Digital Commons Network^™

Forging Ahead: Towards An Arts Center In North Quabbin, Leonard Kendall, Stephen Meno

Center for Economic Development Technical Reports

This report is a feasibility study to assess the potential adaptive reuse of mill buildings in the North Quabbin region as a site for an arts education center that would specialize in large-scale sculpture fabrication. This report relies on interviews with experts and conducting case studies on similar instances of creative economy revitalization.

A Call To Arts: Integrating The Arts Into Downtown Orange, Ma, Leonard Kendall

Center for Economic Development Technical Reports

This report is an implementation plan for a demonstration project to integrate the arts into the economy of the town of Orange. It includes recommendations for the town to develop an arts-led economy as well as an arts chapter for the master plan. This is the last report in a series of three that have analyzed creative economic development strategies for the region.

Working Draft, The Mill And The Mill Town Pilot Feasibility Checklist: Redevelopment Of Once And Future Mill Sites, John R. Mullin, Erica Roper

Center for Economic Development Technical Reports

This checklist was designed by the University of Massachusetts Center for Economic Development to identify how prepared a town is to revitalize its Mill buildings and to help potential developer identify priorities and viable redevelopment sites. The high volume of abandoned mills in New England demonstrates the need for creative tools to serve as a preliminary filter for redevelopment opportunities.

Vermont Futures Project: Vermont Economic Indicators And Dashboard., Henry C. Renski

Center for Economic Development Technical Reports

http://www.vtfuturesproject.org/vermont-economic-snapshot/
Statistical data compendium website with narrative.
Prepared on Behalf of the Vermont Futures Foundation.

Mastering Mills: Recommendations For Planning Massachusetts Mill Communities, Angelica Carey, Madison M. Burke, Alexandra 'Ola' Smialek, Margaret Palmer

Center for Economic Development Technical Reports

This paper provides specific recommendations that have been prioritized in an effort to influence state policy that will positively support mill revitalization.

Municipal Guidance For Flood Emergencies In Vermont, Deborah Shriver & Windham County

Water Publications

This is a guide to provide guidance to Vermont rural communities in the Deerfield River watershed to prepare and recover from devastating floods.

Municipal Guidance For Flood Emergencies: Franklin And Berkshire Counties, Massachusetts, Deborah Shriver

Water Publications

This is a guide for rural municipalities in the Deerfield River watershed in Massachusetts about what to do to prepare and recover from devastating floods.

Urban Redevelopment And Gentrification: How Will Hartford's Downtown North / Downtown West Master Plan Affect The Adjacent Neighborhoods?, Jesse Regnier

Landscape Architecture & Regional Planning Masters Projects

The purpose of this project is to determine the impact of a redevelopment master plan on the existing population surrounding the project area. In the Spring of 2014, the City of Hartford, Connecticut and Utile prepared a redevelopment Master Plan for a portion of their downtown titled "Downtown North / Downtown West: A Plan for the City of Hartford". The Downtown North (DoNo) section of the plan area consists of vacant lots, parking lots, and underutilized properties, many city-owned, which appear prime for redevelopment. My research questions and analysis focus on the housing portion of this Master Plan in the …

Public Consultations On Undergrounding Power Lines For Downtown Revitalization: The Cases Of Pleasant Street In Northampton, Ma And Main Street In Medfield, Ma, Noam Goldstein

Landscape Architecture & Regional Planning Masters Projects

This research is about a particular form installation of electric cables known as Undergrounding. The term undergrounding is associated to the fact that this type of infrastructural installation consists in burying the power lines beneath the surface instead of leaving these cables hanging on top of poles that are spread throughout the landscape.

Syllabus: Introduction To Permaculture, Lisa Depiano

Sustainability Education Resources

The Permaculture Design Course is a three-credit course that offers students a foundation in permaculture history, ethics, principles, design process, and practical applications. The framework behind the theory and practice of permaculture is rooted in the observation of natural systems. By observing key ecological relationships, we can mimic and apply these beneficial relationships in the design of systems that serve humans while helping to restore the natural world. This course trains students as critical thinkers, observers, and analysts of the world(s) around them, and then goes on to provide students with the tools needed to design for inspired and positive …

A Model Ecotourism Master Plan Chapter For Rural Massachusetts Communities: A Case Study Of Hardwick, Ma, Sarah Lang, Madison Burke

Center for Economic Development Technical Reports

The primary purpose of this project is to create a model chapter on ecotourism to better leverage the available natural resources within rural towns (under 50,000 population) in MA as an economic development strategy.

