Background: Defining the Problem

Defining the problem:

Over the past few decades, Philadelphia has experienced a quick and enduring urbanization, or sprawl.  New residential and commercial development has pushed outward to undeveloped land farther from the city center.  Between 1950 and 1990, the populations of suburbia surrounding the city have more than doubled, while the total housing units has tripled.  At the same time, the city’s population and housing units has decreased by approximately 23%, and in some of Philadelphia’s most distressed neighborhoods, the loss of population and housing unit’s stands around 50%.  Because of this trajectory, a large number of properties, both land and building, have been abandoned.  Many of these properties both land and buildings, not sit vacant and unused. 

“As urbanization has overtaken underdeveloped land far outside the City, the incidence of developed inner-city land becoming vacant has increased.” (1)

Most of the cities abandoned structures will have be demolished eventually, further adding more land to an already high stock of unused, vacant land.  Individual lots created by demolition are rarely, if ever, redeveloped and because vacant lots are usually scattered amongst occupied structures, they becomes difficult and expensive to redevelop.

However, demolition of abandoned structures is not the root cause of vacant land.  The main cause can be found from economy, location and the physicality of the structures. 

1)      Economic Uselessness

The fast paced movement of new technology in the production, distribution and marketing of goods has resulted in the underutilization and abandonment of the city’s large stock of commercial and industrial properties.  Physical and environmentally complication make these older properties uneconomical to modern day businesses.  Sitting unused, these properties become a blight on the surrounding neighborhood and residential blocks opening themselves up to vandalism and further damage.  Because of this many of these properties have little to no market value and no hope of redevelopment.

2)       Locational Uselessness

Suburban residential construction has lessened the need for a central city center location as a retail and business center.  While locational choices has increased for residential, commercial, and industrial land uses surrounding the city, a demand for such properties within the City has decreased.  Thus, many properties and structures s go unused and eventually are reverted back to vacant land

3)      Physical Uselessness

Aging infrastructure, housing stock and dense pattern of neighborhood development has not fared will against newer suburban developments, including, housing styles, features, larger lots, more private open space and modern heating, plumbing and electrical systems.  Although Philadelphia’s housing stock is usually less expensive and more affordable, it also involves considerable repair and maintenance that needs to be factored in the overall cost.   Many of these structures fall into disrepair and are demolished; adding vacant lots throughout the city’s already distressed neighborhoods.

Sources:

1 “Vacant Land in Philadelphia.”  Philadelphia City Planning Commission Report, 1995.

2 "Demolition / Vacant House Treatment Study" Philadelphia City Planning Commission report, 1984.