New research finds that different types of parks correlate with different gentrification effects, adding to the complexity of urban change.
Richard Florida shares news of a new study by Alessandro Rigolon of the University of Utah and Jeremy Németh of the University of Colorado, which examines the nuances of gentrification in relation to parks and open space in urban areas.
The study is notable because it characterizes different kinds of parks to reveal nuances in gentrification effect. The study distinguished parks based on "size, overall quality, whether they are new, proximity to downtown, and whether or not they are linear “greenway parks,” longer than a mile, that include an active transportation component like bike lanes," explains Florida.
The findings support the claim that not all kinds of parks have the same kind of effect. Long linear parks, like the Beltline in Atlanta, cause the most significant effect.
"According to the study, being located within a half-mile of a new greenway park increases the odds that a neighborhood will gentrify by more than 200 percent (their actual estimates range from 222 to 236 percent). Five of seven new greenway parks in the study spurred significant gentrification in their surrounding neighborhoods, including New York’s High Line, Chicago’s 606 trail, and Houston’s Buffalo Bayou Park."
Parks located close to downtown also correlate to more gentrification, but several kinds of parks didn't show the same effect. The size of the park, for instance, does not correlate to gentrification effects.
The article includes more detail on the findings, the methodology of the study, and speculation about why some parks are more likely to be found near gentrifying neighborhoods are included in the source article.
FULL STORY: Why Greenway Parks Cause Greater Gentrification
Oregon Passes Exemption to Urban Growth Boundary
Cities have a one-time chance to acquire new land for development in a bid to increase housing supply and affordability.
Where Urban Design Is Headed in 2024
A forecast of likely trends in urban design and architecture.
Savannah: A City of Planning Contrasts
From a human-scales, plaza-anchored grid to suburban sprawl, the oldest planned city in the United States has seen wildly different development patterns.
Washington Tribes Receive Resilience Funding
The 28 grants support projects including relocation efforts as coastal communities face the growing impacts of climate change.
Adaptive Reuse Bills Introduced in California Assembly
The legislation would expand eligibility for economic incentives and let cities loosen regulations to allow for more building conversions.
LA's Top Parks, Ranked
TimeOut just released its list of the top 26 parks in the L.A. area, which is home to some of the best green spaces around.
City of Rochester
Boston Harbor Now
City of Bellevue
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Mpact Transit + Community
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
City of Birmingham, Alabama
City of Laramie, Wyoming
Colorado Department of Local Affairs
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.