About tHRED Institute
Advocating for history & heritage to be beneficial to everyday life:
the Historical Resource & Economic Development Institute
The Historical Resource & Economic Development (tHRED) Institute is envisioned to explore how historical and heritage resources can be used to guide the revitalization efforts of communities with a specific focus on historic site rich regions such as the Hudson Valley and Catskill regions.
The value of historical preservation to the success of urban revitalization is often difficult to articulate. In many ways, the fears that arise in regard to the term “gentrification” are the manifestation of the loss of generational memory as a community changes. There is a middle ground between the slow decay of institutions as they lose touch during times of urban flight, and the rapid loss of history as new populations rewrite the story during times of revitalization, and tHRED Institute believes that within this balance a community can honor the past and use it’s history to infuse a place with meaning for new populations. The Institute aims to keep the fabric of our communities together while encouraging new energy through surveying historical resources, finding ways to demonstrate the importance of history and heritage to revitalization efforts and leveraging practical applications or partnerships to improve economic conditions. In short, our urban centers must be interesting and inclusive if our communities are to thrive during times of challenging economic conditions.
Strategic goals and outcomes:
Advocating for history & heritage to be beneficial to everyday life:
the Historical Resource & Economic Development Institute
The Historical Resource & Economic Development (tHRED) Institute is envisioned to explore how historical and heritage resources can be used to guide the revitalization efforts of communities with a specific focus on historic site rich regions such as the Hudson Valley and Catskill regions.
The value of historical preservation to the success of urban revitalization is often difficult to articulate. In many ways, the fears that arise in regard to the term “gentrification” are the manifestation of the loss of generational memory as a community changes. There is a middle ground between the slow decay of institutions as they lose touch during times of urban flight, and the rapid loss of history as new populations rewrite the story during times of revitalization, and tHRED Institute believes that within this balance a community can honor the past and use it’s history to infuse a place with meaning for new populations. The Institute aims to keep the fabric of our communities together while encouraging new energy through surveying historical resources, finding ways to demonstrate the importance of history and heritage to revitalization efforts and leveraging practical applications or partnerships to improve economic conditions. In short, our urban centers must be interesting and inclusive if our communities are to thrive during times of challenging economic conditions.
Strategic goals and outcomes:
- Working with historical and heritage resources to place an emphasis on preservation of historic districts, welcoming revitalization efforts, and giving new arrivals a sense of belonging through historical awareness.
- Attracting heritage tourism dollars to downtowns and historic districts and bridging between historical attractions and tourism offices.
- Encouraging entry-level employment opportunities for neighborhood youth to build a sense of pride in their community’s heritage and help foster a heritage tourism market.
- Teaching historic preservation skills to homeowners and contractors so that locals are equipped with the skills needed to make the custom repairs needed to retain the historic character of a neighborhood.
- Retaining educated talent by transitioning academics to public history opportunities.
- Helping historical societies with strategic planning, in order to overcome hardships as they adapt their programming to new audiences (traditional audiences retiring and moving away, gentrifiers coming in from Brooklyn, non-English speaking emigration, etc.).
- Supporting the process of naturalization so that newly arriving residents form early attachments to historical institutions.
- Creating a bridge between present-day non-profits and similar membership clubs of the past (Newburgh Wheelmen, Newburgh Horse Thief Detecting Society, Beveridge Brewers Guild, etc.).