For over a century, industrial development has shaped Bridgeport through patterns of environmental and social injustice at the expense of low-income and minority communities, who were excluded from decisions and exposed to pollution. Now, with the planned demolition of Bridgeport Harbor Station Unit 3 (BHS-3) – again without community input – a new project seeks to break this cycle by creating a community-led relief centre.
Designed as both a daily resource and an emergency assembly point, the project reclaims the site through bioremediation and adaptive reuse. It centers on food infrastructure and temporary accommodation – two critical components for addressing ongoing inequality and responding to future crises. The relief centre provides access to fresh food, job training, and shelter, while empowering local residents through inclusive planning and skills-based workshops, ensuring that the transformation benefits those previously marginalized.
The goal is to create a model of ecological and social resilience that can be replicated elsewhere, particularly for brownfield sites, repairing past harm and building collective strength for the future.
