Abstract

In recent times, the Chicago Loop has experienced large amounts of growth. This growth is fueled by an increasing demand for the FIRE sector, which is the dominant landuse of the Loop. As growth of the Loop continues, an urban process termed land-use succession takes place. This process is characterized by a new land-use taking over a previous one. In the case of the Chicago Loop, the new use is the FIRE sector. The old use may range between one of several including manufacturing districts and residential neighborhoods. In observing the changing spatial layout of the Chicago Loop, as visually documented in the following photographic pages (ii-v), it appears that land-use succession is laking place. Specific areas in the Loop periphery which seem to be experiencing this process include, but are not limited to River North, Goose Island, and Printer's Row. Current urban land theory attempts to explain this process of land-use succession through vallous market oriented concepts. For example, the likelihood of succession for a peripheral neighborhood will increase as its distance to the CBD decreases. The focus of this research aims to provide documentation of added factors in the succession process which are not influenced by the market. It is hypothesized that the additional factors may include planning objectives of the city, as outlined in the Comprehensive Plan, or the type of representation a neighborhood receives from its Alderman. With these added features, a new model of urban land-use is constructed which accounts for various market and nonmarket factors, as discussed above. This new land model is tested through regression analysis which is run for the years of 1970, 1980, and 1990. The time trend of the results provide indirect evidence that vadous non-market factors may playa decisive role in succession. This conclusion creates important policy implications for the role of urban planning in the process of Loop growth.

Advisor

Burnell, James

Department

Urban Studies

Publication Date

1994

Degree Granted

Bachelor of Arts

Document Type

Senior Independent Study Thesis

Available for download on Thursday, January 01, 2150

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© Copyright 1994 Alfred S. Bryant