Dynamic integration: Energizing the downtown core of Bangor, Maine through innovative program

This thesis examines the current condition of decay in social activity and vibrancy in urban centers. The investigation is focused on Bangor, Maine, recalling its history as a major port city in the nineteenth century that was degraded by urban renewal in the mid- twentieth century. The research highlights a variety of approaches taken by urban designers and architects to revitalize urban downtowns, both conventional and unique, from urban renewal to architectural spectacle. These approaches are utilized to determine a new method that will provide a foundation for studying varying programmatic innovations as a means to create social activity and energy in the downtown.