MADE IN NYC: The Reinvention of Local Manufacturing
Taught by Inna Guzenfeld
Inna Guzenfeld is a planner and urban historian trained at Pratt Institute. She emigrated from the Ukraine in the nineties and grew up on the Coney Island peninsula. Her work centers on the New York waterfront, where she documents and advocates the city’s maritime past. She can often be found traversing Brooklyn’s industrial landscapes in search of stories and artifacts. She also teaches historic preservation and urban studies at CUNY.
For decades, American and urban manufacturing charted a steep decline, a byproduct of globalization and outsourcing. Today, however, manufacturing is returning to our shores and entering a renaissance in major cities.
Contemporary manufacturing in New York City has been redefined by a new class of young, energetic and entrepreneurial artists, artisans and small producers. However, industry in New York and especially in Brooklyn must contend with the perennial challenges of gentrification, rezoning and development.
Come learn about what's being made in NYC today and what you can do to support local manufacturing. We'll cover industrial policy, business incubators, R&D, hybrid manufacturing, and the craft food movement, among other highlights.
This class examines public policy and current trends; if you're looking for specific resources for making your own products in New York, check out Maker's Row.
