Orange, MA
Many towns in the Northeast saw their rise in the mid 1800s with large Industrial buildings and labor intensive factories. For easy access to utilities it was common to have these factories built along existing roads. However, cities and towns with rivers running through them, like Orange, found factories concentrated along the riverbanks- to take advantage of the water for waste. While large industries provided thousands of jobs, they also put thousands of employees out of work when they closed their doors. Whether they moved their businesses to another state or country or there was simply a shift in public demand and a change in the product market, a number of companies left their workers in need of jobs. Deindustrialization depressed numerous cities and towns in America by the early 2000s. To this day, loyal townspeople are still fighting to keep their homelands from indefinitely collapsing. For every success story there is another of failure; and while there is no universal answer that can rebuild every town, there are unique assets in each one that can catalyze revitalization.
Orange is a small town in Northern Massachusetts that reached its height of success, in terms of economic growth and development, in the 1880s. Many know the town to be where one of the first automobiles was manufactured and it was also home to the 2nd largest sewing machine manufacturer in the world. To our dismay, however, the growth in population went from a 51.6% increase in 1880 to a 2.8% increase in 2000. Though this steep decline was a threat to the future of the town, it has caused the residents of the area to rediscover their love for this place and it gave them a sense of urgency to protect their home.
Miller’s river, which exists so prominently in the center of town, had much potential to become a positive asset. After many federal and state efforts to clean and maintain the river, it now provides a beautiful ambiance. It runs its vivacious blue, through Orange’s downtown and is home to hundreds of tiger and rainbow trout. The boat house invites the residents and visitors to rent canoes, kayaks, rowing shells and stand-up paddle-boards during the summer. These outdoor activities, along with the many hiking trails in the Quabbin Woods, that bring families and friends together, also bring the town to life each year. Other recreational activities, such as skydiving, parachuting, and snowshoeing have become 21st century drivers of economic development in the town.
Another sector that can drive the revitalization of Orange is the Arts Sector. The area abounds with talented artists of every medium—from wood carvers, potters, musicians, dancers, actors, weavers and more. One of the initiatives town leaders and consultants have been considering is expanding arts and education opportunities, possibly bringing unique classes or arts training programs to Orange, and taking advantage of the significant artistic talent pool.
After the development of a master plan- Orange Downtown Revitalization Proposal– by Union Studio and reviewing several studies and proposals from UMass consultants, a small team offered its services to town administrators, with the goal to study different components of the Downtown Revitalization Plan and add new programs in Orange to add revitalization energy. They found particular interest in UMass’ proposal of designing an outdoor sculpture walk. The idea was further developed and solidified, renderings shown below.
To further nourish the area and build upon the notion of getting close to the river, this team also began looking at the possibility of expanding Memorial Park. Water Street interrupted the steady flow of greenery from reaching the border of the river. Cars speed up and down this short-cut, being anything but mindful of the few individuals walking in the park. Though this aspect of the proposal, which would permanently close down a street, may seem drastic, it would open a wide range of opportunity to design a lovely area for people to ride their bikes, sit on a bench or under a birch tree and read by the water, or to have a picnic.
The difficulty of executing these design ideas lies with the fact that there is a dependency on developers and entrepreneurs to realize the full potential of the area and invest in the vision. Nonetheless, this upcoming year is proving to be a positive one. With a growing number of volunteers and an increase in funded development projects, the revitalization of this beautiful downtown is starting to surface. Many individuals have shown interest in offering their services to be part of this active process, from lawyers to web designers. A powerful union between art and nature is becoming evident in this downtown and it is gathering momentum, fast.