LA4010 Fall 2010 P.

Trowbridge Leigh McGonagle

Right Sizing Buffalo

[1] + [2] = [3]

Table of Contents
Introduction ............................................................................................................................. 3 - Photo Essay of Buffalo Neighborhood Energy Centers Neighborhood Analysis Neighborhood Spine Right-Sizing Strategies Smart Development Strategy ................................................................................ 9 - Plan & Programming - Phasing - Smart Growth - Perspective: Ellicot/Best Street Green Infrastructure Strategy ..............................................................................14 - Plan & Programming - Phasing - Green Infrastructure in Buffalo - Green Infrastructure Practices - Perspective: Constructed Wetlands Smart Development & Green Strategy .............................................................. 20 - Plan & Programming - Phasing - Cultural Corridor - Perspective: Dodge Street Community Center Conclusion .............................................................................................................. 25 Appendix ................................................................................................................................. 25 - Housing Typologies - Form-based Zoning/Case Studies - Buffalo Stormwater: Summary of Nagowskis Thesis - Grey-to-Green References ............................................................................................................................... 36

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Site Context:
History of the Queen City Originating around 1789 as a small trading community near the eponymous Buffalo Creek, Buffalo grew quickly after the opening of the Erie Canal in 1825, with the city as its western terminus. By 1900, Buffalo was the 8th largest city in the country, and went on to become a major railroad hub, the largest grain-milling center in the country, and the home of the largest steel-making operation in the world. The latter part of the 20th Century saw a reversal of fortunes: Great Lakes shipping was rerouted by the opening of the St. Lawrence Seaway, and steel mills and other heavy industry relocated to places such as China. With the start of Amtrak in the 1970s, Buffalo Central Terminal was also abandoned, and trains were rerouted to nearby Depew, New York (Buffalo-Depew) and Exchange Street Station. By 1990 the city had fallen back below its 1900 population levels; however, the city covers a small land area of 40.6 sq mi (105 km2) relative to most top 50 metropolitan areas in the United States. Today, the regions largest economic sectors are health care and education, and these continue to grow despite the lagging national and worldwide economies. This growth has been maintained, in part, by major expansions of the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus and the University at Buffalo. The retail sector of the economy is strong with additional revenue from Canadian shoppers who wish to take advantage of the weak American Dollar. A recent study showed that Buffalos June 2010 unemployment rate of 7.7% is lower than both the New York State and national averages.

Midtown is ideally positioned for future investment. Its historic residential and commercial building stock, composed of a late nineteenth and early twentieth centry styles is comparable to the best neighborhoods in Buffalo. This strenghthens the neighborhoods ability to create retail-supporting densities, provide a walkable and uniquely urban atmosphere, invite new investment, and improve the quality of life for neighborhood residents. A neighborhood once distinguished by its jazz clubs, automobile manufacturers and showrooms, and comfortable urban streetscapes. Midtown exuded a concrete identity and sense of place that could be resurrected and reinvigorated by the citys renewal efforts.

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McGonagle, L

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Neighborhood Energy Centers

[1] UB 2020 This campus expansion will greatly effect the mid-city neighborhood both in terms of job opportunities, related medical professionals that will relocate as well as the food and retail that comes with such a hub of activity. [2] Education City Honors High School has a strong reputation and would be better served with a safe neighborhood for students to travel near Educational Opportunity Center will serve both the UB campus as well as the surrounding community to provide skills training and a secondary education opportunity to the neighborhood [3] Transportation Buffalos subway system no longer serves the city as it was intended. New alternatives for safe, reliable and cheap transportation should be made available. [4] Economics Without variety of both skilled and unskilled job markets there is little opportunity for the residents of the mid-city neighborhood to work locally to home. [5] Development Opportunity With the UB downtown campus expansion and the medical and research institution so close at hand there will have to be some anticipated fallout for the neighborhood to control the development sprawl. [6] Green Links within Buffalo There is a very strong network of boulevards, greenways and the Olmsted Parkway system that holds the core of the city together with the Ellicot Plan which radiates from downtown. There are many opportunities to connect the Mid-City Neighborhood with some of these systems. Strengths: - UB 2020 Expansion - Neighborhood block clubs - Community Groups - Masten Park - Active self-help programs - Educational Opportunity Center Weaknesses: - Separation from West side of Main Street - Underutilized transportation system - Derelict neighborhoods - Vacant land - No distinct neighborhood identity - No strong job force Opportunities: - Connect to UB2020 plans - Use vacant land for land-banking - Green Infrastructure - Offline roads, less maintenance - Create neighborhood partnerships Threats: - Political support, bias to downtown - Little control of large development - Lack of community engagement - NYS funds to offset costs, create incentives - Bad reptuation, unsafe neighborhood - Educated children leaving the area - Suburban homes in urban environment

Artspace Apartments Community Center Homespace Methodist Church Subway/Metro Station Belmont Shelter Second Chance Masten Park

City Honors High School

National Guard

UB 2020 Downtown Campus Expansion Project

Multi-Family/Apartments Medical/Research Institute Religious/Education Transportation Educational Opportunity Center Green Space 500 ft

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Neighborhood Analysis
Housing
NORTHAMPTON ST.
12%
NORTHAMPTON ST.

