Thesis: College of the Comunity

PREFACE

This thesis is going to examine ways of revitalizing a post-industrial city, Lynn, Massachusetts formerly known as the ladies shoe capital of the world. It is an impossibility to revitalize an entire downtown or solve social or economic problems through design alone, but by revitalizing a node in that downtown, we can hope to create a catalyst for an expanded revitalization along threads into the community. The reuse of the area will be the type that will reach out into the broader community. The thesis will focus on revitalizing the cultural and institutional districts of the city. More specifically, it is an expansion of the community college through an integration into the existing community fabric--creating “a COLLEGE OF THE COMMUNITY” that serves both the local students and the surrounding area.