Reading Assignment for Wed 4/3

I was the lucky one in my group to get the slightly longer read of "Looking ar Cities," by AB Jacobs. However, the contents in the passages were interesting in the sense that it got me to ponder about the neighborhood I currently live in. Clearly, most people would not consciously analyze many of the aspects described unless you were looking to move into a particular area. As I’ve lived in the Northgate for most of my life, I have been able to observe many of the changes that have happened over time.

My neighborhood was originally for retirees, but a recent buying of houses in the area has filled the area with younger families and even other college students! There has also been additional renovation to the commercial section (fixing up the mall and adding additional plazas that are family-friendly) that has assisted the general influx of younger people. In addition, the prices of houses near ours has risen exponentially, which leads me to my questions - What causes a neighborhood to become more in-demand than others especially if it's mainly residential (no big companies to attract workers)? Does an increase in demand cause a general beautifying of the neighborhood or vis-versa...or is it a co-catalytic relationship?