Philadelphia GIS Mapping and Spatial Analysis
Budget: $30 – $250 USD
I am completing a high level research project analyzing how anchor institutions specifically the University of Pennsylvania and the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia have influenced land use patterns, property values, and displacement risk in surrounding West Philadelphia neighborhoods. I am seeking spatial analysis support to map institutional land ownership and expansion over time, assess proximity-based impacts on nearby neighborhoods ( Mantua, University City, Kingsessing), and visualize changes in property assessments, land use, and demographic indicators using GIS.
1. Study Area Definition
Focus on:
West Philadelphia
Specific neighborhoods: University City, Mantua, Spruce Hill, Kingsessing
Census tract or block group boundaries (for consistency with data)
Deliverable: A clearly defined study boundary layer.
2. Institutional Land Ownership & Expansion
You need:
Parcel-level mapping of land owned or controlled by:
University of Pennsylvania
Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (including affiliates)
Ability to distinguish:
Institutional vs. non-institutional parcels
Approximate acquisition periods (if data allows)
Deliverable:
Institutional ownership map
Attribute table identifying owner type and acquisition timing (if available)
3. Proximity / Buffer Analysis
Ask for:
Distance buffers around institutional parcels or campuses:
¼ mile
½ mile
1 mile
Comparison of conditions inside vs. outside buffers
Deliverable: Buffer maps and spatial layers usable for analysis and figures.
4. Property Value & Land Use Change
You need spatial joins that show:
Changes in assessed property values over time
Land use categories (residential, institutional, mixed-use, etc.)
Concentrations of redevelopment or conversion
Deliverable:
Choropleth maps of assessment change
Land use change maps
Clean tables summarizing trends by neighborhood and buffer zone
5. Demographic & Housing Indicators
If feasible, ask for:
Census-based indicators (ACS):
Tenure (rent vs. own)
Income
Race/ethnicity
Mapped at tract or block-group level
Deliverable: Demographic comparison maps and datasets.
Output Format (This Is Important)
Be very explicit:
I need all outputs to be:
Publication-ready maps (PDF/PNG)
Editable GIS files (shapefiles or geodatabases)
Simple tables I can reference in my paper
Clearly documented data sources for citation
1. Study Area Definition
Focus on:
West Philadelphia
Specific neighborhoods: University City, Mantua, Spruce Hill, Kingsessing
Census tract or block group boundaries (for consistency with data)
Deliverable: A clearly defined study boundary layer.
2. Institutional Land Ownership & Expansion
You need:
Parcel-level mapping of land owned or controlled by:
University of Pennsylvania
Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (including affiliates)
Ability to distinguish:
Institutional vs. non-institutional parcels
Approximate acquisition periods (if data allows)
Deliverable:
Institutional ownership map
Attribute table identifying owner type and acquisition timing (if available)
3. Proximity / Buffer Analysis
Ask for:
Distance buffers around institutional parcels or campuses:
¼ mile
½ mile
1 mile
Comparison of conditions inside vs. outside buffers
Deliverable: Buffer maps and spatial layers usable for analysis and figures.
4. Property Value & Land Use Change
You need spatial joins that show:
Changes in assessed property values over time
Land use categories (residential, institutional, mixed-use, etc.)
Concentrations of redevelopment or conversion
Deliverable:
Choropleth maps of assessment change
Land use change maps
Clean tables summarizing trends by neighborhood and buffer zone
5. Demographic & Housing Indicators
If feasible, ask for:
Census-based indicators (ACS):
Tenure (rent vs. own)
Income
Race/ethnicity
Mapped at tract or block-group level
Deliverable: Demographic comparison maps and datasets.
Output Format (This Is Important)
Be very explicit:
I need all outputs to be:
Publication-ready maps (PDF/PNG)
Editable GIS files (shapefiles or geodatabases)
Simple tables I can reference in my paper
Clearly documented data sources for citation