Local Development and Gentrification Resulting from the Rehabilitation of Singular Buildings: Analysis of Neural Networks

José Ruiz-Real,Juan Uribe-Toril,Jaime De Pablo,Alejandro Galindo,José Torres

doi:10.3390/rs13081500

Abstract

The recovery of a built heritage and specifically of singular buildings is a key aspect of local development. The aim of this study was to understand the influence of these regenerations on their environment by transforming adjacent businesses and initiating parallel processes of gentrification and local development. The renewed attraction of these new businesses to the area can result in increased employment and production. The methodology used was based on self-organizing maps of neural networks with matrix architecture and competitive learning. Through the analysis of neural networks, we were able to identify common relationships and behaviors in commercial properties which are adjacent to singular buildings and that share common patterns and characteristics or attributes. The singular buildings analyzed are located along the Spanish Mediterranean coast in the cities of Almería, Barcelona, and Valencia. The results obtained were based on the following hypotheses: occupancy model and the classification based on total occupancy, total variation in occupancy, and the most common types of usage of a given ground floor commercial property. Among the conclusions, we highlight the existence of commercial premises that display anti-cyclical economic behavior and the presence of commercial premises considered to be “unfortunate” or with low potential.

Highlights

Local development is based on the continuous improvement of available resources and of natural resources and of historical and cultural heritage buildings, because this can contribute to the area having a greater competitive advantage and the well-being of the population [1] by enabling the establishment of new businesses and jobs and, a social transformation
Our initial hypothesis is that when the rehabilitation of a singular building is carried out in an urban center, a double process is generated: first, local development as a form of sustainable economic impulse, and second, commercial gentrification due to renewed business activity
Our study used a primary data collection methodology with Google Street View, which was later analyzed through neural networks, and verified that real estate undertakings engender similar economic patterns of behavior as in the other businesses in the areas of influence

Summary

Introduction

That a property influences its environment in the social or economic field is clear, but the extent to which the rehabilitation of a building generates synergies capable of boosting local development or gentrification processes is not so obvious. Gentrification processes, in contrast, tend to focus on the expulsion or exit of social classes with fewer resources from a neighborhood due to the increase in rents and changes in the commercial structure and, a general increase in prices. Both of these processes have a common factor, namely, local economic and social transformation

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