Human Ecology and Urban Revitalization: A Case Study of the Minneapolis Warehouse District

Abstract

Over the past decade, the revitalization of inner-city neighborhoods in post industrial has become an important focus of investigation among social scientists and urban development professionals. Most of these studies have addressed specific factors contributing to or accompanying the revitalization process (Clay 1980; Hodge 1980; Laska and Spain 1980; Sternlieb and Ford 1979; Tobin and Judd 1982; Tournier 1980; Zukin 1985). Historically, the use of human ecological theory for analyzing the issues related to urban change has been limited to the employment of the invasion-succession model. A recent and purportedly novel application of human ecology is Hudson's (1984) study of the invasion of artists into Lower Manhattan, an area now known as SoHo. Based on his findings, Hudson suggests that the perspective of human ecology be expanded to include the deliberate and coercive actions of groups of individuals as a principle factor bringing about change and influencing residential succession. However, other scholars, notably Spain (1989) have questioned whether Hudson has succeeded in refining human ecological theory or has only rediscovered themes previously available in Duncan's (1959) POET model. Hudson's work can also be criticized empirically, as he raises the dubitable claim that the social and economic reconstruction of Lower Manhattan by artists, politicians, and developers adumbrates some trend toward fundamental future alteration in the development of our older post-industrial cities (Hudson 1987, p. 6). The purpose of this study is to address a number of Hudson's assertions regarding the utility of the invasion-succession model for analyzing urban revitalization in post-industrial cities. We specifically focus on Hudson's theoretical approach, and the adequacy of his particular empirical analysis of SoHo, then demonstrate that his theoretical interpretation results in a