Green spaces, new faces: place marketing and neighborhood change. A case study of the Atlanta Beltline

Purpose This study aims to examine how green space references in online real estate listings operate as signals of status and sustainability in gentrifying urban neighborhoods. It situates marketplace behavior within a longer historical trajectory of racialized urban policy, infrastructure development and economic and geographic isolation of Black communities. The study specifically positions contemporary green space marketing within the historical context of urban renewal and redevelopment policies that reshaped urban housing markets and racialized patterns of displacement. The study explores how branded versus generic green space signals influence housing prices, contributing to the displacement of long-standing residents under the guise of environmental improvement. Design/methodology/approach The study uses mixed-methods of content analysis and hedonic pricing models. A sample of nearly 1,000 online real estate listings is analyzed to identify the presence of branded and generic green space language. These signals are integrated into regression models that quantify their relationship to list and sales prices. In addition, the Atlanta Beltline is incorporated as a qualitative case study of contemporary urban renewal, providing historical and policy context for interpreting pricing effects associated with green space signaling. Historical and policy context is provided through a review of relevant literature on redlining, urban renewal and racialized infrastructure development. Findings Results show that branded green space signals (e.g. references to high-profile projects like the Beltline) are associated with significant price premiums, while generic green space references are negatively or insignificantly related to property value. These findings suggest that not all green space is valued equally in the marketplace; rather, the branding and redevelopment context surrounding green infrastructure plays a critical role in shaping housing market outcomes. This suggests that green signaling in real estate is not uniformly beneficial and may reflect broader status consumption dynamics. Originality/value To the best of the author’s knowledge, this study is among the first to analyze green space references in real estate marketing as marketplace signals within the context of historical racial inequities. It connects theories of green consumption with urban policy history to highlight how contemporary marketing contributes to environmental gentrification. By framing green space marketing as part of a longer historical pattern linking urban renewal, infrastructure investment and racialized displacement, the study contributes to historical research in marketing by demonstrating how marketing communications participate in the valuation and revaluation of urban space over time.