This Small New England City Was on the Verge of Bankruptcy. Now It’s a Turnaround Success Story.
Successful cities nearly all have something in common: leadership that can figure out where the community needs to go and can execute a plan to take it there. Fifteen years ago, it seemed inconceivable that Springfield, Mass., could be described in such terms. But after almost collapsing into bankruptcy, Massachusetts’ third-largest city is in the best shape it’s seen for more than a generation.