Initial Program

Museums

"Reasons for visiting museums are often strongly linked to a sense of place, whether one's own community or one that sparks curiosity. The desire to connect to a locale, to understand it, identify with it, or simply enjoy its distinctiveness is a common impulse that close-by museum seves to satisfy."

"Museums are the community's attic, the storage sites for artifacts once created there or brought to that place for one reason or another. We may seldom visit the attic and, when we do, may find it difficult to sort through what has been preserved there, but nevertheless that is where we know to look for tangible evidence of the past... these allow us to connect somehow to a time, place, or phenomenon we desire to revisit in our minds or visit for the first time."

"Local museums often serve to distill the identity of the community with which people identify, and whether they do it well or badly will affect attitudes toward the locale in question"- improve impressions of Homestead”

"Local museums serve as frames for understanding larger visions about America”

(From Defining Memory: Local Museums and the Construction of History in America’s Changing Communities)

The House of the Seven Gables- A House Museum’s Adaptation to Changing Societal Expectations Since 1910- Salem, Massachusetts
-Representative of a New England shipbuilding community
-affiliation with Nathaniel Hawthorne- important historical figure
-the museum must shift its ‘history’ to meet the shifting needs and preferences of society- struggle against the preconception of the visitor of what it should look like
-Wealthy, upper-class east coast Americans- “they considered themselves to be true Americans and felt threatened by the increasing stream of immigrants.”
-Romanticizing of the Salem witchcraft trials
-Museum that embodies that characteristics of New England. Important regional icon that tells many stories of New England’s history from the slave trade to settlement houses, from the lives of common people to that of Nathaniel Hawthorne.
-Evidence of changing views of New England history and New England’s regional identity- evolving content of the tour script
-During this time period, New England history was described in terms of famous, patriotics, or affluent officials
-The attic was refurbished to represent an old Salem garret- “The objective of this tour was to freeze a particular time period for introspection and contemplation. It offered a stable history that individuals could look back upon when faced with the dramatic cultural changes of the 1960s.

Old Cowtown Museum- Wichita Kansas
-Consists of buildings primarily brought in from downtown Wichita or constructed out of new materials.
-Early Wichita developed into an urban environment almost overnight
-”The notion that Cowtown represents Mayberry-like small town values is understandable but incorrect.”
-”Cowtown was the most visible example of a trend hat included motels with neon cowboy signs and Western-wear outfitters.”
- “The Hollywood Western town image is what served as the inspiration for much of Old Cowtown in the 1950s and 1960s.”
-”Old Cowtown began as an attempt to recreate aspects of Wichita’s early history but developed into a place that presented both Wichita’s urban past and Sedgwick county’s rural origins.”
-”The story of Cowtown reveals a mixture of historic preservation, careful reconstruction, create adaptation of later buildings, and complete fabrication based on Hollywood-inspired fantasy, all of which have shaped Wichita’s collective memory into the small town it never was.”of manufacturing activities, products, and production recipes in anticipation or and in reaction to changes in those activities, products, and recipes in competitor regions around the globe.

Louisiana’s Old State Capitol Museum- Castle on the Mississippi- Baton Rouge
-One of two gothic revival statehouses
-The museum, “provides a learning experience in Louisiana history and the democratic process through exhibitions, educational outreach, and the arts.”
-The northern part of the state is conservative and Protestant, while southern Louisiana is liberal and Catholic. No unified history- many stories.
-Decline of French power in the state- the conversion of the Gothic Revival Statehouse to a museum devoted to state politics in 1994 reflects a maturation of political thinking- politics recognized not just as a battlefield, but as a source of knowledge for better understanding who we are.
-Specialized museum, but themes present throughout museums all over the world- “who owns the history? How does this museum contribute to national, regional, and local cultures? How does one appeal to a very diverse group, both within the state and without? How does one tell a complete story in a state with so many divergent groups?
-The story of one individual can illustrate the history of many, and shared experiences can reestablish links between different social groups.

