Add water and they will come? Demographic assessment of place-based canal-oriented development

Abstract

Developers, policymakers and planners alike have examined ways to create pockets of greater urban density within a city’s core to attract new urban dwellers, bringing about a rebirth of the city. One example is the construction of a waterfront development to attract people and rebrand cities, which is limited by the geologic setting of an area that dictates the viability of a waterfront community. Thus, landlocked cities that do not have extensive waterfronts have considered potential water-centred developments via canal-oriented development (COD). This paper examines the notion of COD as an urban development driver through analysing census data and statistical analyses of seven COD sites throughout the USA. The results of this study show that three of the seven sites reveal statistically significant differences in demographic factors, with the other four having mixed significance. This work lends insight to academics and governments to determine the success of COD as a redevelopment tool.