donderdag 26 april 2012

Field research in Rotterdam

After having research Antwerp, we set off to investigate the process of gentrification in Rotterdam. Unlike the research day in Antwerp, the weather was beautiful which gave us the opportunity to really interview many people.

We started in the Kop van Zuid area, an area recently transformed from a derelict warehouse district to a lively work/living center in the city. It houses the headquarters of the Rotterdam port authority, a theater, luxury living as well as some social housing and restaurants. In the pictures below you can see how this area now looks, as well as the plans for the completely finished area.







After Kop van Zuid, we went on to explore Katendrecht. This area, which was up to recently a no-go zone with many abandoned warehouses and almost exclusively working class inhabitants, has over the last decade transformed into a much more upscale area, with new shops, new squares and especially a new type of inhabitant popping up on the streets. Pictures of this, in which this development is clearly visible, can be found underneath.







Continuing from Katendrecht, we went to the area Bospolder-Tussendijken. There we found that a whole neighborhood was being rebuild, and the only thing that was left at the river bank was a small cafe, still standing in the middle of all the newly constructed buildings.
The rest of the district was completely revitalized. All new buildings, and along with it new inhabitants, dominate the area and therewith almost drive the old inhabitants out. 
An article by Snel et al. (2011) discusses these pressures and forces, using both definitions by Grier & Grier (1978) as well as additions to it (on exclusionary displacement and displacement pressure) by Marcuse (1986). If you want to find more of this, feel free to read his article:

The struggle to belong. Dealing with diversity in 21st century urban settings. Snel et. al (2011)

Antwerp - a new hegemony

In order to get some background in Antwerp's development, and specifically the development of the Schipperskwartier district, we read an article by the geographer Maarten Loopmans (2008). In his article, he describes the development of the cities urban policies in light of Gramsci. Gramsci says that there are 2 criteria that facilitate the establishment of a new hegemony in a city: legitimacy and co-ordination. Loopmans adapts this via, and says that since the end of the old hegemony that ruled Antwerp, around 1960-1970, the city tried to search for new ways to establish a hegemony (or an anti-hegemonic movement with the same result). However, due to either a failure of legitimacy, or due to the absence of co-ordination between private parties, the inhabitants and the government, many of these projects failed.
In the beginning of the 2000's, luckily, a new initiative under the flag of VESPA did succeed in achieving both this legitimacy and this co-ordination.

If you want to read further on this topic, you can read:
Loopmans, M. (2008) Relevance, Gentrification and the Development of a New Hegemony on Urban Policies in Antwerp, Belgium. Urban Studies

zondag 22 april 2012

Field research in Antwerp

After walking around Antwerp in a rainy day, we experienced a lot of practical confrontations with the workings of gentrification within a city. As Maarten Loopmans (2008) described in his paper on a new hegemony in Antwerp, the Schipperskwartier went through the process of gentrification, and still is going through it as we speak. This is clearly visible in looking at the number of buildings being renovated, rebuild and redeveloped. The pictures that follow will give you a good overview of these processes



But there was more. Once we visited the stadsarchief, we saw how the gentrification in Antwerp was actually planned in Antwerp, and how the government worked as an actor in this process. An employee of this archive helped us in understanding the dynamics in which the city operated, and regenerated this run down prostitute area. The following pictures clarify these statements



After visiting the stadsarchief, we went to the Stadsmagazijn, a community center in the middle of the neighborhood where different cultures come and meet up, over language classes and community workshops. This to promote multiculturalism, and to let everyone feel at home in the new Schipperskwartier.
After a long day of interviewing, walking through the neighborhood and making pictures, we returned to Middelburg and started analyzing the material collected. Eventually, this resulted in a part of the research paper.

zondag 26 februari 2012

Gentrification in Rotterdam and Antwerp: a research plan

After the field study in the city of Middelburg, we are now going to start off with research into gentrification. First of all, we needed to formulate a research question. After a careful literary review, and background research into gentrification, the following central research question could be formulated:


How has gentrification influenced the urban geography of both Rotterdam and Antwerp  after the second World War?

In order to answer this question, a number of subquestions were devised:

  1. Why was the area gentrified, what was the process behind it and who benefited from it?
  2. What is the link between gentrification and the specific function of the city?
  3. How did gentrification develop in the area?
  4. What are the eventual effects of gentrification on the area?
To answer these questions, we need to establish a method of data collection. We want to collect the data via conducting interviews. In gentrified/gentrifying areas, we want to interview local inhabitants, small shop owners, real estate agencies, office buildings and cafes, to get a distinct impression on the development of gentrification in the area. 

Because we want to put our case study in the bigger perspective of gentrification, we dug up some literature related to these topics. Among others, the following sources will be used:

References


Uitermark J, Duyvendak J W, Kleinhans R, 2007, "Gentrification as a governmental strategy: social control and social cohesion in Hoogvliet, Rotterdam" Environment and Planning A 39(1) 125 – 141.

