Exploring the interactive effects of internal and external factors on residents' daily lives: Perspective of commercial gentrification in historic districts

Abstract

Commercial gentrification has led to the widespread replacement of traditional shops with high-end boutiques and large chain enterprises, a phenomenon particularly prevalent in historic districts. However, existing research predominantly focuses on the effect of such changes on tourism while largely neglecting the daily lives of residents within historic districts. To address this gap, this study compares historic districts with commercial gentrification and non-commercial gentrification in China to examine the effects of internal factors, external factors, and their interaction effect on residents’ daily lives. The findings indicate that in commercially gentrified historic districts, high-income and highly educated groups use neighborhood facilities more frequently. This demonstrates that the improved external environment becomes a key driver of residents’ daily lives. However, the benefits are disproportionately concentrated among middle- and high-income groups, exacerbating inequalities in resource accessibility for low-income residents. In contrast, in non-commercial gentrified historic districts, the interaction effect between socioeconomic attributes and the residential environment is more pronounced, highlighting the advantages of traditional commercial environments in fostering socioeconomic diversity and resource inclusivity. This study provides empirical support for understanding the effect of commercial gentrification on residents’ lives and offers policy recommendations for urban planning, indicating that to achieve sustainable and inclusive development, it is essential to balance environmental improvements with social equity. This study contributes to the literature by shifting the focus from tourism effects to the lived experiences of residents, offering new insights into how different commercial environments shape daily life dynamics.

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