The purpose of this thesis is to analyze the significance of waterfront redevelopment in the post-industrial city. The context for this analysis is the advent of post-industrial society - as evidenced by the economic, social and physical restructuring of cities. My objectives in undertaking this research are to gain a better understanding of planning issues in waterfront redevelopment; to examine the use of waterfront redevelopment as a policy tool for achieving community objectives; and to ascertain the broader implications of waterfront redevelopment in post-industrial society.
My research is based on an extensive literature review, several interviews, and more in-depth study of selected waterfront projects. The significance of urban waterfront redevelopment is studied from three different perspectives: (i) the physical restructuring of cities in the post-industrial period; (ii) the experiences of various waterfront communities; and (iii) the case study of New Westminster, British Columbia.
Waterfront redevelopment is significant in the post-industrial city as a public policy tool for achieving broader social and economic development objectives. Through the redevelopment of their waterfronts, communities have an opportunity to redress a range of social and economic issues. The social development potential is seldom realized, however, because redevelopment is primarily commercially-motivated.
In theory, the urban waterfront has been reclaimed for all residents of the post-industrial city. The notion of public access and the creation of public amenities are fundamental principles of waterfront development. In practice, however, the benefits of a revitalized waterfront are not shared equally. As the waterfront profiles demonstrate, the nature of the waterfront land-use mix is generally biased towards high-end commercial development and luxury housing.
The nature and form of new waterfront developments raises questions about elitism and equity in the post-industrial city. If some level of economic integration is not achieved, the waterfront will not have been reclaimed for all residents of the post-industrial city, but, rather - for the post-industrial urban elite. / Applied Science, Faculty of / Community and Regional Planning (SCARP), School of / Graduate
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:UBC/oai:circle.library.ubc.ca:2429/29987 |
| Date | January 1990 |
| Creators | Mikicich, Stephen Nenad |
| Publisher | University of British Columbia |
| Source Sets | University of British Columbia |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Text, Thesis/Dissertation |
| Rights | For non-commercial purposes only, such as research, private study and education. Additional conditions apply, see Terms of Use https://open.library.ubc.ca/terms_of_use. |
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