Churn and change along commercial strips: Spatial analysis of patterns in remodelling activity and landscapes of local business

Abstract

Commercial strips are common within metropolitan regions throughout the world and particularly within Canada and the USA. Planners have identified these linear clusters of commercial land use as a form of auto-oriented sprawl on the one hand, and as fertile ground for local independent businesses on the other. Despite the rapid churn of businesses in a number of gentrifying central cities, few studies have examined the distribution or cumulative impacts of commercial remodelling or its relationship to larger scale urban transformations. In this research, we demonstrate methods used to identify spatial patterns in central city remodelling activity. Getis Ord Gi*, also known as hot spot analysis, is used to identify clusters of reinvestment activity associated with locally owned restaurant and retail businesses. Associations with differences in urban form are observed, including clustering of independently owned restaurant and retail businesses along areas of commercial strips with smaller lots. Theories on the location of clusters in older buildings are also tested, with mixed results. In addition, we use a Redevelopment Impact Index to capture the degree of external modification to commercial buildings and the nature of changes in building usage. Point density analysis is used to identify areas where commercial remodels are likely to add up to entertainment and leisure zones. The results of statistical tests show some association between proximity to the restaurant and retail clusters and new, mixed use development. Thus, we illustrate methods of examining emerging landscapes of local restaurant and retail business and their relationship to larger scales of redevelopment. This methodology has applications in the study of incubation and retention of local businesses, land use planning and redevelopment along commercial strips, and gentrification studies.

Identification and analysis of urban functional area in Hangzhou based on OSM and POI data

“…(2) Reducing single-use land types and promoting the transition from single-use land to mixed-use land. (3) Adhering to the construction of the multi-center distribution pattern of urban spatial structure and promote the fair distribution of social-spatial elements [ 56 ]. (4) While adhering to the strict system of cultivated land protection and ecological protection, we should also provide diversified infrastructure to serve the neighboring residents.…”

Impacts of Built Environment on Urban Vitality in Cultural Districts: A Case Study of Haikou and Suzhou

“…This has emerged as a valuable resource for measuring block vitality, offering novel avenues for urban research and governance. Many studies have utilized diverse sources of data on social perception features (e.g., mobile phones [15], social media [16], population heat maps [17], traffic trajectories [18], nighttime light [19], street views [20], and Wi-Fi hotspots [21]) to effectively quantify the vitality of blocks. Given the increasing abundance of urban data, it is feasible to investigate the influencing factors of block vitality in a more detailed and comprehensive way.…”