Publication Date
5-2014
Committee Members
John Mullin, Chair, Henry Renski, Member
Abstract
Rising land values, environmental regulations, lack of investment, and a declining industrial economy greatly threaten the existence of industrial land. Therefore, the purpose of this project is to establish where priority industrial districts are located within five Connecticut cities through the implementation of a GIS weighted multi-criteria evaluation. This tool applies various constraints and factors critical to industrial location and business investment. In addition to identifying suitable industrial districts, a tax base analysis assesses the overall value of industrial land within each community and an employment outlook measures future job growth for Connecticut Workforce Investment Areas. The overall goal of this research is to understand why industrial activity is beneficial within urban areas, what factors contribute to industrial development, and to advocate for the protection of industrial districts for future industrial activity.