Using Multi-Scale Spatial and Statistical Analysis to Assess the Effects of Brownfield Redevelopment on Surrounding Residential Property Values in Milwaukee County, USA

Abstract

Brownfield redevelopment has gained support in the U.S. as an essential ingredient of urban revitalization. Assessing the effects of such projects is important as government budgets tighten recently. Through multi-scale spatial and statistical analysis, this study shows the spatial patterns of residential property values and their changes, and investigates linkages to the presence of different types and sizes of nearby brownfield redevelopment projects, as opposed to neighborhood demographics and property characteristics. While the results of this study suggest brownfield redevelopment does play a positive role on the surrounding residential property values in general, there are quite different statistical significances found at the two levels of analysis and the type of redevelopment found to determine the direction of this effect.