Site Analysis by James A. LaGro Jr.

“Research on land development patterns in the United States suggests that land parcels ‘passed over during the first wave of development tend to be developed later, at higher densities.’ These leftover parcels may be particularly attractive for development because the sites are well served by existing public infrastructure, and they are often located in areas convenient to shopping, public transportation, and cultural and educational facilities. These sites may have remained undeveloped for a variety of reasons. A landowner may have simply held on to the land for speculative purposes, in anticipation that the property would increase in value. In other cases, however, these sites are undeveloped because they have significant development constraints. Rugged topography, unstable soils, and shallow bedrock are just a few of the physiographic attributes that could have deterred development on these sites.”

-James A. LaGro, Jr, 2001