Long-Term Population Projections For Massachusetts Regions And Municipalities, Henry C. Renski, Susan Strate, Daniel Hodge, William Proulx, Katherine Paik, Steffen Herter

Center for Economic Development Technical Reports

No abstract provided.

Mapping Access To Fresh Produce, Fish And Shellfish At A Local Level Using A Mixed - Method Community Food Assessment Approach: A Case Study - St. Helena Island, South Carolina, Pedro-Miguel Soto

Landscape Architecture & Regional Planning Masters Projects

This report is a summary of a community food assessment (CFA) conducted over the course of five field survey trips to St. Helena Island, South Carolina, from December 2011 to July 2013. The goal of this CFA was to understand community characteristics related to the distribution and consumption of fresh produce, fish and shellfish. The method used for this CFA is composed of three parts, (1) spatial analysis using Geographic Information System (GIS) data (2) a community food assessment survey focused on where residents obtain their food and (3) ethnographic interviews with local growers, subsistence farmers and consumers. Applying this …

Reemergence Of The 21st Century Massachusetts Gateway City: The Role Of Commuter Rail Connectivity In Improving Employment Opportunity And Access, John A. Rosa

Landscape Architecture & Regional Planning Masters Projects

The South Coast Rail is a proposed transit infrastructure upgrade project that is intended to provide affordable Commuter Rail connectivity from Boston, Massachusetts to the South Coast Region communities of Fall River, New Bedford, and Taunton. State and regional policy makers have debated the practicality of this project over the last 25 years while the estimated project cost reached $2.2 billion in 2013. The most fundamental benefit of this proposed project is improved economic stability in the South Coast Region in the form of increased access to employment opportunities, local industrial development, and expanded municipal tax revenue.

Increasingly, public transit …

Preserving Project-Based Section 8 Within Tight Rental Markets In New England, Megan K. Reagon

Landscape Architecture & Regional Planning Masters Projects

In New England alone, 57, 508 privately owned, affordable housing units, otherwise known as project-based Section 8, are at risk of converting to market rate housing by 2017. Even though community-based organizations and active residents, in conjunction with local governments, are utilizing federal and state preservation tools, these units are still at risk due to market pressures and administrative burdens.

With proper policy intervention, expired Section 8 contracts, and future expiring contracts, may sustain a reasonable level of affordability. This study assesses the on-going affordability of recently expired Section 8 units within New England. With a broader definition of affordability, …

Creative Placemaking: A Case Study Exploration Of How Creative Economy Strategies Can Provide Potential Opportunities For Revitalization In Downtown Chicopee, Ma, Laura Selmani

Landscape Architecture & Regional Planning Masters Projects

Chicopee, a former industrial center in western Massachusetts, is experiencing a stagnant economy, high vacancy and a steady loss of population. City of Chicopee wants to increase downtown visibility and bolster its economy by attracting in the area people constituent of creative class. This research represents an attempt to identify creative strategies to develop the neglected downtown of Chicopee. After more than a century of economic blight, vacancy and declining population, the city wants to research and exploit the potential of arts and culture as means to a physical, social and economic revivification of its downtown.

A key aim of …

An Implementation Study Of A Business Improvement District For Davis Square In Somerville, Massachusetts, Alexander Casey Mello

Landscape Architecture & Regional Planning Masters Projects

The purpose of this Master's project is to research how a business improvement district (BID) could be implemented in the Davis Square commercial district of Somerville, Massachusetts. An assessment of Davis Square has been conducted through a collaborative effort between planning staff in Somerville's Mayor's Office of Strategic Planning and Community Development (OSPCD) and neighborhood stakeholders to identify key issues in the area. This project uses case study examples to understand the types of improvements and services that BIDs in neighborhoods similar to Davis Square provide. Furthermore, case study examples provide information regarding assessment methods and services provided by pertinent …

A Gis Multi-Criteria Evaluation For Identifying Priority Industrial Land In Five Connecticut Cities, Mark Berube

