Measuring the Impact of Historic District Designation on Real Estate in New York City

Although carried out in practice for centuries, historic preservation as a professional field is relatively young and has not yet fully harnessed data that could be used to support the theories of the field. Not taking advantage of the data that exists could be a missed opportunity for the field of preservation to grow into an even more robust practice. This thesis will present new ways to analyze historic districts using data and recommend methods for future analysis that evaluate how historic districts function in New York City. While the designation of historic districts has always been somewhat controversial, recently, historic district designation has come to the forefront of discussion in New York City. The real estate community has begun to use data to generate studies in opposition to historic district designations. This thesis presents the recurring arguments raised by property owners and real estate developers against historic district designation in New York City and develops a methodology by which to evaluate these concerns. These arguments will be categorized into three subjects: policy and process, operational, and monetary. The policy and process category will present testimony and literature that discuss the roles of planning and preservation entities in New York, the timing of the processes relevant to preservation and planning, and the debate over the designation of historic districts versus individual building landmarks. The operational category will focus on evaluating the operation of existing historic districts and whether the district designation “froze development” or “limited investment” within the neighborhood. The discussion of monetary subjects will summarize research conducted in relation to property values within a historic district; the costs of fees, time, and materials associated with a designated building versus a non-designated building; and the current discussion about the effects historic districts have on affordable housing in New York City. This methodology uses existing data for New York City to study historic districts. In some cases, data does not exist and proposals for collection in the future are made. This thesis tests the methodologies on historic district performance in Manhattan overall and in the Ladies’ Mile Historic District. The thesis evaluates and critiques the methodology developed and recommends ways in which it can be improved. It will set up a framework for future research and data collection. In summary, as the accessibility and quantity of data usage increases, there is hope that some of this information can be applied to the study of historic preservation. This thesis dissects the reasoning behind the arguments for and against historic district designation in New York City by focusing on specific arguments that have been raised prior to designation and generates a methodology for the evaluation of historic districts through existing data sets. It also provides a framework for future studies that could be conducted should the data become available to further this research

In Situ Nanomechanical Measurements of Interfacial Strength in Membrane-Embedded Chemically Functionalized Si Microwires for Flexible Solar Cells

Arrays of vertically aligned Si microwires embedded in polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) have emerged as a promising candidate for use in solar energy conversion devices. Such structures are lightweight and concurrently demonstrate competitive efficiency and mechanical flexibility. To ensure reliable functioning under bending and flexing, strong interfacial adhesion between the nanowire and the matrix is needed. In situ uniaxial tensile tests of individual, chemically functionalized, Si microwires embedded in a compliant PDMS matrix reveal that chemical functionality on Si microwire surfaces is directly correlated with interfacial adhesion strength. Chemical functionalization can therefore serve as an effective methodology for accessing a wide range of interfacial adhesion between the rigid constituents and the soft polymer matrix; the adhesion can be quantified by measuring the mechanical strength of such systems

The psychiatric assistance dog team: who uses the dogs and why?

Introduction: Psychiatric assistance dogs are a specific type of service dog trained to assist their handler with psychiatric disabilities. Little is known about the population who own psychiatric assistance dogs, the dogs or the functions they provide. Methods: Psychiatric assistance dog owners in Australia registered with the charity mindDog were invited to participate in an online survey created using cloud-based software from SurveyMonkey to gain a better understanding of the psychiatric assistance dog team. Results: 199 people completed the survey. Participants learned about psychiatric assistance dogs through a health care practitioner (32%), friends/family (30%) or the internet (37%). The dogs in the sample were of varying age, gender and breed. The most common reasons for choosing the dogs were size, weight and temperament. Just over half had been acquired specifically to train as an assistance dog. Participants median age was 47 years [10-75] and 77% identified as female. Depression (84%), anxiety (generalised 60% and social 60%), PTSD (62%) and panic attacks (57%) were the most common mental health diagnoses of this population. The most common tasks the dogs performed were: reduction of anxiety through tactile stimulation (94%); nudging or pawing to bring back to the present (71%); interrupting unwanted behaviour (51%); constant body contact (50%); deep pressure stimulation (45%) and blocking contact from other people (42%). Owning a service dog had decreased (46%), increased (30%) or not changed (24%) participants use of psychiatric or other health care services. Conclusions and relevance: Psychiatric assistance dog owners have a variety of mental health conditions and their dogs fulfil different tasks to help in daily life. Understanding this population and the relationship between the owners and their dogs may help inform the appropriate choice, training and use of assistance dogs for people with mental health issues

Towards a better understanding of the psychiatric assistance dog team

A psychiatric assistance dog is a specific type of service dog that is trainetf to assist its handler who has been diagnosed with a mental health condition such as post-traumatic stress disorder, schizophrenia, depression, anxiety, or bipolar disorder. tn 2011, the not for profit organisation 'mindDog' was set up in Australia to assist people living with mental health issues to procure, train and certify psychiatric assistance dogs to help them in their daily lives. Literature searches reveal that little is known about the demographics of people who own psychiatric assistance dogs, the type of dogs used or the functions the dogs provide. An understanding of the relationship between owners and their dogs may help inform the appropriate choice of dog, training and use of assistance dogs for people living with mental health issues to better support their needs. Psychiatric assistance dog owners registered with 'mindDog' (clients) were invited to participate in an anonymous on-line survey to explore these matters. Preliminary findings suggest psychiatric assistance dogs perform a plethora of roles that support the needs of a broad range of people, including adults in higher education. These general findings can be used to inform clients and medical doctors, who play a pivotal role in their patients' application process for a 'mind Dog', about how the dogs may be of assistance

Psychiatric assistance dog use for people living with mental health disorders

A psychiatric assistance dog (PAD) is a service dog that is trained to assist its handler (owner) who has been diagnosed with a mental health condition such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), schizophrenia, depression, anxiety, or bipolar disorder. Literature searches reveal that little is known about the population of people who own PADs, the types of dogs used or the functions they provide. One third (n = 199) of PAD owners in Australia registered with the charity "mindDog" participated in an online survey designed to better understand the person and dog team. Participants learned about PADs through the internet (37%), health care practitioners (32%), or family/friends (30%). The dogs in the sample were of varying age, gender and breed. The most common reasons for people to choose a dog to be a PAD were temperament (60%) and size/weight (48%). Just under half (48%) of the dogs had been acquired by the owner specifically to be trained as a PAD, and the rest were existing pets. All the dogs were trained by the owner or a combination of the owner and a qualified trainer; none were trained exclusively by assistance/service dog provider organizations. The median age of the participants at the time of data collection was 47 years, ranging from 10 to 75 years. Most (77%) identified as female. Depression (84%), anxiety (social 61%; generalized 60%), PTSD (62%), and panic attacks (57%) were the most reported mental health diagnoses. Tasks the dogs performed for their owners included: reduction of anxiety through tactile stimulation (94%); nudging/pawing to bring back to the present (71%); interrupting undesirable behavior (51%); constant body contact (50%); deep pressure stimulation (45%) and blocking contact from other people (42%). PAD usage decreased (46%), increased (30%) or did not change (24%) participants' use of psychiatric or other health care services. Decrease in service use was mainly due to reduced suicide attempts, and less requirement for hospitalization and medication; increased use was mainly due to enhanced ability to attend appointments. Results of this study show that PAD owners have differing mental health diagnoses, and their dogs perform different tasks to support them in daily life. Every participant described the relationship with his/her PAD as positive, suggesting that a successful working partnership does not require the dog to have been bred or raised specifically for the role. A better understanding of this population and the person-dog relationship will inform the appropriate choice, training and use of PADs for people living with mental health problems