ABSTRACT
Teardowns – the redevelopment process in which an older single-family house is demolished and replaced with a larger single-family house – are a conspicuous form of residential real estate development with the potential to transform the physical, economic, and social character of American suburbs. Teardowns are a widespread and highly visible form of residential real estate development in suburban neighborhoods, but they are not ubiquitous. This chapter examines where and why teardown redevelopment occurs using data on teardown redevelopment in the 128 inner-ring suburbs of Chicago, located in Cook County, Illinois, between 2000 and 2014. The chapter begins with an overview of the nature and magnitude of teardowns across innerring suburban Chicago, Illinois, followed by an exploration of the variety of inner-ring suburbs in which redevelopment takes place. Then, the chapter reveals the property and neighborhood characteristics associated with teardown redevelopment, examines the spatial clustering of teardowns, and describes how the physical form of teardowns varies across different types of suburban neighborhoods. The chapter concludes with a discussion of the potential for suburban gentrification brought on by teardown redevelopment.