This area is made up of primarily single and two-family homes. Only 12% of the neighborhood is multi-family

47%

41%
COE ST.
SOUTHAMPTON ST.

MICHIGAN AVE.

TREET

COE ST.
MICHIGAN AVE.

SOUTHAMPTON ST.

TREET

MAIN S

DODGE ST.

EDNA PL.

Vacant City, 27% Vacant Private, 14% 2 Family, 26% 2 Family, 23% Multi-Family, 6% Religious/Civic, 2% Warehouse, 1% Inn/Lodge, .5% Commercial, .5%

MASTEN AVE.

apartment style housing. With the addition of UB2020 and Roswell Cancer Center, this neighborhood has the potential to support much more rental and affordable housing units.

ELLIC OT ST .

2 Family 1 family Multi-Family

MAIN S

or

DODGE ST.

EDNA PL.

BEST STREET

500 ft

BEST STREET

Vacancy
This area has one of the highest
41% 59%
COE ST.
SOUTHAMPTON ST. NORTHAMPTON ST.

MICHIGAN AVE.

TREET

500 ft

This corner of the Mid-City/Masten Neighborhood has many assets already inherant in the site. This analysis looks at some of the major features that will effect the design process, namely housing typologies, vacancy and current green spaces in the area. In addition there are a number of cultural and civic features that are located in this south-west corner of the focus area. The churches, shelter, Artspace Lofts, Homespace and an old community center are all great opportunities to create a solid connection in the neighborhood. Although this site is being analyzed in a smaller set of blocks, it has similar features with the rest of the midtown neighborhood. The analysis has general implications that can be informative about the rest of Mid-City.

Table 4-1: City / Mid City Focus Area Comparison

Attributes Total Area Total Vacant Land Percentage Vacant City-owned Vacant Land In rem Properties Sites of Demolition Activity Total Housing Units (2000) Vacant Housing Units (2000) Percentage Vacant (2000) Public Green Space Green Space Per 1000 People Population (2000) Educational Attainment (25+ years w/ HS diploma, 2000) Unemployment Rate (2000) Poverty Level (2000) Transportation to Work Car/Truck/Van (2000) Buffalo 26,072 acres 3,222 acres 12% 657 acres 4,488 1,536 145,574 22,854 16% 1,459 acres 5 acres 292,648 75% 13% 27% 80% Focus Area 1,000 acres 158 acres 16% 68 acres 334 109 7,894 1,615 20% 81 acres 5 acres 15,903 68% 24% 27% 69%

rest of the neighborhood, and fosters an unsafe environment. With such a heavy infrastructure cost being spread across the remaining poplulation, this rate of

MAIN S

Vacant Occupied

DODGE ST.

EDNA PL.

BEST STREET

to the neighborhood.
500 ft

vacancy is a threat

Green Space
Most of the neighborhood is built infrastructure; roads, sidewalks, and houses in various states of occupancy. The rest of the neighborhoods vacant land accounts for over 32% of the areas green space. For this area specifically, the blocks are made of from 0-43% green space, with the area very close to 30%
32% 68%
COE ST.
SOUTHAMPTON ST. NORTHAMPTON ST.

MICHIGAN AVE.

TREET

MAIN S

Open Green Space Built Environment

DODGE ST.

EDNA PL.

Data Source: City of Buffalo MIS and 2000 US Census <www.census.gov>

BEST STREET

green space.
500 ft

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MASTEN AVE.

ELLIC OT ST .

MASTEN AVE.

ELLIC OT ST .

vacancy density, upwards of 41%. This is a burden on the

MASTEN AVE.

ELLIC OT ST .

