2. HARNESS TECH TO FUEL A TURNAROUND
Boston
To rejuvenate its decaying Seaport area, Boston committed in 2010 to create a 1,000-acre "innovation district." Now the neighborhood is home to more than 200 companies, and its offices, co-working hubs, and community center have attracted a population of tech workers to rival that around MIT in nearby Cambridge. Public transit improvements are on the way, and last fall, Mayor Martin Walsh formed a committee to help build similar districts elsewhere in the city.