BIO

Ava is a sophomore finance student from Fort Lauderdale, FL. She has been a researcher at the DeVoe L. Moore Center since October. Ava is also a member of Best Buddies and Women in Business at FSU.

The Sustainable Development of CollegeTown

Abstract

Due to the rapid revitalization of Tallahassee’s CollegeTown urban area, researchers have assessed the potential impacts of sustainable development on residents, landowners, and the environment. Researchers employed the sustainability triangle model, allowing us to evaluate the sustainability of development through the perspectives of economics, environment, and equity. Researchers analyzed several datasets, including demographic data from the U.S. Census, crime data from the Tallahassee Police Department, and land use data from the Tallahassee Geographic Information Systems Department (GIS). Since the CollegeTown development was completed in 2013, total property values have nearly doubled, growing from $489 million in 2006 to $861 million in 2019. Research suggests property values will continue to grow even higher if property owners implement sustainable initiatives. Environmental research of solar energy and the CollegeTown area presents a positive increase in environmental benefits and favorable conditions for solar panels. The benefits of reducing 7.3 metric tons of carbon from the neighborhood's air annually, can increase air quality and reduce Tallahassee's share of greenhouse gasses, a major problem in today's world. Solar panel costs guarantee to pay themselves back in the long-run, and provide over $33,000 in benefits over 20 years. Throughout the development, residents of the CollegeTown area have seen gradual increases in income. Prior to the development, in 2010, only 7% of the households in the area (Census Tract 5) experienced income levels greater than $35,000 per household. By 2019, this figure had grown to 20.5%, with a median household income of $11,511 compared to $8,319 in 2010.

Keywords: Sustainable Development CollegeTown