Naturally Curious: Restoring Community with Isabel Thornton

On this episode of Naturally Curious, host Bruce C. Bryan sits down with Isabel Thornton, the executive director of Restoration Housing, to discuss the intersection of historic preservation and the affordable housing crisis. They explore the creative mechanics of transforming blighted, boarded-up properties into high-quality rental units, emphasizing how tools like historic tax credits can breathe new life into communities affected by industrial loss. The conversation shifts to a major milestone for the organization: the adaptive reuse of an old Methodist church into Trinity Commons, a 15-unit independent living space specifically designed to help local seniors age in place. Thornton also shares her perspective on intentional organizational growth, the importance of cultivating a strict work-life balance for working mothers, and how the power of a single restoration project can ripplingly uplift an entire neighborhood.