Neighborhood Spine Concept

The UB2020 Master Plan included a model for how to develop itself through the heart of the current medical center near the Buffalo General Hospital. At the plans core is creating a Campus Address which focuses development along Ellicot Street and extending outward to the east and west. There are neighborhood links created and a secondary goal of a green linear parkway core. All of my proposals seek to add to the UB2020 energy and the simplest way to do this is through an extension of the current planning. I propose to extend the linear park north into the Mid-City neighborhood and focusing density of medical offices along Ellicot. This allows a natural continuation of the medical campus itself as well as creates a stronger connection with Main Street at the terminus of Ellicot Street. Expanding the Mid-City area east and west of Ellicot is a simple gesture but one that could be realized over the course of the next 20 years. It is with this vision that all of the concepts have a phasing component to them, showing how the development could occur over time. Extending the green corridor and allowing for the neighborhood streets to become more green and developing the edges of the blocks, the whole neighborhood becomes safer and more knit into the framework of the city of Buffalo.
ANNOTATED ILLUSTRATIVE PLAN
N 0 500 FT.

Best Street
N3 N5 N4

N3

N3

N3

E North Street
N7

Connect to the community Create institutional density along Ellicott Street

Research Institute on Addictions

N8

N2

Goodrich Street

N3

N3

Buffalo General Hospital

N4

High Street

Main

Allen Street

Carlton Street
reet Elm St

NYS Center of Excellence in Bioinformatics and Life Sciences

reet t Stre et

Washi ng

Ellicot

Virginia Street

ton St

N11

N13 N18

N6

N12

Street

N16

N14

N9

N Oak

UB Downtown Gateway
N1

N17

N19

N15

R1 N10

Goode

ll Stre

et

Michi

gan Av

enue

Roswell Park Cancer Institute Hospital

Transition to neighborhood scale

Street

E Tupp

er St

reet

Transition to neighborhood scale Connect to the community

d d re s s

Connect to the community

Cr e a t

Mid-City needs to build on the UB2020 central core and add creative design practices like form-based zoning, smart growth and green infrastructure to sustain its future.

e a co

mmo

n c am

p us a

Create institutional density along Ellicott Street

Connect to the community Create a major new park

Restore the street grid

Transition to neighborhood scale

500 ft

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Right-Sizing Strategies

[1] + [2] = [3]

Goal:

An addative stragegy allows each of the first two strategies to work completely, and independant of each other, while fostering a stronger solution when the two strategies are combined. The layering of complex systems makes the overall proposal stronger as it responds more completely to the needs of the mid-city neighborhood.

Encourage Right-Sizing Development in Mid-City Neighborhoods

[PRIMARY OPBJECTIVES]
- Maintain character & identity, foster walkable neighborhood - Reduce tax burden - Stimulate economy & create jobs

[SECONDARY OPBJECTIVES]
- quality of life - revitalize neighborhood - increase land value/ownership - soft development - foster community partnerships

[1] Smart Development - mixed commercial/office and rentable residential - enhance Best/Main Street connection - Influenced by UB 2020 - Connect neighborhood with Main Street - Develop along Ellicot Street - Medical/Office Corridor

[2] Green Infrastructure - Connect Olmsted/Ellicot Park & Parkway System - Stormwater System - Key intersections as Parks - Main Street as a Boulevard - Best St connections to MLK Park

[3] Development + Green Infrastructure - Multi-layered spaces - mixed use buildings - smart development - green infrastructure practices - stablize neighborhood - reduce costs & increase value - green streets - job creation -green industry

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[1] + [2] = [3]

[1] Form Based Zoning/Smart Growth

- mixed commercial/office and rentable residential - enhance Best/Main Street connection - Influenced by UB 2020 - Connect neighborhood with Main Street - Develop along Ellicot Street - Medical/Office Corridor

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[1] Development Strategy

- Adresses safety in neighborhoods by creating dense, occupied housing along the edges of streets - Consolidates green space for land-banking, neighborhood gardens or shared green space serving to create an immediate sense of identity and ownership for residents - Creates an opportunity to offline roads like Edna Place and Southampton which relieves some of the infrastructure costs that the city uses to maintain these roads. An incentive to the homeowner might be a taxbreak for the first 5 years if they relocate their house to one of the vacant edge properties.