Homestead- From Mill Town to Mall Town- Jim Daniels
"Homestead interests us because of its rich labor history and its contemporary transformation from a dying steel town into a place that now hosts an enormous shopping complex replete with the nation's most popular chain stores....This is a deeply relevant landscape at this time, interesting in its own right, but also emblematic of what is happening to communities across America... What exactly are we losing as we witness the closing of so many small businesses that were at the heart of the 20th century community both on main street and deep within the American psyche? What are we gaining and how might people assert themselves in places that can be seen as threatening to any kind of heterogeneous character?" (pg. 1)

"In the past half century American culture has become every more standardized. Corporate brands, retail frachises, and look-alike shopping malls stretch from coast to coast, homogenizing the consumption of fashion decorative arts, and material goods... Regional differences in dress, diet, and even language fade as patterns of commerce and communication are universalized. One notable exception to this pattern of increasing uniformity has been the preservation of local culture and distinctive identity in America's vast number of small and local museums." (pg. 1)
Thesis relationships in Homestead:
-the issue of race- telling the story of the black steelworker at the museum at the same time telling the white steelworker’s story
-cultural changes as related to a museum- stable history when people face dramatic cultural changes

Precedent Information

De-Industrialization of Cities:
Most communities that thrived during the Industrial Revolution in the late 19th century- first half of the 20th century are now challenged to find viable economic strategies for the 21st century Pittsburgh- the former steel capital of the world Detroit- the former motor city Cleveland- once an industrial giant
-challenges of these cities- slow job growth, declining home values, a diminishing tax base, concentrated poverty.
-world economy going through a major transition that is benefiting some cities and leaving other behind.
-causes- decline in manufacturing as a share of national employment, movement of people and jobs to low labor-cost areas, residential shifts to other
regions, and social and racial segregation.
-Positive elements of these areas- land, infrastructure, business opportunities, underutilized labor, and many of the nation’s major medical, educational, and research institutions.
-”a large number of older industrial cities are still struggling to make a successful transition from an economy based on routine manufacturing to one based on
more knowledge-oriented activities...the image of these cities has been one of empty down towns, deteriorating neighborhoods, and struggling families... still
grappling to overcome the painful legacy of severe industrial decline and population loss, these cities simply haven’t seen the widespread economic
revitalization now being enjoyed by so many other urban areas around the nation.” Retooling for Growth- pg. 33
-”if older industrial cities are to fully capitalize on the positive trends now at hand, government leaders need to design and implement a new urban agenda, one
aimed not at managing these cities’ economic decline, but at stimulating their economic revival.” Retooling for Growth- pg. 34
-“The shift from a manufacturing economy to a knowledge-based one has left many older industrial cities still grappling to find their economic niche.” (pg. 35)
-Physical redistribution of manufacturing coupled with advances in automation that sparked increases in productivity and a reduction in companies overall employment needs.
-Cities’ failure to replace the large numbers of well-paying industrial jobs they’ve lost with high-paying jobs in other rapid-growth sectors.
“Extreme economic and residential decentralization has left the poor and minorities isolated in the urban core, ‘spatially’ cut off from education and employment opportunities.” (pg. 37)
“A series of demographic trends are having a profound influence on how and where people choose to live and could significantly benefit older industrial cities.”
“Although economic changes have undoubtedly contributed to the decline of cities reliant on ‘old economy’ industries, moving forward, they also have the potential to give them back their competitive edge.”
Build on economic strengths:
-invest in downtown revitalization
-focus on cities competitive niches
-enhance the connectivity between regions
Transform the physical landscape
-invest in cataclytic development projects
-create marketable sites
-create neighborhoods of choice
What to do to bolster talent
-workforce development strategies
-invest in early childhood education
-new resources for public education
Characteristics of economically distressed cities:
-lost 8% of jobs from 1990-2000 while employment of non-distressed cities increased 18%
-experienced payroll growth of only 50% while payroll grew 91% in non-distressed cities
-saw the number of establishments grow just 1.4% while the number grew 18% in non-distressed communities
-had an average per capita income in 2000 that was only 78% of the non-distressed cities ($16,019 compared with $20,424)
-had a median household income that was 76% of the average of the non-distressed cities ($29,138 compared with $38,510)
-had an unemployment rate of 10% compared with 6% in the non-distressed cities.
-had a labor-force participation rate of 59% compared with 65% in the non-distressed cities.
-had a poverty rate of 23%, compared with 15% in non-distressed cities.