Landscape Architecture & Regional Planning Masters Projects

Rising land values, environmental regulations, lack of investment, and a declining industrial economy greatly threaten the existence of industrial land. Therefore, the purpose of this project is to establish where priority industrial districts are located within five Connecticut cities through the implementation of a GIS weighted multi-criteria evaluation. This tool applies various constraints and factors critical to industrial location and business investment. In addition to identifying suitable industrial districts, a tax base analysis assesses the overall value of industrial land within each community and an employment outlook measures future job growth for Connecticut Workforce Investment Areas. The overall goal of …

Preserving The New England Mill Town: Encouraging Adaptive Re-Use By Identifying Community Factors That Contribute To Success In Mill Revitalization Districts, Sarah A. Spencer

Landscape Architecture & Regional Planning Masters Projects

Mill Revitalization Districts have the ability to generate new vitality in some of the nation's oldest communities. When efficacious, these districts promote economic development, community beautification, and environmental health. However, when attempts at redevelopment fail they leave ugly scars in the form of decaying buildings and underutilized resources. Monetary investment and intent to improve a community are two factors that by themselves, will not preserve a mill complex or benefit a city. The first Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recognized districts in the early 2000s showed signs of varying success; there was a missing catalyst besides monetary investment. In fact, it …

A Profile Of Advanced Manufacturing In The Cape And Islands Region: Key Industry And Occupational Trends, Henry C. Renski, Ryan Wallace

Center for Economic Development Technical Reports

This report provides a detailed examination of Advanced Manufacturing in the Cape and Islands region. This report is part of an eight-part series, each focusing on different areas of the Commonwealth. It examines recent employment and earnings trends; analyzes key occupations in Advanced Manufacturing’s sub-sectors, looking for common labor needs and comparing wages to similar workers in other industries; identifies the most common and critical skills needed by employers; and offers a detailed demographic profile of Advanced Manufacturing to highlight areas of critical concern for the future health of the industry.

The Advanced Manufacturing sector has an almost negligible presence …

A Profile Of Advanced Manufacturing In The Central Region: Key Industry And Occupational Trends, Henry C. Renski, Ryan Wallace

Center for Economic Development Technical Reports

This report provides a detailed examination of Advanced Manufacturing in the Central region. This report is part of an eight-part series, each focusing on different areas of the Commonwealth. It examines recent employment and earnings trends; analyzes key occupations in Advanced Manufacturing’s subsectors, looking for common labor needs and comparing wages to similar workers in other industries; identifies the most common and critical skills needed by employers; and offers a detailed demographic profile of Advanced Manufacturing to highlight areas of critical concern for the future health of the industry.

Advanced Manufacturing is a particularly vital component of the Central region’s …

A Profile Of Advanced Manufacturing In The Northeast Region: Key Industry And Occupational Trends, Henry C. Renski, Ryan Wallace

Center for Economic Development Technical Reports

This report provides a detailed examination of Advanced Manufacturing in the Northeast region. This re-port is part of an eight-part series, each focusing on different areas of the Commonwealth. It examines re-cent employment and earnings trends; analyzes key occupations in Advanced Manufacturing’s subsectors, looking for common labor needs and comparing wages to similar workers in other industries; identifies the most common and critical skills needed by employers; and offers a detailed demographic profile of Advanced Manufacturing to highlight areas of critical concern for the future health of the industry.

More people in the Northeast work in Advanced Manufacturing than in …

A Profile Of Advanced Manufacturing In The Boston/Metrowest Region:Key Industry And Occupational Trends, Henry C. Renski, Ryan Wallace

Center for Economic Development Technical Reports

This report provides a detailed examination of Advanced Manufacturing in the Boston/MetroWest region. It is part of an eight-part series, each focusing on different areas of the Commonwealth. It examines recent employment and earnings trends; analyzes key occupations in Advanced Manufacturing’s subsectors, looking for common labor needs and comparing wages to similar workers in other industries; identifies the most common and critical skills needed by employers; and offers a detailed demographic profile of Advanced Manufacturing to highlight areas of critical concern for the future health of the industry.

With nearly 50,000 workers and over 1,000 businesses, the Boston/MetroWest region’s Advanced …

A Profile Of Advanced Manufacturing In The Pioneer Valley Region: Key Industry And Occupational Trends, Henry C. Renski, Ryan Wallace

Center for Economic Development Technical Reports

This report provides a detailed examination of Advanced Manufacturing in the Pioneer Valley. This report is part of an eight-part series, each focusing on different areas of the Commonwealth. It examines recent employment and earnings trends; analyzes key occupations in Advanced Manufacturing’s subsectors, looking for common labor needs and comparing wages to similar workers in other industries; identifies the most common and critical skills needed by employers; and offers a detailed demographic profile of Advanced Manufacturing to highlight areas of critical concern for the future health of the industry.