Northampton

Southampton

Street

Ellicot Street

Michigan

- Continues to build on Ellicot Street as a main corridor for medical offices and small businesses - Emphasizes through traffic moving North/South and residential streets with traffic calming measures like raised intersections for the East/West traffic

Program Elements: - Offices along Ellicot/Best - Retail/Commercial proposed along Main Street - Consolidated Green Space (Neighborhood Greens) - Continue Linear Park along Ellicot - Soft Infil Development (residential) - Parking off-street, behind buildings or in parking garage on Best Street - Partner programs with EOC for local community education and outreach programs - HomeSpace & Belmont Shelter as teaching spaces, community programming - Block-Club organizations, foster involvement and cohesive planning for the future

Main

Dodge Street

Edna Place

Best Street

Masten

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[1] Development Strategy: Phasing

Current Neighborhood with UB2020 Proposal

Phase 1: Concentrated Development on Ellicot

- Develop office building and parking garage at Best/Ellicot - Consolidate vacancies along best, start developing as small business, medical offices - Complete Artspace development - Start relocating homes (1-2/yr in each block), focusing on the blocks nearest development - Continue UB2020 Linear Park along Ellicot

Phase 2: Cont. Ellicot, Develop Neighborhood Core

- Consolidate green space, develop first neighborhood park space - Consolidate/start developing on the East side of Ellicot for offices/ services - Continue consolidating inner core houses - Offline section of Edna Place - Start applying Green Street Practices

Phase 3: Complete Neighborhood Core, Green Street

- Develop second neighborhood park - Complete development along Ellicot - Offline section of Southampton - Concentrate efforts on relocating last of inner core homes from last two blocks between Michigan and Masten

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[10] Principles of Smart Growth

Northa Northampton Northampton tham o

[1] Mix Land Uses Mixing land uses such as homes, jobs and shops benefits cultural, economic and social vitality. When such uses are in proximity, walking, biking and transit are viable; streets are vibrant, property values rise. [2] Compact Building Design By mixing uses and encouraging development to grow more densely, communities reduce the footprint of new construction, reduce stormwater runoff and preserve open space.
Maste Masten

[6] Preserve Open Space Open space preservation protects air quality, water resouces and habitats; provides recreational areas for the community; and presents fiscal benefits such as increasing local property value. [7] Strengthen Development Inward Directing development towards existing commnities already served by infrastructure utilizes the resources that existing neighborhoods offer and conserves open space and natural resources. [8] Provide Transportation Choices Development that makes it easy for people to walk, bike, or use transit to reach their destination allows them to spend less time in traffic, reduces pollution, and enhances mobility for people of all ages. [9] Make Decisions Fair & Cost Effective The smart growth development proces can require time-consuming and costly variances. State and local governments can support better development by making planning, permitting and approval decisions more fair and predictable for developers. [10] Encourage Stakeholder Collaboration Community and stakeholder collaboration leads to creative, faster resolution of development issues and stresses the importance of good planning and investment.

[7] [3] [6]

Street
Ellicot Street
Southampto Southampton hamp on pt
[10]

Main

Dodg Dodg St e t Dodge Street

Mic ig n Michigan igan

[2]

[8] [1] [5]

Best tree Best Street tree eet

[9]

Edna ace Edna lace Edna Place

[3] Create Housing Choices & Opportunities A range of housing types provides opportunities for families, empty nesters, singles, and permits more efficient use of infrastructure resources, and ensures a better job-housing balance. [4] Create Walkable Neighborhoods Walkable communities provide goods (food, clothing, housewares) and services (checkups, haircuts) within an easy, safe walk. They create a streetscape that serves a range of users. [5] Foster Distinctive Communities, Placemaking Communities that craft a vision for the development of architecture, streetscapes and landscapes are reflecting their own values, thereby distinguishing their community from others.

[4]

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Best Street @ Ellicot St: Best as Bridge Between communities

- Best serves as an edge to the UB2020 proposal and the Mid-City neighborhood, could be used as a link rather than a barrier in these two disseparate communities - New Greenway connection to Olmsted Parkway System via Main Street, Masten Park and MLK Jr. Park - Green Median - removing a parking lane close to the Medical Campus to create a green median which is in keeping with a boulevard - Bike Lane - emphasis on pedestrian safety and multi-modal transportation - Development on both sides of the street - Medical Offices - 2-3 stories, temporary revamps of rental units until adjacent lots can be purchased and developed - UB Campus - suggested mass of 6 stories, this is out of scale with the neighborhood and needs a transition building of a maximum of 4 floors as to step down into the neighborhood

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[1] + [2] = [3]

[2] Green Infrastructure

- Connect Olmsted/Ellicot Park & Parkway System - Stormwater System - Key intersections as Parks - Main Street as a Boulevard - Best St connections to MLK Park

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[2] Green Infrastructure Strategy

This strategy the focus is more neighborhood-centric, looking at the green spaces, opportunities to manage stormwater on site as well as creating green spaces that are assets and work for the community. The Green Infrastructure system is layered and can be complex. The features are able to be added in phases and still feel complete so that at any point the neighborhood still has a sence of place.