A recent report by Jobs for the Future attempted to define nationally relevant job clusters for low-skilled workers using a model based on Bureau of Labor Statistics Data
Site selection: Baltimore, Detriot, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Orlando, New Orleans
East: Baltimore and Detroit- two old, industrial cities Baltimore: historically a port city located at the head of the Chesepeake Bay- shrinkage in the manufacturing sector, dilapitated housing stock, problem-plagued schools, loss of popualtion to the suburbs
-immense resources to build on- professional sports teams, historical heritage, reinvestment in the downtown waterfront, well-funded hospitals
and universities. Detroit: was for many decades the center of the automobile manufacturing indusry in the US. As the manufacturing sector declined and many of
the automobile manufacturing plants closed, Detriot experienced a tremendous decline in its traditional job center.
New Orleans- aftermath of Katrina, displaced from homes and jobs. Helping to define viable employment clusters as a way to help settle the lives of low income individuals who were displaced.
Orlando- tourism-based economy- low income jobs are in the service industry
Los Angeles- problem of immense population sprawl- the city is very spread out, making it difficult for the low-skilled to obtain transportation to and from the better jobs.
Las Vegas- large population growth- transformation from a tourist mecca into a city with many permanent residents.
The product of the analysis process was a group of 15-20 site specific occupations that are considered viable growth occupations for low-skilled workers in each of the six economically troubled metropolitan areas.
pg. 270- “The blame has much less to do with transitioning from a manufacturing based to a knowledge-based economy than with the political failure to organize assets and to dynamically adjust the mix of manufacturing activities, products, and production recipes in anticipation or and in reaction to changes in those activities, products, and recipes in competitor regions around the globe.

Mid-Review Information

These mid-review boards show the distinct differences between the Waterfront and the other areas of Homestead and the severe disconnect that appears there. They also show in the site sections the extreme changes in topography, and the fact that the businesses that exist at the Waterfront are all centered around profit.

Concept Montages

Concept of "below the tracks" is reflected in these images and how there was always a desire of the people in Homestead to live a life separate from the shadow of the mill

1 + 3 Abstract Statement

Thesis abstract:

The underlying identity of a place is carried forward despite drastic economic, social, and cultural changes in a community and continues to exert a strong influence in the present day.

Although the steel works no longer exist in Homestead, the community is still there with memories of past glory days. The communal memories of people in the neighborhood play a large role in defining their past and the intertwining of individual and communal memory will paint a comprehensive picture of the way things were. By giving people an educational local museum celebrating their heritage, they will be able to retain elements of a past that seems like it is slipping away to the claws of big business.

1+3+9 round 2

Homestead was once a thriving industrial town, but when the steel industry left it took with it the population, creating a need for a revitalization strategy that addresses the history of the site in the context of the modern era.

The development of the Waterfront shopping center attempted to solve some of the economic problems of the area, but as a result ended up sucking much of the life and culture out of Homestead due to a break with tradition. The goal here is to emphasize the layering of the different systems of the site such as ecological, transportation, historical, and the building typologies in an attempt to study unique overlaps. These systems developed independently of each other, but also fed off the others to create a thriving steel economy so the issue remains how a town that once relied on steel continues to operate once the steel has left.

Due to the fact that people are already travelling to the Waterfront for commercial purposes, they can begin to appreciate the area for more than just big-box retailers and change their current patterns of movement through the area. Homestead was not only a town of steel workers and mills, but also small business owners and an area of many shops, restaurants, and ice cream parlors. The region developed from farmland to industry and most recently decline, but due to strong cultural influences, river accessibility and good housing stock, revitalization is possible. Ecology is the key factor to begin to reconnect Homestead with the city of Pittsburgh and make it a vital entity in the rich fabric of neighborhoods that exist in the city. The solid and void relationship that the river makes with the Waterfront can promote a spatial condition that emphasizes the views from the streets perpendicular to the river. There are inherent conditions that will present themselves with the process of layering, and the need will arise to play off the existing infrastructure to redirect people entering the area. The layering of the slope where the residential regions are located, with the flat main street that feeds down past a void to the river will produce a unique condition of interaction. Accessibility is a big issue, as many regions are not able to be accessed from the riverbank, so this idea of ecological conditions along the river can be carried back to the main streets of Homestead in an attempt to begin revitalization. Through learning from the past and looking at the affect of layering over time, the negative impacts that came from the development of the Waterfront can be reversed, and Homestead can once again become a thriving commercial center.

