Parameters of Capacity of Redevelopment in Babol Old District

Physical decline and the necessity of redevelopment are never-ending challenges for built communities. Neighborhoods undergo cycles of birth, growth, stabilization, decline and rejuvenation. Redevelopment is a mechanism that can reduce the time an area is in decline and spur the process of revitalization. Furthermore, redevelopment can provide incentives for a developer to build in a community that will benefit greatly from the improvements. Urban decay is natural consequence of economic, social and physical declination. This process gradually leads to loss of efficiency and significance, especially at city centers, older and valuable districts of cities. There is a considerable potential and capacities in urban neighborhoods and older neighborhoods that have shaped over the years. Older neighborhoods and central city have enormous financial, environmental and social values, but usually have been overlooked because of lack of enough recognition, efficient management and experiments. Babol is one of the oldest and most populated cities in Mazandaran province. This City has many old neighborhoods with development capacities. Unfortunately these capacities have been overlooked in physical growth and development of the City. Thus the main part of development has occurred in agricultural areas and gardens that are in the vicinity of the City. This study is intended to recognize existing capacities and potentials in neighborhoods for redevelopment and finding the ways to fulfill them. The redevelopment area plan can accomplished multiple goals, such as preserving historic landmarks, promotion of downtown commercial growth by strengthen the existing commercial corridor and create new commercial areas, gardens and farmlands protection and provides public infrastructures and amenities within a walkable distance to its residents. Central city hopes to offer business opportunities such as retail services, offices, recreational opportunities and limited industrials. In addition redevelopment area plan wants to remove existing blighting conditions that threaten public health, safety and welfare; reduce crime by provide safer, cleaner and more attractive neighborhoods and commercial areas. The redevelopment strategy therefore identifies and locates improvements among three classes of action: Conservation, Upgrade and Development. Urban analyze techniques such as AHP are used to evaluate the capacity and redevelopment parameters. Then according to their importance and priority, their role in future developments can be determined. In this study, by using AHP approach, the importance of parameters of neighborhoods development such as development of brownfields, compatibility, congestion of population and etc., have been evaluated. Therefore these parameters have been given priority in future plans according to their importance. As a conclusion, in this study it is argued that, if we use existing capacities in City and older neighborhoods as a resource for redevelopment of areas, the city's problems could be solved more efficiently. This approach leads to infill development or redevelopment of areas in order to obtain sustainable development. It can be said redevelopment area plan can maintain the character of the community, provide both market-rate and affordable housing and balanced land use mix, create economic development opportunities, expand and enhance community facilities and services, and also improve the city's transportation network for automobiles and pedestrian alike.