Northampton

Southampton

Street

Ellicot Street

Michigan

Program Elements: - Green Streets on Best, Ellicot, Michigan and Masten - Linear Park cont. along Ellicot - Stormwater ponds/Managed Wetlands - Potential offline North/South connections on Michigan or Masten Ave (Maintained meadow or stormwater retention system) - Community Garden between North/Southampton - Infill development (soft) -Rain Barrel Program (RiverCare) - Rain Garden partnership with Community Garden (use as nursery for hardy plants)

Main

Dodge Street

Edna Place

Best Street

Masten

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[2] Green Infrastructure: Phasing

Current Neighborhood with UB2020 Proposal

Phase 1: Establish smart stormwater practices - Create greenway connections along Main, Ellicot & Best with green streets, linear park and green medians - Start stormwater retention/managed wetland system across from UB2020 development on Best St. - Establish a mid-city community garden which will use water from surrounding homes (or completed wetland) - Street Tree program - Foster Rain Garden/Rain Barrel Program for homeowners - Mid-City neighborhood network, focus group to foster networking, programming and fundraising efforts for the community

Phase 2: Greenway, Blueway Connections - Continue stormwater/wetland system from Roswell - Offline parts of Michigan, maintain private shared driveway to eliminate City maintenance - Establish stormwater retention chanels along Masten (Blueway) - Continue Street tree plantings & community programs

Phase 3: Complete Systems - Complete stormwater/wetland system from Roswell - Offline Michigan as Parkway - Continue Street Tree Program - Infil housing opportunities

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[2] Green Infrastructure in Buffalo

Buffalo already has a rich history of green infrastructure practices. Until the more recent green age there was just not as much emphasis on their value in the larger context of the city. The Olmsted & Ellicot plans for the City of Buffalo are at the heart of the Green Infrastructure system that is being proposed. The City is made of a park & parkway system that has left the Mid-City neighborhood disconnected and set apart from this city-wide feature. The Mid-City neighborhood has an opportunity to house the connection between Delaware Park, Masten Park and Martin Luther King Jr. Park. The connection would be to boulevard Main Street. This would complete the parkway system as well as increase the number of visitors to the area. With increased pedestrian traffic the eyes on the street concept will be put into motion. The Olmsted Parkway System has significant historical and social value in Buffalos history. Although Delaware park has been divided for the highway other parks, such as the Martin Luther King Junior Park, just East of the Mid-City neighborhood, have been renovated. Making a connection to this parkway system is vital to activating the space on a community level but also integral into embracing Buffalos past.

Rain Gardens are another practice that can help alleviate the strain on the sewar system. By collecting and storing water in a yard the landscape is able to work for the environment with little homeowner input.

Currently the Fruitbelt Development Framework Plan (Right) proposes investment along Michigan Avenue and High Street with a new neighborhood center at Mulberry and High Streets. One of the biggest greenway connections is proposed along Noth Street. I propose looking at the Mid-City connections as well, moving the greenway from North to Best Street to capture the green connections from Main (proposed) to Masten Park and MLK Jr. Park as well.

Buffalo Rivercare sells rain barrels in an effort to prevent water from reaching the ground, lessen the amount of water entering the combined sewar system, and lessen the amount of untreated water that is discharged during an overflow event. For more information: http://bnriverkeeper.org/programs/rain-barrels/

Many green infrastructure practices like these are already in place here in Buffalo. What is important is capitalizing on the projects that work, and adding more diversity to the green infrastructure programs. New ideas might include bump-outs on streets to deal with rainwater (right), Green Streets, Raised intersections and others.

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[2] Green Infrastructure Practices

