Heritage tourism as an engine
for the post-industrial city
2024-- ongoing
Mentor: James Kitchin, MASS Design
CRIT Scholar is a research-based fellowship program funded by the AIA in partnership with several prominent architecture firms. The program supports student research and serves as an exclusive opportunity for students to receive further guidance in their own research. The long-term objective is to encourage students to be actively involved in furthering architectural innovation in support of the design profession through mentored research projects embedded in academia and practice.
Paterson, New Jersey, stands as a testament to America’s industrial ingenuity, with its legacy rooted in Alexander Hamilton’s vision for the first planned industrial city. Powered by the Great Falls and a sophisticated raceway system, Paterson became a city of immigrant mill workers, a hub for innovation commerce, and production. However, like many post-industrial cities, Paterson has faced decades of economic decline, deindustrialization, and urban disinvestment, leaving its historic mills and infrastructure underutilized and disconnected.
This project investigates how Paterson’s rich industrial heritage can serve as a foundation for its revitalization through heritage tourism and adaptive reuse. By focusing on the Historic District, the Great Falls National Park, and the city’s historic mills, the research explores strategies for reimagining these spaces as vibrant cultural and economic assets. My research focuses on how to reconnect fragmented urban areas, such as the Great Falls and the downtown historic district, and how to repurpose the mills as anchors for tourism, community engagement, and economic growth.
Drawing on lessons from successful revitalization efforts in other post-industrial cities, the project proposes sustainable solutions tailored to Paterson’s unique challenges and opportunities. These include creating accessible infrastructure, fostering community-led initiatives, and integrating the voices of Paterson’s diverse immigrant communities into its redevelopment plans.