With over 600 businesses and 22,000 employers, Advanced Manufacturing accounts for …

A Profile Of Advanced Manufacturing In The Southeast Region: Key Industry And Occupational Trends, Henry C. Renski, Ryan Wallace

Center for Economic Development Technical Reports

This report provides a detailed examination of Advanced Manufacturing in the Southeast region. This re-port is part of an eight-part series, each focusing on different areas of the Commonwealth. It examines recent employment and earnings trends; analyzes key occupations in Advanced Manufacturing’s subsectors, looking for common labor needs and comparing wages to similar workers in other industries; identifies the most common and critical skills needed by employers; and offers a detailed demographic profile of Advanced Manufacturing to highlight areas of critical concern for the future health of the industry.

With nearly 30,000 workers and over 1,000 businesses, the Southeast region’s …

A Profile Of Advanced Manufacturing In The Berkshire Region:Key Industry And Occupational Trends, Henry C. Renski, Ryan D. Wallace

Center for Economic Development Technical Reports

This report provides a detailed examination of Advanced Manufacturing in the Berkshire region. This re- port is part of an eight-part series, each focusing on different areas of the Commonwealth. It examines re- cent employment and earnings trends; analyzes key occupations in Advanced Manufacturing’s subsectors, looking for common labor needs and comparing wages to similar workers in other industries; identifies the most common and critical skills needed by employers; and offers a detailed demographic profile of Advanced Manufacturing to highlight areas of critical concern for the future health of the industry.

The Advanced Manufacturing sector in the Berkshires is the …

Gleasondale Village Revitalization Plan - Phase Iii, John Mullin, Frank Sleegers, Joseph Krupczynski, Alexander Train, Ben Perrett, Joseph Lairco, Tharyn Nein-Large, Andrew Duncan, Francis Goyes, Mark Berube, Jay Rosa, Tara Gehring, Allyson Manuel, Alexander Mello

Center for Economic Development Technical Reports

No abstract provided.

Inside And Outside The Lines: The Socio-Ecological Differences Of Landscape Conservation Partnerships And Their Surrounding Regions, Somaye Garmroudi Dovirani

Landscape Architecture & Regional Planning Masters Projects

This study examines the socio-ecological criteria forming physical boundaries of regional conservation partnerships and the differences between outside and inside the boundaries. The purpose of this study is to first of all know more about the existing condition of regional partnerships' boundaries, and to seek a method to maximize the efficiency of regional partnership goals to conserve more land. Using a patch-and-corridor matrix ecological model to proves to allow for stronger conservation plans than the existing more opportunity-driven approach currently taken by RCPs.

Partnership Refuges: The Future Of The National Wildlife Refuge System? A Case Study Of Mashpee National Wildlife Refuge, Massachusetts, Margaret Catherine Engesser

Landscape Architecture & Regional Planning Masters Projects

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service works with partners to carryout management activities and events on national wildlife refuges. Partnerships provide financial and conservation management assistance for refuges and allow the Service to expand its breadth of influence to different agencies and organizations nationwide. As partnerships become a more valuable tool utilized by refuges, the Service should consider establishing partnership-based refuges, in which the refuge is owned by multiple organizations and not solely by the Service. This Master of Regional Planning Project evaluates one of the first partnership refuges, Mashpee National Wildlife Refuge, located on Cape Cod, Massachusetts. Through the …

A Mill Town's Downtown: Assessing The Needs Of Ware's Main Street, Christina E. Mills

Landscape Architecture & Regional Planning Masters Projects

At the heart of every city and town is a downtown and a Main Street that not only serves as an economic engine, but defines the community, reflects its values, and acts as a living barometer of the state of the town. Downtown Economic Development is an essential component of any community's plan for prosperity and growth.

A once thriving mill town with a robust manufacturing industry, Ware Massachusetts is a bedroom community that today is made up of many industries, none of which present an obvious symbol or unifying identity for Ware the way manufacturing once did. That reality …