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Northern Illinois University

NIU Office of Public Affairs


News Release

Contact: Joe King, NIU Office of Public Affairs
(815) 753-4299

Sept. 10, 2003

NIU to co-sponsor conference on edge cities

DeKALB -- Researchers from across the country will gather for the National Edge City Conference in Schaumburg, Sept. 14-16, to discuss the challenges facing these new urban areas. The conference is open to the media, free of charge.

Having emerged over the last 30 years, “edge cities” like those that make up much of Chicago’s western suburbs, look nothing like traditional cities or suburbs, and face unique challenges for their future survival. This conference selects presenters that cover topics, programs and best practices learned from the perspective of municipalities. It is sponsored by the Village of Schaumburg, the Greater Woodfield Convention and Visitors Bureau, Roosevelt University and Northern Illinois University.

While this is the first year NIU has co-sponsored the conference, the topic is one that is much on the mind of the university. Located just to the west of Chicago’s edge cities, NIU is uniquely positioned to study this phenomenon, says Robert Gleeson, the recently appointed director of the university’s Center for Governmental Studies. “NIU finds itself in the fortunate position of being the premier public institution in one of the great American developing spaces. Places like this are where 21st Century America is being defined,” says Gleeson. “It is one of just a few areas in the country – the world, actually – where there is a lot of population growth and a lot of new wealth being created.”

Effectively planning that growth can be quite a challenge, says Roger Dahlstrohm, a senior researcher at NIU’s Center for Governmental Studies who has more than two decades of experience as an urban planner. Dahlstrohm will speak at the conference about technology available to analyze land use patterns and the impact of growth on a community’s environment, fiscal balance and quality of life. “We have the ability now to make our mistakes on paper instead of on the landscape; we can use technology effectively to model what may happen in the future,” Dahlstrom said, adding that many municipalities don’t have the right combination of software and staff to make the most of that technology.

Also addressing the conference will be NIU researcher Mike Peddle who will present the findings of research done by the Center for Governmental Studies on how edge cities around the country perceive themselves and the challenges they face. Among the findings: Edge cities tend to place a great deal of value on providing a good quality of life for residents, and most have concerns about their transportation infrastructure.

Other sessions at the conference will focus on the increasing ethnic diversity of edge cities; how cities are creating opportunities for economic development by attracting minor league sports franchises or youth sports tournaments; ways to improve the physical layout of communities to improve quality of life; and whether or not edge cities are losing their luster as traditional urban downtowns enjoy a resurgence. The conference will also include presentations from three cities on how they cope with the challenges faced by all edge cities. This year, presenters will be from Bellevue, Wash., White Plains, N.Y. and Overland Park, Kans.

Members of the media are invited to attend all sessions of this conference. For more information, or to register, contact Paul Evans at the Village of Schaumburg at (847) 923-3851. Information and registration are also available online at www.edgecityconference.org.

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