The university and its neighborhood: A study of place-making and change

Universities are looking beyond their campuses, reconceiving of neighborhoods as assets rather than liabilities. But what does this mean for the neighborhood? This study evaluates place-based change in 22 university neighborhoods with revitalization investments. Using census housing value and rent data, the study employs a multidimensional typology to analyze changes by city markets and university strategy. The cases demonstrate how university revitalization initiatives, regardless of their intensity or place-based focus, are meaningfully correlated with neighborhood change. The associations are most visible in places with strong city-level housing markets but also in other cities when university efforts emphasize place-based investment. These observations highlight the potential for university market-boosting effects but also the unique opportunity to moderate housing market pressures alongside anchor institution investments.