Williams College Revitalization Plan

‘A River Runs Through It:

Reconnecting the North Branch of the Hoosic River and North Adams’ is a proposal to revitalize the North Branch of the Hoosic River in North Adams, Massachusetts. It was accomplished in conjunction with Hoosic River Revival as a part of Environmental Planning ENVI 302, a course offered at Williams College in Williamstown, MA. Through extensive research of North Adams and the flood chutes encapsulating the North Branch of the Hoosic River, this study identifies the potential for a river revitalization project in the area and proposes possible design strategies to reconnect North Adams to its concrete river. The project aims to update the city’s current flood control method to a long term, sustainable model integrating the community with the environment, transforming the North Branch of the Hoosic River into a community asset and a prime destination in the Berkshires.

Four Williams College students spent a semester addressing the history, geography, economics, and politics of restoring the River and came up with several recommendations. See what they found.