[1] Green Buildings The built environment has a profound impact on our natural environment. Buildings in the US account for 72% of electricity consumption*, 40% of energy use*, 38% of all carbon dioxide emissions*, 30% of waste output*, and 14% of potable water consumption**. Building green means seeking more sustainable solutions to reduce the energy, water, and other resources our built environment consumes. In the Mid-City neighborhood, green buildings are a key component to the success of the development as a sustainable investment. *Environmental Information Administration, 2008; ** USGeological Survey, 2000. [2] Green Plazas Plazas that take the form of public squares and landscaped parks serve as locations for people to rest, gather, and move through. Plazas typically include components like benches, shade trees, planters, sculptures, paving, and lawns. But with the integration of functional elements of stormwater management such as tree cover, permeable surfaces, rain gardens and underground cisterns, plazas can also play a role in water conservation and stormwater treatment. [3] Green Streets Urban areas are dominated by impervious surfaces: roofs, roads, sidewalks, and parking lots. These surfaces block rain from soaking into the ground and collect oil, metals, and other contaminants that are carried directly into streams and other waterbodies. Green street networks manage runoff through their capacity to store, convey and filter stormwater. When designed as a system of roads, sidewalks, trees, planters, cisterns and vegetated medians, green streets within the Parkade site will be able to manage all the rainfall they collect. [[4] Parks Parks offer myriad benefits to an urban area. As areas of recreation and respite, they contribute greatly to peoples quality of life and can provide shelter and sources of food for wildlife. As areas of increased permeability and vegetation, parks can positively affect the management of stormwater by recharging groundwater and facilitating evapotranspiration. [5] Green Roofs Green roofs, which are elements of green buildings, are simply vegetated roof covers, with lightweight soil and plants taking the place of otherwise conventional flat or pitched roofs. Green roofs are an integral component in managing stormwater on site, as they capture, slow and divert rain that would otherwise drain immediately into conventional stormwater infrastructure. Green roofs provide multiple benefits like reducing ambient air temperature, energy use and utility costs, cleansing air and water, extending the life of a roof, and creating more bird habitat. [6] Constructed Wetlands Wetlands are dynamic and highly important landscapes that provide wildlife habitat and flood storage, among other functions. Untreated stormwater should never be directed towards natural wetlands since it would degrade them, but man-made wetlands can be constructed in order to absorb stormwater and prevent flooding, and filter water. In the Mid-City neighborhood, constructed wetlands will support the green streets system by collecting and filtering stormwater overflow. Their capacity to store large amounts of water will prevent flooding. 7] Streams Urban streams like the Scajaquata Creek have sufferedtremendously due to the impacts of adjacent development. Surface impermeability within a watershed causes large amounts of contaminated runoff and debris to flood streams, scouring their banks, washing away native vegetation and degrading habitat. Many urban streams have been channelized, or built over and dropped into the sewer system, which has exacerbated efforts to control flood damage, instead causing unforeseen impacts. By using green infrastructure, communities can significantly decrease flood events, stream corridors and habitats can be restored, and recreational and educational opportunities for people will abound.

Northampton

[4]
Southampton

Street

Ellicot Street

Michigan

Main

Dodge Street

[7] [3] [6]

Best Street
Edna Place

[1]

[2]

[5]

DRAFT

21

[6] Constructed Wetlands

Street Trees
Capture rain, lter air, provide shade

[3] Green Streets

Masten

DRAFT

Shade Tree
Captures rain, lters air, provides shade

Curb Opening Inlet

Transfers road runoff to continuous stormwater planter

Pavers
Enhance permeability of sidewalk

Stormwater Inltration Planter

Stores and lters collected road runoff

Curb Opening Inlet

Captures road runoff

Constructed Wetlands
Store and lter excess stormwater, protect the stream from oods, permit inltration, enhance biodiversity

Continuous Trenches
Store and lter excess stormwater, permit inltration, provide more space for street tree roots

Overow Drain
Transfers overow to wetland system

Overow Drain
Disperses overow from green streets and green roofs into constructed wetlands

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Stormwater Ponds/Wetland areas

- Create stormwater retention areas to store excess runnoff from the UB medical campus - Use biofilters to help increase water quality, remediated water to be used in community gardens at terminus of ponds - Boardwalk to allow safe pedestrian way around ponds - Space to be built and maintained by Roswell & UB Campus as part of stormwater mitigation plans - EOC education programs about habitat, wildlife and rehabilitation of contaminated sites using these ponds as an outdoor education facility - Habitat created for local wildlife - Serves as neighborhood icon, helps foster a sense of identity and place

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[1] + [2] = [3]

[3] Development + Green Infrastructure

- Multi-layered spaces - mixed use buildings - smart development - green infrastructure practices - stablize neighborhood - reduce costs & increase value - green streets - job creation -green industry

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[3] Development & Green Strategy

This strategy combines the best parts of the first two strategies. The development focus along Ellicot, the integrated stormwater systems that make the green infrastructure strategy so rich and then the critical phasing which allows this plan to mesh with the fabric of the community.