Kloosterman, R.C. & Van der Leun, J.P. (2010). Just for starters: commercial gentrification by immigrant entrepreneurs in Amsterdam and Rotterdam neighbourhoods. Housing Studies 14(5), 659-677.

Doucet, B.M. (2010). Rich cities with poor people: waterfront regeneration in the Netherlands and Scotland. Netherlands Geographical Studies. 391(1).

Doucet B, van Kempen R, van Weesep J, 2011, "‘We’re a rich city with poor people’: municipal strategies of new-build gentrification in Rotterdam and Glasgow" Environment and Planning A 43(6) 1438 – 1454.

Lees, L. (2008). Gentrification and social mixing: towards an inclusive urban renaissance? Urban Studies 45(12), 2449-2470.

Hamme, G. van & Strale, M. (2011). Port gateways in globalization: the case of Antwerp. Regional science policy and practice. doi: 10.1111/j.1757-7802.2011.01056.x

Christiaens E, Moulaert F, Bosmans B (2007) The end of social innovation in urban development strategies? The case of Antwerp and the neighbourhood development association ‘bom’. European Urban and Regional Studies 14: 238−251

BEAUMONT, J. and LOOPMANS, M. (2008), Towards Radicalized Communicative Rationality: Resident Involvement and Urban Democracy in Rotterdam and Antwerp. International Journal of Urban and Regional Research, 32: 95–113. doi: 10.1111/j.1468-2427.2008.00780.x

Pilot Study Middelburg












donderdag 16 februari 2012

A research into the economic geography of Middelburgs Market Square


Pilot Study Middelburg: Economic Geography of the Market Square in Middelburg, The Netherlands

Introduction
In 2004, the university Roosevelt Academy was established in Middelburg. At this moment, seven years later, the student population consists of ±600 people. Located at the middle of the city center, it can be assumed that the students of RA contribute to the incomes of the local businesses. Moreover, research done by Prof. Karas actually indicates that Roosevelt Academy students add €12.7 million to the turnover of these shops (Karas & Schoors, 2010). With their convenient locations on the market square, some business benefitted hugely of the establishment of RA in the old town hall. Especially businesses close to RA must have experienced a difference due to the influx of students.
Thus, it is interesting to question if anything has changed for these businesses ever since RA students started to invade Middelburg. Obviously, Middelburg is known for their great amount of (German) tourists, and therefore it can be argued that, especially during the summer, businesses are mainly interested in these tourists. However, during winter time, not that many tourists visit Middelburg, and then the businesses interest in the students might raise. Therefore, the following research question was posed:
To what extent has the economic geography of the Market Square in Middelburg changed since the establishment of Roosevelt Academy?

Method
Specific consumer stores on the Market Square in Middelburg were selected and employees were asked specific questions as to whether or not RA has made a difference to their businesses.
Three businesses that are closest to RA were strategically selected, and three businesses that are on the other side of the market square (further away but still central to the market atmosphere) were selected. These businesses are the following: Seventy-Seven, De Vriendschap, A’Domani, Kippie, Xenos and De Huifkar. We divided them in a Southern area, including Seventy-Seven, De Vriendschap and A’Domani, and a Northern area, including Kippie, Xenos and De Huifkar.
Interviews were conducted at each of these locations and three questions were posed to the people that worked there. Firstly it was asked how long the business has existed. If it had existed longer than that RA has then it was asked if they had noticed a higher influx of students for their business. If it was only established after students came into the city, it was asked whether the fact that students are present in Middelburg influenced their decision to open the business.  Secondly it was asked if they had ever resorted to making special offers or student discounts for RA. Lastly it was asked if they noticed a trend in specific days at which students come or if they noticed that higher populations of RA students come at certain times, in for instance high seasons.
Results
A’ Domani
A’ Domani is situated in the Southern part of the square. It was started in the summer of 2010, knowing that RA was in Middelburg. Their main clients are tourists, but this is mainly during the summer months. During the winter it is quieter, but the RA students compensate well during class breaks for buying coffee and sandwiches. They do sometimes have special offers such as a sandwich and a coffee. You can also receive a loyalty card, by which after ten purchased coffees, the tenth is free. This way, they try to get many students to come.

Seventy-Seven
Seventy-Seven is situated in the Southern part of the square. This bar was set up in 1977, and has profited nicely from RA students since their arrival in 2004. Although their clientele exists of loyal non-RA customers, they have noticed a difference since RA was set up in 2004. Especially during Tuesday nights, the traditional party night Roosevelt Academy students, they notice many students coming in. Seventy-Seven does not make special student prices or deals; however special nights can be arranged. An example of this can be found in the fact that twice a year, they host a big party thrown by a RA fraternity and a sorority.

