Field surveys involve observing and documenting changes in the landscape firsthand. Building on the work of Hammel and Wyly (1996), these surveys utilize ArcGIS Field Maps to verify food business locations found in Data Axle and online searches and to record signs of (dis)investment such as new paint or ornamentation, reconstruction of buildings, and indications of a change in ownership and clientele. In particular, the research team visits the commercial corridors of focus to observe and document changes in the landscape that portend social, cultural and economic change in the neighborhoods. We record vacant properties, new construction, upgrading of buildings, and cultural markers that indicate types of food businesses and the clientele they target. Each migrant-owned or migrant-serving food business is mapped using ESRI’s Field Collector app and data about the businesses is added from Data Axle, web searches, and visual observations. Images are also taken of food artifacts to demonstrate visual change over time. This data is then updated each year.
