Mariia Kuznetsova investigates how economic activities concentrate spatially and how cities develop under the influence of infrastructure, policy, and amenities. Her research offers new insights into agglomeration mechanisms and their role in economic growth and urban transformation.
Using microdata, she demonstrates that around 80% of Russian industries are geographically clustered. Industries with strong buyer-supplier relationships are especially likely to be located near one another, highlighting the importance of interconnectedness in location decisions.
Kuznetsova also analyzes urban development in Russia before and after the fall of the Soviet Union. Based on historical maps and satellite imagery, she shows that post-Soviet urban growth mainly occurred around existing built-up areas, but in more dispersed patterns, partly due to the expansion of the road network.
Finally, she examines the impact of green space investments on neighborhood transformation, using New York’s High Line park as a case study. Her doctoral research reveals that proximity to the park led to a 12% increase in property values and a rise in affluent households which is an example of so-called super-gentrification.
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