Analytical Diagrams

These diagrams look at the different ways that the site can be viewed in terms of its context, with many connections leading down to the river, but the Waterfront serving as a large obstacle to reach the water. The connections horizontally are also important, because they will emphasize the revitalization of a commercial corridor that is desired, as well as the points of connection across the river.

"Site Matters"- Response to Place

In defining a project in terms of place, the reading “Defining Urban Sites” speaks about looking at sites on an urban scale and how to define the boundaries of a site. This can be looked at as both the whole city, as well as in terms of limited sites within the city. What a site actually “does” in the city must be taken into consideration, and how it affects the broader urban context. By observing these conditions with many boundary conditions and on multiple scales, it can become a new model for describing, interpreting, as well as analyzing places. Looking at precedents, in some cases there are very set and defined boundaries, while in other cases the city is seen as floating in space. Urban sites become incredibly influenced by their surroundings and become the ideal place for interactions and intersections to occur. An example that I found very interesting because I find that it applies to my own thesis project is that of Hell’s Kitchen in New York serving many different urban uses. It is a residential neighborhood, a commercial district, and a key intersection of transportation infrastructures. This also further reinforces the idea that urban sites are dynamic, porous, and “messy.” Multiple realities must be looked at when site representation is undertaken, and this representation helps to give definition to the urban site because it is a process in which different ideas of the site are able to settle down.

Intersections between different agents become incredibly important in terms of the “mobile ground” of a site, as many interesting overlaps begin to occur. Workers, owners, neighbors, builders, developers, politicians, bankers, preservationists, ecologists, and economists among others must all inhabit the space of the site and they all have their own terms of use. Different sites will also have different reaches, and this will depend on spatial and operational extensions. When sites are looked at in terms of regional, metropolitan or local, different aspects of the site can be studied and this can begin to shift the site boundaries. Links to outside spaces are also crucial to understanding, and drawing a clear distinction between the “inside” and “outside.” With all of these new ideas, the challenge of the thesis project will be to define something that is indefinite.

No urban sites are stable, and this is an idea that I would like to build upon as I move forward with my thesis. Homestead has a very rich history that is plagued by instability due to strikes by locked out steelworkers. Henry Frick hired armed guards from the Pinkerton National Defense Agency, and when barges carrying the Pinkertons arrived at the mill, the workers met them at the riverbanks, emphasizing the strong connection to the river. The population of Homestead has also seen many ups and downs, as in 1900 there were 12,554 people with more than half employed in the plants. By 1940 there were 19,041 people, but in a few years half of the population was displaced as the US government added to the steel mills to prepare for WWII. After the end of the war, there was a great decline in the steel-making industry in the US. In 1948, the mill closed and was replaced by the Waterfront shopping mall. By 2000, the population was down to 3,569. These ups and downs show the instability of the site, as well as the porous boundaries due to out-migration. The site directly impacted the activity that was occurring there due to the access to the river, and the goal is to let the site once again guide the project in a major revitalization effort.

"The Muses are Not Amused"

The reading, “The Muses are Not Amused” brings up many ideas that are reiterated over and over again in Architecture school. The convergence of forces, specifically cultural, social, economic and ideological as well as technical and ideological is something that is essential to design. The urban lab studio looked at systems on a broader scale to include environmental conditions as well as demographics and diverse transportation systems which overlapped in a unique way to define a specific condition. The emphasis of this article is on the form and how it is always the form which will impress us. The emotional affect of form is also a factor to be considered, such as the twin towers, which were never significant until they were gone. The fad of sustainability is alluded to in the sense that technology cannot exist on its own, but must be given intention. I think that this is a wrong way to look at things, because looking at how to give form to technical achievements seems forceful, whereas is would be more beneficial for form and technology to work hand-in-hand, and not impose one on the other. “Programism” is criticized due to the fact that it is not critical enough and always presents information as neutral data. I don’t believe that programming always has to be neutral, and this is a very broad statement to say that it is. Silvetti describes programming as an, “arbitrary graphic rearrangement of data.” (pg. 23) The next problem addressed it thematization, which looks at exerting total control over the forms of an environment in a sort of “theme” park sense. An example given is that of Las Vegas, which creates a, “heterogeneous conglomerate of adjacent ‘theme’ experiences.” (pg. 25) This creates mass entertainment by means of parody, and also creates a double fakery, meaning that a well-known architecture is mimicked and then it is promised that this architecture will deliver a good way of life. This goes back to ideas about vernacular and regional architecture, as a lot of times in an attempt to relate back to the past, the resulting design becomes extremely kitsch and as a result does not relate to the vernacular at all. This also ties into the idea of a consumer society and tourism, and how many of these places are developed in an attempt to create revenue through nostalgia, and brining people back to a better past. Programism looked to avoid associations with prescribed rules by laying out neutral information, while thematization looks to an exclusive moral example.

