The draw of big cities, like New York, London, LA, or Tokyo is that they are made of a series of distinct, colorful neighborhoods, each with their own identity, vibe, and demographic. What makes them different are the small, local, mom-and-pop shops—not the chains of identical mass retail stores.

They can make public land available at discounted prices, embed cultural infrastructure into zoning and planning frameworks, or partner with philanthropists and ethical finance providers to make capital more readily available.