Northampton
This strategy highlights development of office spaces, related retail and mixed-use housing typologies with an emphasis on Ellicot. Secondary emphasis on Main street when that is most appropriate. The green infrastructure strategy seeks to answer the call from the city to remove, or minimize city maintenance and infrastructure costs. This strategy fosters individual homeowners to manage some stormwater on-site as well as establishes a large stormwater retention wetland that would be able to store and filter the runoff from the new UB2020 development. Program Elements: - Offices along Ellicot/Best - Retail/Commercial proposed along Main Street (secondary) - Stormwater Ponds/Wetlands - Continue Linear Park along Ellicot - Soft Infil Development (residential) - Parking off-street, behind buildings or in parking garage on Best Street - Parkway, Green Median, Green Streets & Rain Channels - Community Center on Dodge Street - Partner programs with EOC for local community education and outreach programs - HomeSpace & Belmont Shelter as teaching spaces, community programming - Hospicare/Ronald McDonald House to assist with temporary housing needs related to the medical campus - Block-Club organizations, foster involvement and cohesive planning for the future

Southampton

Street

Ellicot Street

Michigan

Main

Dodge Street

Edna Place

Best Street

Masten

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[3] Development & Green Strategy : Phasing

Current Neighborhood with UB2020 Proposal

Phase 1: Focus on Ellicot - Create greenway connections along Main, Ellicot & Best with green streets, linear park and green medians - Start stormwater retention/managed wetland system across from UB2020 development on Best St. - Establish a mid-city community garden which will use water from surrounding homes (or completed wetland) - Street Tree program - Foster Rain Garden/Rain Barrel Program for homeowners - Mid-City neighborhood network, focus group to foster networking, programming and fundraising efforts for the community - Develop office building and parking garage at Best/ Ellicot - Consolidate vacancies along best, start developing as small business, medical offices - Complete Artspace development - Start relocating homes (1-2/yr in each block), focusing on the blocks nearest development - Continue UB2020 Linear Park along Ellicot

Phase 2: Neighborhood Core, Greenway Connections - Continue stormwater/wetland system from Roswell - Offline parts of Michigan, maintain private shared driveway to eliminate City maintenance - Establish stormwater retention chanels along Masten (Blueway) - Continue Street tree plantings & community programs - Consolidate green space, develop first neighborhood park space - Consolidate/start developing on the East side of Ellicot for offices/services - Continue consolidating inner core houses - Offline section of Edna Place - Start applying Green Street Practices

Phase 3: Complete Neighborhood Core, Green Streets - Complete stormwater/wetland system from Roswell - Offline Michigan as Parkway - Continue Street Tree Program - Infil housing opportunities - Develop second neighborhood park - Complete development along Ellicot - Offline section of Southampton - Concentrate efforts on relocating last of inner core homes from last two blocks between Michigan and Masten

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[3] Cultutral Corridor & Community Programming

Based on the origional look at Energy Centers in the Mid-City Neighborhood there was a strong reason to look at developing in the south-east corner.
Artspace Apartments

As the design process progressed it became apparent that there was a natural configuration of nodes that form a corridor along Dodge Street. Some of the Energy Nodes: - Methodist Church - Homespace (2 locations on Dodge) - Belmont Shelter - Masten Park In addition to those active nodes, there is also a significant amount of vacant properties along Dodge which could be adapted into a safe street.

Community Center Homespace Methodist Church Subway/Metro Station Belmont Shelter Second Chance Masten Park

The Ronald McDonald House (Albany - Right) would be a particular asset if it could be built in this mid-city neighborhood. With its adjacency to the medical campus there will likely be an influx in families that need a temporary housing option available to them.

City Honors High School

National Guard

UB 2020 Downtown Campus Expansion Project

Part of the network that could be fostered in this community is that of culture/arts and music. Artspace Buffalo has a number of exhibitions, there are festivals and concerts all over Buffalo that could have some of their attractions located within the Mid-City neighborhood. This would engage both active residents as well as visitors into the neighborhood.

Multi-Family/Apartments Medical/Research Institute Religious/Education Transportation Educational Opportunity Center Green Space 500 ft

Dodge Street is a natural connection for all of these cultural points in the community. It would be most effective to add to that energy by relocating the abandoned community center to the corner of Dodge and Michigan. It would be appropriate to include a number of other community organizations: - Hospice - Buffalo ReUse - Habitat for Humanity - Artspace Buffalo - Block-Club Organizations

The proposed community garden could partner with the EOC and local schools to create a nursery program for street trees that would then be planted back into the community.

One way to reduce traffic flow on the East/West Streets, as well as Dodge St in particular is to install raised intersections to help slow traffic.

