...implications findings for downtown revitalization. Based primarily on survey data collected from university students enrolled of University of Waterloo and Wilfrid Laurier University in Waterloo, Ontario, results reaffirm the importance of proximity to campus in student housing decisions. However, it is also clear that decision-making is complex and involves tradeoffs between distance and other housing attributes. The implications of the findings for downtown revitalization are twofold. First, distance to campus is of such importance that, for downtowns beyond walking distance to campus, the advantages of downtown living are likely to attract only a few students. Second, where downtown satellite campuses are established, the host city and university should proactively plan for student housing and not just let market forces dictate the urban landscape.

Keywords: Students, housing, urban development, university-community, downtown revitalization, mid-sized cities

Resume

Malgre la marque visible de logement d'etudiant sur les paysages urbains, petits a ete ecrit de la nature de logement d'etudiant. L'etude actuelle examine la nature de logement de location d'etudiant dans une ville canadienne de taille moyenne d'une perspective de demande-base et explore les implications de ces conclusions pour la relance du centre ville. Base principalement sur les donnees d'etude a recueilli des etudiants d'universite inscrits a l'Universite de Waterloo et a l'Universite de Laurier de Wilfrid dans Waterloo, Ontario, les resultats reaffirment l'importance de proximite au campus dans les decisions de logement d'etudiant. Cependant, c'est aussi clair cette prise de decision est complexe et implique des compromis entre la distance et les autres attributs de logement. Les implications des conclusions pour la relance du centre ville sont doubles. Premier, la distance au campus est de telle importance cela, pour du centre ville au dela de la promenade de distance au campus, les avantages d'habiter du centre ville vont en toute probabilite attirer seulement quelques etudiants. Deuxieme, ou les campus par satellite du centre ville sont etablis, la ville d'hote et l'universite doivent planifier proactivement pour le logement d'etudiant et ne laissent pas juste des forces du marche dicte le paysage urbain.

Mots cles: etudiants d'universite; logement d'etudiants, amenagement urbain, communaute unnivrstaire, villes de tailles moyennes, revitalisation du Centreville

Introduction

Post-secondary student enrolment has increased in recent decades, partly because of population growth and demographic changes, but also because of a higher participation rate associated with changes in the economy, more gender equality, and a movement toward lifelong learning. Post-secondary educational institutions play an important role in urban areas globally. While the educational benefits of universities and colleges accrue to the nation as a whole, many effects are manifest locally, for example through economic spin-offs (PricewaterhouseCoopers 2001), the development of a "creative" culture (Florida 2002) or land-use changes (Calder and Greenstein 2001). The effects are particularly salient in smaller cities and towns where university enrolment is increasing rapidly. Indeed, of the 25 fastest growing "non-specialty" universities listed in the Maclean's Guide to Canadian Universities (2003), 16 are located in cities with populations of less than half a million.

One of the critical questions for university towns, such as Kingston, Waterloo and Lethbridge, is how student presence intersects with community goals, in particular the goal of core-area revitalization which resonates in most North American communities of less than half a million. What effects do universities have on the vitality of urban cores, and what are the implications for public policy and institutional decision-making? Interestingly, a recent study of North American mid-sized cities (populations 100,000-500,000) identifies the presence of a post-secondary institution as contributing to successful downtowns (Filion et al. 2004). The study was based on a recent survey of North American urbanists who were asked to evaluate the core areas of nearby mid-sized cities, and to identify those with more and less successful downtowns. Also, in a recent speech entitled, "The Key Role of Universities in our Nation's Economic Growth and Urban Revitalization," Richard Rosan, President of the Urban Land Institute, agued that "... it's all about creating an atmosphere in which people enjoy how they live ... in this regard university towns have the edge" (Urban Land Institute 2002, p. 4). Finally, recent partnerships between universities and communities are another indication that universities are believed to contribute to downtown revitalization. For example "Laurier Brantford" was established in 1999 (Grand Valley Educational Society 2005; Groarke 2002) and Wilfrid Laurier University (WLU) is now planning to move its School of Social Work to an old high school site in downtown Kitchener. Similarly, University of Waterloo's (UW) School of Architecture relocated to downtown Galt (Cambridge) in 2004, and there are now plans to create a UW Health Sciences campus in downtown Kitchener--including a new School of Pharmacy. These initiatives stem strongly from the cities' vision statements, (City of Waterloo 2000; City of Kitchener 1999) that refer to bringing more university students and educational facilities downtown to help revitalize the core. There has also been strong support from community leaders, as evident in the creative partnerships that involve substantial financial and other support from the municipalities for these investments.

Another factor that contributes to core-area revitalization is housing (Filion et al., 2004), and sometimes student housing specifically as was found for Auburn, New York (Robertson 1999). Other recent initiatives, for which evaluations do not exist, are also being viewed optimistically; for example a $2.5 million joint effort to revitalize neighbourhoods around the University of Akron is expected to improve housing, generate more commercial activity and link neighbourhoods, campus and downtown (Galbincea 2001). Also, University of Illinois in collaboration with private developers has transformed a formerly distressed "Near South Side" Chicago neighbourhood into a community with almost 1000 new homes. The 'University Village' project also includes new and renovated buildings for the university, including two residences (Sharoff 2001). In a Canadian example, the University of Winnipeg has redeveloped some derelict housing stock to provide student residences in this city's core (Farr 2002).

However, most reports fall short of identifying the specific role of students and student housing in downtown revitalization. Is it necessary, for example, to relocate classrooms downtown to attract students to live in the core or are aspects of the core inherently attractive to student populations? What are the housing preferences of today's students, and what factors are considered in off-campus housing decisions?

The objectives in this study are twofold, first to characterize student housing in a mid-sized Canadian city and contribute to our understanding of factors important to students in making off-campus housing decisions; and second to explore the implications of these findings for core-area revitalization. In the first instance it is hypothesized that the attributes of student housing, as described in the literature for various settings, are broadly transferable to Canada given most students' life stage, limited finances, relative disadvantage in mobility and a similar model of post-secondary education. Second, it is hypothesized that distance to campus is of such importance that, for downtowns beyond walking distance to campus, the advantages of downtown living will attract only a few students.

These objectives are addressed using UW and WLU in Waterloo, Ontario as a case study. These two universities, located within a 10-minute walk of each other in Waterloo, have a combined full-time enrolment of more than 28,000, and university students make up almost 25% of the City of Waterloo's population. Enrolment has grown by more than 25% over the past seven years, creating a dynamic, but...

NOTE: All illustrations and photos have been removed from this article.



More articles from Canadian Journal of Urban Research
Bridgman, Rae: Street Cities: Rehousing the Homeless.(Book review), January 01, 2006
Cowan, Robert: The Dictionary of Urbanism.(Book review), January 01, 2006
Gillette, Howard Jr.: Camden After the Fall: Decline and Renewal in a ..., January 01, 2006
Kuban, Ron: Edmonton's Urban Villages: The Community League Movement.(..., January 01, 2006
Miles, Malcolm and Tim Hall, Eds.: Interventions: Advances in Art and ..., January 01, 2006

Looking for additional articles?
Search our database of over 3 million articles.

Looking for more in-depth information on this industry?
Search our complete database of Industry & Market reports by text, subject, publication name or publication date.

About Goliath
Whether you're looking for sales prospects, competitive information, company analysis or best practices in managing your organization, Goliath can help you meet your business needs.

Our extensive business information databases empower business professionals with both the breadth and depth of credible, authoritative information they need to support their business goals. Whether it be strategic planning, sales prospecting, company research or defining management best practices - Goliath is your leading source for accurate information.