Rapid growth in central city : a case study of a growing downtown district

Abstract

[ACCESS RESTRICTED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI AT REQUEST OF AUTHOR.] This qualitative case study examined a period of rapid growth in housing in a midsize city downtown. The research question asked what the process of change was in the downtown during the decade before a growth moratorium was imposed. Sub questions about how the policy makers anticipated and planned for change in the downtown, how growth was limited or encouraged through the existing codes and exemptions to the codes, and what the effects of the growth was on the infrastructure and stakeholders in the downtown. The data collected included publicly available documents, open-ended interviews, newspaper articles, field notes, records of city meetings, and memos. The findings of this case study revealed that open zoning rules allowed market forces to control what was built. The rapid growth also created opportunities for new businesses, an active creative scene, and an expanded recycling program. Participants expressed concerns about the changing place and who belongs. The outcomes of this study illustrate the need for a broad-swath concept of sustainable development, one that includes planning and funding for infrastructure, and protection and development of the existing intergenerational community.