neighborhood.JPGNew York, February 21, 2010 - We had our fourth meeting on dotNeighborhoods, gathering at the Neighborhood Preservation Center on January 26. The meeting report and some photos of the attendees are now available.

The meeting began with a project overview from Connecting.nyc Inc.’s (CnI) executive director, followed by a report from the Hunter College Urban Affairs Workshop on their “Case Study: Neighborhoods in a Digital Era.” Their research focused on three areas: Identity, Content, and Governance. Read Hunter’s Executive Summary and download the full document details from here.

Discussion followed with many suggestions and opinions expressed. As the meeting neared its conclusion, it was noted that while city hall has seen the wisdom of reserving the neighborhood domain names, it was not clear, should the current direction prevail, what it will take to have them released and developed in the public interest.

At the previous meeting it was suggested that an independent Ad Hoc group be formed to facilitate the dotNeighborhood’s development. Thomas Lowenhaupt, CnI executive director, reported that he’d had discussions about the formation of an independent organization and that legal assistance was available. He suggested that a statement of principles regarding the role and responsibilities of the dotNeighborhoods be drafted, refined, and endorsed by supporters via an Ad Hoc dotNeighborhood Trust. And that this statement of principles be refined and passed on to the City Council and Mayor. All agreed.

Following the meeting a draft “dotNeighborhoods Proclamation” was published on CnI’s wiki. With this post we invite public comment on that draft document. After wide circulation, comments, and refinement it is expected that an Ad Hoc dotNeighborhood Trust will endorse and present the Proclamation to our elected representatives for their thoughts, consideration, and assistance with developing the dotNeighborhoods.

Learn more about this initiative from the dotNeighborhoods wiki pages. (Commons image courtesy of sporkwrapper.)

Learn more about our overall effort from our Wiki Home Page.

New York, fashion3.JPGNovember 1, 2009 - We recently received notice from the Committee for Open Fashion NYC, organizer of Fashion Camp 2009, requesting that the fashion.nyc domain name be reserved for use by New York City’s fashion industry. The Committee recommended that fashion.nyc:

    • Should present a complete and unbiased directory of the city’s fashion industry.
    • Care should be taken to assure that suitable control is exercised over those listed in the directory to assure that they are indeed city businesses.
    • That FASHION.NYC serve as a means to locate fashion resources beneficial to the city’s fashion industry – suppliers, manufacturers, designers, fashion houses, and students.
    • That a simple fill-in form providing a webpage for new entrants into the fashion industry, e.g., www.fashion.nyc/newcompany, be made available.

      The Committee for Open Fashion NYC is exploring FASHION.NYC’s content, business model, and governance structure. We have offered to assist the Committee with its explorations as part of our quest for models for other important city portals.

      Learn more about fashion.nyc at Open Fashion’s .nyc’s website or see our fashion.nyc wiki page.

      Filed October 31st, 2009 under Portal, Domain Name, Innovation