In today’s Pope Center article, Harry Painter examines a public/private partnership that would build a “shared space for all seven postsecondary institutions in Greensboro.” Proponents say that the project would give downtown Greensboro (North Carolina, that is) a big lift and more “college town” feel.

Perhaps, but as Harry writes, the site has long been vacant and despite quite a lot of traffic, has never attracted investment by people or institutions with money at risk.

Will this project recover its costs? We might recall that the famous (infamous, rather) New London redevelopment project that led to the eminent domain seizure of Suzette Kelo’s house, was also supposed to revitalize an urban area. After the land was taken, the project fell through. Given that higher education is in such a state of flux, I’m skeptical that this project will work nearly as well as envisioned.