The appeal of creating blobs rested in the idea that there was freedom from history and culture, and form could be created without having to deal with these restraints. The fact of the matter is, it is these “restraints” that create form and give it a deep-rooted connection to the cultural heritage of the place as well as the site specific characteristics. Silvetti says, “But what did we actually do with this “thing” that appeared on our computer screen? Very quickly we stuffed it with meaning.” (pg. 26) Once again, meaning is given after a form has already been created, which is contradictory to the design development process of developing meaning while simultaneously developing the form. The ideas about literalism speak about how metaphor is all and good in terms of developing a concept, but that’s where it should stop. “The use of metaphor in architecture… should be looked at as an enrichment of meaning and not as a replacement for the thing itself.” (pg. 28) There is an inherent danger in becoming too caught up in the metaphor and losing the focus on design. The multidisciplinary nature of the arts is also talked about towards the end of the article, and speaking about how the arts have collapsed into a single idea of “Art.” The question is also brought up about architecture as art, or the art of architecture. The current trend in architecture is to move outside of traditional formal and material boundaries, and architecture is now serving two very distinct roles. One is as the support of artistic ideas, and the other is the inspiration for buildings. I believe that it is possible to be both, and that taking the different artistic elements out of architecture would be a mistake. Architecture either stands in the art realm as an elite discipline, or it resides in the social arena where real life takes place. It really needs to fuse these two ideas, and be able to relate to the people while at the same time taking on the beauty that other disciplines of the fine arts demonstrate. Although there are some questionable statements made in the article, I think that the underlying idea is clear, of the “logical integration of advanced computer technologies with tectonic consciousness and an historical/anthropological knowledge of the discipline.” (pg. 33) Architecture is not about making a blob and giving it meaning, or creating large tourist destinations that evoke nostalgia among people, or looking at neutral programming information. It is about a clever combination of new and progressive technologies with looking at historical and cultural considerations and using this information to help derive the form and work hand-in-hand with the development. It is not a linear process, but there are many checks that must be made throughout the course of the design process to ensure that all of the disparate elements are considered and are able to be brought back together into a coherent whole. In looking at all of the layered systems that occur in Pittsburgh, it is essential to make sure that they develop simultaneously to really observe the overlaps and consistencies.

Concept Sketch #3

This image demonstrates the underlying idea of the different layering of the systems of the site over time. It begins with looking at the void that the river makes between the river's edge and the more linear urban fabric of homestead. The vertical and horizontal relationships are also explored in looking at the steep slope relating to the great topographic variations in Pittsburgh and how the buildings will engage this. Lastly. looking at revitalization of a business district or a main street will complete the layering in an attempt to create a cohesive whole. Social, physical, and environmental conditions are all studied in this analysis to break down the research into different components before they are brought back together.

Conceptual Sketch Description

This montage shows the five different systems that I am looking to address- transportation systems, ecological systems, cultural influences, regional architecture, and industrial systems, and their interactions with each other. The montage represents a timeline, and shows how these different systems will overlap and rely upon each other for their own success. The overlaps will be key in this project, and looking at how successful overlaps occurred and how these strategies can be utilized in the future to bring industry back to Homestead.

Conceptual Sketch #2

1+3+9 Statement

The importance of looking at layers that have accumulated over time in the history of Pittsburgh, and how interactions of these complex systems can be studied and the lessons learned serve to bring industry and ecology back to Homestead.

The layering of transportation systems, ecological systems, cultural influences, regional architecture, and systems of industry have served to create complex overlaps over time. This combination of systems led to a thriving environment in the history of Pittsburgh during its glory days due to optimization of conditions. Looking at how each system developed both separately from each other as well as together will start to reveal complex overlaps and show the successes and failures that resulted.

