EPA -0329

Redesigning the Edge : 

Redesigning the Edge Prepared for Urban Rivers Conference March 29, 2007 City-State, The Urban Design Lab at RISD Center for Landscape Urbanism and Ecology Rhode Island Economic Policy Council With support from the National Endowment for the Arts

Discussion Areas : 

RISD Allens Avenue, Providence, RI Downtown, Pawtucket, RI Valley Falls, RI Farnumsville, MA East Providence, RI Millbury, MA Discussion Areas

Method : 

Method Offer a paradigmatic approach that optimizes ecological function, public access and urban occupation. Our aim is to identify issues and opportunities using specific sites but to apply the lessons from those sites more broadly. This is a conversation about overlapping land uses which must be negotiated through the section, especially at the water's edge.

Pawtucket : 

Pawtucket Pawtucket, RI

Pawtucket : 

Pawtucket Land Use Revitalization and redevelopment will reduce surface parking. Water Management Design for river flooding. Minimize additional surface water runoff into river by treating storm water across the site. Use existing the dam and mill race systems as part of management strategy. Habitat Habitat enhancement through edge diversification, fish ladders, etc. Public Access Access to and along the river and safe access out of the river corridor given the increasing recreational use. Public access along and down to the river

Landuse : 

Proposed Land Use Land Use Strategies 1. Mixed use mill redevelopment 2. Infill existing parking lots 1 2 Landuse

Edge Conditions : 

Proposed Edge Conditions Edge Strategies 1. Terrace water's edge to flood wall 2. Create plinths for buildings 3. Plan for parking to flood 4. Create new sheltered habitat 1 2 3 4 Edge Conditions

Water : 

Proposed Water Management Water Management Strategies 1. Integrate retention in new developments 2. Link to sluiceway for flood management 3. Use surface parking to infiltrate 1 2 3 Water

Slide 10: 

New Residential Dev Public Park/ing River walk Retention Pools Porous Area Constructed Marsh Section showing Upland Development & Change to Roosevelt Ave Parallel Parking Angled Parking Narrow Roosevelt Ave Constructed Peninsula Terraces up to Floodwall Section showing New Swales and Constructed Wetlands

Slide 11: 

Farnumsville, MA DAM MILL RACE

Farnumsville, MA : 

Farnumsville, MA Land Use Issues Provide sufficient parking required for revitalization without destroying the architectural character of the village. Encourage a mix of commercial & residential development to leverage the architecture of the mills and add economic diversity to the village. Water Management Issues Repair dam to maintain lo-flow river levels. Manage surface runoff. Polish waste water. Habitat Issues Trade habitat Public Access Provide access to viewing areas and recreational corridors. Connect to other mill towns by canoe, bike and scenic routes.

Proposed Land use : 

Ovw Proposed Land use Land Use Strategies 1. Mixed use mill redevelopment 2. Infill w/in village boundaries 3. Distribute parking w/in fabric

Proposed Edge Conditions : 

Proposed Edge Conditions Edge Strategies 1. Rebuild Dam 2. Flood Mill Pond 3. Create New Habitat Islands 4. Maintain Hard Edge at and below Mill 5. Naturalize banks throughout 1 2 3 4 5

F H2o : 

F H2o Proposed Water Management Water Management Strategies 1. Integrate surface treatment w/ parking 2. Install green roofs on mills 3. Add living machine to polish waste water 1 2 3

Slide 17: 

Street grade parking Mill access Riverwalk Infiltration Paved or hard pack Marsh Section looking to Mill Complex Riverwalk Dam Fish ladder Constructed Island Typical Section: Dam repair & Habitat re-creation

Slide 19: 

Providence, RI

Slide 20: 

SOFT RUBBLE EDGE STEEL BULKHEAD CAN YOU CREATE FUNCTIONAL POCKET MARSHES?

Slide 21: 

CAN YOU CREATE ENOUGH FRINGE MARSH TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE? CAN YOU MANAGE THE WATER COMING DOWN THE HILL?

