Delray: A Case Study in Declining Immigrant Neighborhoods

Abstract

Immigrant neighborhoods are often industrial and when the production moves, the factory closes, or the city deindustrializes these communities lose their cultural density. These communities are the key for 2nd & 3rd generation Americans to connect with their culture. They are places where the language is widely spoken, the food is made, and the traditions are carried on. This thesis has produced a roadmap to helping these communities thrive. Delray is a community that has been almost completely dismantled by a city that annexed it. The roadmap includes historical understanding, interviews with past and present residents, new technologies, and strategic planning with a vision for the future.