These five systems had a very strong reliance on each other to form a complete whole in the industrial development of Pittsburgh. A major part of this is the people who inhabit the different neighborhoods, as they shape the culture of the region and serve as the basis for a deep-rooted pride in their community. All of the systems studied are constantly changing based not only on the people of the region, but also on environmental factors as well as the changing economic climate of the country. Studying how these systems have interacted with each other will redeal what was successful and unsuccessful in the previous decades to create a future reminiscient of Pittsburgh’s magnificent past. Hierarchically, the different systems will prove to be strong at different times in their development over time. In the present day, Pittsburgh’s greatest strength is the pride of the people who live there, and their deep attachment to the place. The river have been a natural element that brought the city much of its success, and this should be utilized in the revitalization of the areas that have seen better days.
Access to the river is limited in many neighborhoods, and this creates a disconnect between the potential that the river can bring and its actual affect on communities due to the fact that people who live directly adjacent to the river often have little to no interaction with it. By creating better access to the river, it will be possible to reveal and strengthen these systems that brought industry, wealth, and culture to areas like Homestead. Through learning from the past and looking at the affect of layering over time, the conditions necessary to once again make Homestead a thriving commercial center will be revealed.

Conceptual Sketch

This sketch represents the three levels spoken about in the reading in relation to what I would like to pursue for my thesis. The "phantom" element, or first step in the process refers to the main goal of walkability, creating a strong connection to nature, and looking back to the history of the site. The next step begins to establish a hierarchy in terms of the different layers that existed there, with the history of the site coming first, then beginning to look at specific points along the river to create a connective tissue. The last step, looking at external reality uses ecology as a connection and looks to spread to the greater urban context. By this point, the layering of the systems is complete, with culture, history, and ecology all coming together to form a cohesive whole.

Response to "How to Draw Up a Project" by Jose Luis Mateo

The ultimate aim in a project is to have a goal, or a set path to proceed along to get to the final result. This has always been given in the past and professors have told us: this is the site, this is the program, now develop a concept, help it take form and let it become a building. Thesis is different- a wide open canvas, Mateo speaks about how a project is a process with a fixed direction, but in this case the direction is determined by us. After four years of school, and countless sleepless nights, many know what interests them, and it is from that interest that the thesis can be developed. Essentially a year-long project that is completely determined by you and your interests, I believe that the most important thing is to pick something of interest. Something that will continue to raise questions without necessarily having cut and dry answers. Mateo compares this process to contamination, because the project will continue to grow and expand a little at a time. Although I do agree that the process will be somewhat of a “growth,” I also believe that it will not necessarily be a linear progression. We are in school to learn, and at some point in this process, the wrong path may be chosen that will not yield the correct outcome. I think that the hardest thing for me will be to realize when I begin to go in a different direction, and get quickly back on track.

Right now, the project is phantom-like, as Mateo describes it. Four years of school, and there are many, many questions about projects that we look to establish right away. Why are you doing this, what do you hope to achieve, how will you do this while engaging the site and arranging the program in the most optimal way. However, the project must be boiled down, so at the starting point it has one major goal, but also pieces of other things to be accomplished, all of which will not be included in the final execution. The hierarchical nature of the project is another important element, and the tree analogy is used to help understand this. Alluding back to what was addressed before and going on the wrong path can also fall under this category of the “tree.” Branches will sometimes hit dead ends and they will not go anywhere. In this case, the hierarchy must be established, and the “core” idea has to remain strong throughout the process. Once the core idea is established, this will be something that will not change. Although some paths may diverge, the main idea will remain strong. The internal structure, or the “tree” must then develop to form space, and from there, the outer membrane. All of this has to then be looked at in an urban context, and how the project will impact the region on a larger scale. In initial thoughts about a thesis, I would like to do something that looks at Pittsburgh’s historic roots, while at the same time has an aim of “progress” as a major driving factor. I believe that it is essential for the history of Pittsburgh to be utilized, as it is one of the few American cities that “is what it is,” and doesn’t try to hide its past. Specifically the steel mill industry, and the rich culture that the steel workers had- a sense of unity because they were bound together the steel mills. Pittsburgh has such a powerful history and such interesting pockets of culture that in a thesis I believe it will be interesting to look at how progress and history can work hand in hand. This involves looking to improve the conditions of people in the present through increasing walkability, green space, and overall way of life, while at the same time retaining that sense of the past and how people retain a great deal of pride in the history of the region. This revitalization like the thesis will not be a linear process, but rather a cycle, with different levels of information working together towards a common goal.