growth.

Putting American Recovery Act funds to the best use.

Tucked away in the document is a key directive: “state, local, and tribal governments may use payments from the Fiscal Recovery Funds for data analysis to improve the efficacy of programs addressing negative economic impacts.”

This graph shows how states' population rankings have changed in the last 100 years.

One of my favorite quotes:

A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, conn a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new problem, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, die gallantly. Specialization is for insects. - Robert A. Heinlein

On that note: The future belongs to generalists.

What’s the difference between rezoning, conditional use, and zoning variances. Also, from the same source, what is “Build to Suit”?

If getting back to normal means no more pictures of dogs watching Zoom meetings, then I don't want to go back.