Urban ecology, managerialism, and neighborhood revitalization: The Manhattan experience

Neighborhood revitalization has recently spread beyond the confines of select downtown affluent enclaves, and attempts to explain it and predict its future consequences have seen the emergence of certain explanatory models. This study examines the utility of the ecological and managerialist models as research frameworks for explaining North American neighborhood revitalization. A case study of Manhattan uses step-wise regression and open-ended interviews with investors to assess the role of neighborhood ecological variables and institutional influences guiding reinvestment. The results suggest that the managerialist model has greater validity in the Manhattan context. An array of government subsidies was most influential, including the targeting of tax abatements, city loans, and code enforcement. These findings reinforce the current managerialist research agenda focusing on the role of city-wide and regional institutions.