Revitalizing a City by Commemorating the Past: A Museum of Industry and Waterfront Redevelopment in Norwich, CT

Abstract

In the 1800's, much of the social, cultural and economic identity of industrial towns was influenced by the contributions made from manufacturing mills. The "Golden Age" as the time is termed, introduced these mills that represented American energy and technology and initiated the prosperous growth of present day cities. At the turn of the 20th century, the expansion of industry during the Industrial Revolution transformed the demand of hydro-powered mills to coal fired steam mills, which instigated the decline of the economy associated with these mills. As a result, mills became delinquent, underutilized and forgotten as symbols in the American heritage. When the function and purpose of the mills transformed, so did the evolution of the city that was economically dependent on milled industry. This thesis is an investigation into the role of the mill and introduces a Museum of Industry and Waterfront Redevelopment for the purpose of revitalizing Hollyhock Island, an important place in Norwich by commemorating its industrial past. The site for this thesis is an island located in Norwich, CT formed by the Yantic River which was formerly occupied by the Falls Avenue Mill. The site's location is at the intersection between the historic district to the north and the commercial district to the south. These two sides, Downtown and Westside, represent the inequality that Norwich's economic stagnation endures. Evidence of this is illustrated in the historic downtown where buildings are becoming vacant and underutilized structures as the economic focus is diverted south to the commercial strip along West Main Street. This thesis will introduce a Museum of Industry (an adaptive re-use and new construction project) and the redevelopment of Hollyhock Island encompassing Norwich's harbor and waterfront. The purpose of this thesis is to define the role of the island as an interface between the two districts and identify the prominent location as a 'place' for leisure activity. The challenge to this thesis will be in the connections it makes both physically to the site and culturally to the local economy and the tourism industry.