Providence : 

Providence Land Use Issues Encourage high density development that needs water access. Design for flood and surge tides. Water Management Issues Manage water without infiltrating contaminated soils. Utilize the industrial edge for storm water filtration for the site and adjacent upland urban communities. Encourage storm water filtration through vegetated best practices and infiltration when compatible with brown field issues. Habitat Issues Enhance the benthic community and spartina fringe marsh. Establish new salt water/fresh water marsh complexes of a substantial enough size to enhance wild life habitat, water quality, etc. Public Access Provide access w/o jeopardizing safety.

Land Use : 

Land Use Proposed Land Use Land Use Strategies 1. Link commercial infill and water management to access paths 2. Encourage infill commercial 3. Site new marine industries using industrial ecology models 4. Accept and protect appropriate industrial uses 1 2 3 4

Edge Conditions : 

Edge Conditions Proposed Edge Conditions Edge Strategies 1. Encourage natural fringe marsh 2. Build artificial fringe marsh beyond bulkhead 3. Cut into existing bulkhead 4. Build pocket marshes and softer edges 5. Link new habitats 1 2 3 4

Water : 

Water Proposed Water Management Water Management Strategies 1. Distribute retention and detention areas 2. Don’t allow for infiltration on brownfield properties 3. Provide for onsite infiltration in new developments 4. Use constructed wetland systems 1 2 3 4

Slide 26: 

Capped contaminants Fringe marsh on sill Commercial / Industrial Public Access Piers Typical Edge Section: w/ Bulkhead Public Access Freshwater Zone Saltwater Zone Typical Edge Section: Porous Zones

95 : 

95 Polishing Wetland Native Phragmities Allans Ave Detention & Infiltration Original Bulkhead Cap Hotspots Shipping Channel Cascading Pools Eddy St Constructed Salt Marsh Benthic Community

Slide 28: 

One River Project Team Charlie Cannon, RISD Ariana McBride, RIEPC Margaret Lewis, RISD Colgate Searle, RISD Anne Tate, RISD Courtney Bragg, Arch Carolyn Campbell, LDAR Andrew Leibchen, Arch Erika Nishizato, GD Bryan Quinn, LDAR Leigh-Ann Razza, LDAR Clara Sims, GD John Wood, Brown Walter Zesk, Arch

Slide 29: 

Next Steps: April 12 & 13, 2007 Symposium Conley Wharf Building, Providence RI featuring Julie Bargman, University of Virginia Ann Breen, Waterfront Center

Situation : 

Situation

Process : 

Process

Pawtucket : 

Pawtucket

RIVERFRONT LOFTS : 

RIVERFRONT LOFTS VEGETATED HARD EDGE CITY HALL PARKING

Slide 35: 

CITY HALL ROOSEVELT AVENUE PARKING LOTS

Slide 36: 

RIP RAP WALL DAM FLOOD PLAIN @ 32'

WATER’S EDGE PARKING : 

CONLEY’S WHARF BLDG WATER’S EDGE PARKING

Slide 39: 

FLOOD WALL PUBLIC SERVICE PARKING TRANSITIONAL EDGE

Slide 40: 

CRUSHED STONE EDGE HARD CONCRETE PIER

Slide 41: 

HARD STREET FRONTAGE

Slide 42: 

MILL RACE MILLRACE ERODED EDGE

Farnumsville : 

Farnumsville

Slide 44: 

DAM MILL

Providence : 

Providence

Slide 47: 

CRUSHED STONE EDGE PERMEABLE SURFACE

TANK FARMS : 

CONLEY’S WHARF BLDG TANK FARMS I-95

Far-photos : 

Far-photos

Objective : 

Offer a paradigmatic approach that optimizes ecological function, public access and urban occupation. Objective

POTENTIAL PARKING : 

LOOKING SOUTH, BELOW BRIDGE AND ACCESS POTENTIAL PARKING

BEHIND THE MILL, ABOVE THE DAM : 

BEHIND THE MILL, ABOVE THE DAM WOULD YOU FLOOD THIS? HOW WOULD YOU PAVE IT?