It began in a faraway place, as so many vacation romances do. Several years ago, my husband and I were making our annual pilgrimage to my family's home near Tacoma, Wash. It was late October, and although the skies were sunny, there was a bite to the air. ...more

October 25, 2009

When Brian Beck looks at downtown Clearwater, he sees Denver. Not Denver 2008, but Denver 20 years ago, before merchants, investors and the city fashioned the "LoDo" district of nightclubs, restaurants and loft-style condominiums from an aging collection of old warehouses. ...more

November 17, 2008

Brian Beck harbors no illusions that Clearwater, the junior partner in the Tampa metropolitan area, can be Denver, the center of the Mountain West. But he stands by the comparison as the city gains traction in its decades-long quest to redevelop its downtown core. ...more

November 13, 2008