De Vriendschap
Restaurant De Vriendschap is situated in the Southern part of the square. They have been in business for the better part of 14 years and have noticed RA students sitting down for a meal or for a drink sometimes. Especially in the summer, when the weather permits, the terrace of de Vriendschap gets filled up with students enjoying the sun. With regards to special offers, what they allow is to book a certain night with a group for occasions such as Christmas dinner, or birthday celebration. They have also recently hired RA students as part of their staff.          

Kippie
Kippie is a take away franchise in the Northern part of the square, at which one can order meals and sandwiches to eat at home or on the go. They were established in 2009, five years after RA was established. The manager did not notice a specific high amount of RA costumers. He stated that he also had some scholars from high schools coming for sandwiches, and that he did not notice any difference between students of these high schools and RA students. He also stated that this year, there are less scholars/students coming to Kippie than the year before. He thought it also had to do with the establishments of various other sandwich stores in Middelburg. Since Kippie is a franchise, the manager is not able to make any specific deals regarding RA students. They do have special sandwich deals; customers can then buy a sandwich for only one euro. The manager considers this as attractive for students.

Xenos
            Xenos is also located in the Northern area, and it is a franchise organization as well, but they do not sell prepared food. They mostly sell furniture, kitchen equipment, accessories, but also food items such as pasta, drinks, chocolate, etcetera. Even though Xenos is situated in the Northern area, it is still very close to the RA buildings if students come from the other side of the building. During class breaks, many students go there to get a cheap drink or snack. An employee of the Xenos explained that the store was already there long before RA was established. She herself also worked at the Xenos before RA was established, and she did notice a specific change of a higher influx of RA students: “Many students come in here to buy something for their homes, or they come to buy food in their break.” Since Xenos is a franchise, they cannot make any specific deals regarding RA students.

De Huifkar
            Restaurant De Huifkar is also situated at the Northern side of the Market Square. It was established before RA was established, and the employee that was interviewed also worked there already before the establishment of RA. This employee told us that they mostly saw tourists as their most important group of costumers. Sometimes students come there for a drink, or a sandwich, but mostly in the summer, when they can sit on the terrace. They do not have any specific deals or discounts aimed at students, because, as the employee explained, there are too few students who show interest in having lunch or dinner at De Huifkar.
Conclusion
            The presence of students certainly had an impact in the development of business on the market square in Middelburg. Specifically venues that lie close to the academic buildings of Roosevelt Academy have experienced an increase in their business. A’ Domani, Seventy-Seven, De Vriendschap and Xenos all stipulated that since the establishment of RA, especially business in the less touristy season has gone up. Coffee breaks give just enough time to get a coffee at A’ Domani or buy some food at Xenos, and managers at these stores also stressed that students tend to do this. In the case of A’ Domani, this makes it a large part of their business during the quiet winter season, when selling ice cream is not feasible.
            Both De Vriendschap and Seventy-Seven come most into contact with students in the summer. As soon as the sun emerges from behind the clouds, terraces are filled up with students. But also with dinners, lunches or, after studying is done, drinks, both the cafĂ© and the restaurant notice an increase in business with the advent of students.
            However, small businesses that lie farther away from RA on the northern side of the market square, such as De Huifkar and Kippie, do not notice as much of the students as the businesses closer to RA. Although both occasionally run into students sitting at their terrace or buying a sandwich, this happens not as regularly as with the other venues we investigated. A reason for this might be that these places are further away from the RA buildings than the other four, and that the regular 10-minute break of Roosevelt Academy classes makes students feel that they cannot go too far to get a sandwich, a coffee or a snack.
            In summary, the establishment of RA only positively influenced the businesses around the market square that we investigated. In terms of economic geography, some local businesses even grew dependent on students, such as the opening of A’ Domani in the quiet winter months. Thus, the findings of the research by Karas and Schoors (2010) are in line with the development of the market square since the establishment of Roosevelt Academy. They take up a part of the €12.7 million that, as research indicated, Roosevelt Academy brings to Zeeland. This research also found that RA adds 0.1 percent to the regional domestic product of Zeeland. But, as this research indicates, the businesses at the market square of Middelburg depend for a larger percentage on Roosevelt Academy.

References
Karas, A. & Schoors, K. (2010). Zeeland and RA. Research by Roosevelt Academy and Ghent University, as found in: Seven Years Down the Road, Roosevelt Academy (2012). Retrieved on February 15th, 2012 from: http://roac.nl/roac/_files/req_files/SevenYears_web.pdf

Welcome

Welcome to this blog. We (Maurits, Dewi and Jeroen) are doing research into gentrification of neighborhoods in both Antwerp and Rotterdam, and via this blog we would like to share our results. 
Yesterday, we conducted a small pilot study on the market square in Middelburg to prepare for the fieldwork in Antwerp and Rotterdam. The results of this pilot study is shown in the next post. We hope you enjoy reading it!