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Michigan Street @ Dodge: Greenway and Community Corridor

- Replace North/South traffic (move to Masten) while turning the reclaimed street into a working meadow or stormwater system - New Community Center along Dodge to replace the vacant establishment that was on Best St. - Community Center as active core of community, tieing into cultural corridor along Dodge which includes 2 Homespace establishments, the Belmont Shelter, a Church, and a large amount of open green space

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Conclusion
The basic question outlined in this project is what to do with a city that is financially stressed, disproportionately taxed, and significantly vacant. This is not the only city to have to face these issues, and it has been an intense process to define some potential solutions. Throughout the semester we have found research, case studies, more efficient development strategies and come up with a number of different proposals. This concept is based on Right-Sizing Buffalo. There are a number of ways to do that, but the overall goal is to suggest something that is able to be repeated, based on community and within the financial means of the city to build and maintain. The overall concept is to build off of the energy from the south-east corner, where the UB2020 expansion will have the greatest impact on the Mid-City Neighborhood. Ellicot Street becomes critical to any strategies proposed due to its own importance within the UB2020 medical campus. Two of the strategies that I proposed to meet the right-sizing goal, Smart Development and Green Infrastructure, are independently able to meet the needs of the community and have complex programming elements. The third strategy, a combination of the first two, is meant to weave together the best of both worlds development and green infrastructure practices to create a stronger, more vibrant community. This project was based around the role of Groundwork Buffalo, whose aim is that, By leveraging and connecting existing assets, greening efforts can serve as more than active and passive recreation spaces, but can serve as catalysts for community involvement and anchors for future investment. My approach has been similar. There are many program elements that I proposed, and a multitude of references for more information on those elements. The basic suggestion is that through a layered system of more complex elements there would be the most benefit to the local community. It is my hope that these ideas, in combination with some of the other proposals made by the rest of my classmates, be presented to the community for feedback. From there the community needs to be proactive about how the future of the community is going to look, develop their own set of goals and then use these presentations as a reference guide on how to accomplish that. Cities like Buffalo and Baltimore, the rust belt cities built on industrial innovation and creative energies dont need to fall from grace just because of de-population. There are innovative approaches and discussions that need to take place to help maintain the future of Buffalo. There will not be an easy, or simple solution, but with tolerant and forward thinking, there might just be a way to right-size Buffalos future. -Leigh McGonagle

Appendix

Housing Typologies Form-Based Zoning & Case Studies Buffalo Stormwater, Nagowski Thesis Summary Green Infrastructure Practices, Grey-to-Green

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Housing Typologies
Stable Neighborhood NORTHAMPTON STREET, BUFFALO This street is an example of what a street looks like that is almost 90% occupied. Though the houses are older and many in need of renovations, the integrity of the homes and the neighborhood around them is intact and is easily recognizable as a safe street. Townhouse Apartments HUDSON STREET, BUFFALO The Hudson Street Apartment Project was funded in 2009. The plan utilizes 3 city lots and creates 8 apartments; 4 2-bedroom, 900 sq. ft. apartments and four 3-bedroom 1100 sq.ft. apartments. The include offstreet parking and landscaping. This is a model for what might be appropriate for the mid-city neighborhood. Smaller dwelling units fits into the model of affordable housing, and more density fosters the eyes-on-the-street model which makes for a safer neighborhood. In the south-west corner the off-street parking might not be necessary, but if removed then the apartment units would be able to have more private green spaces behind the units.

Suburban Neighborhoods BUFFALO This type of house is usually seen outside of the city limits in suburban communities. The current strategy by the Mayor is to use suburban houses to infill multiple vacant lots that are adjacent in hopes that occupancy will help stabalize neighborhoods. Unfortunately at $110,000 they are not very affordable to the current residents and they do not fit into the character of the mid-city neighborhood. Mixed-Use Commercial and Apartments MAIN STREET, BUFFALO Closer to downtown, this building is an example of a way to have a pedestrian friendly building that supports retail or office space as well as offers an opportunity to create new rental units that might be more affordable.

Rowhouses EMERSON PLACE, BUFFALO Nearer to Cold Springs, north of the mid-city neighborhood, there are great examples of rowhouse style housing. These units usually have a repeated architecture which is in character with the neighborhood. Rowhouses provide another opportunity for affordable housing and increasing density near the medical campus.

Student Housing ALLING & CORY BUILDING, BUFFALO This student housing project is close to the downtown campus of Erie Community College. It just started groundbreaking this fall and will house 90 apartment/ dorm units. This project is being proposed at $16.6 million.

Right-Sizing homes BUFFALO This house is on the forclosure market in Buffalo for around $7,000. This style house also has a smaller footprint, around 2000 sq.ft. It would still be in character with the neighborhood if this style were built, but would then, due to its smaller size, be more affordable, which would increase ownership in the neighborhood as well.

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Form-Based Zoning Toolkit

Form-based codes place a primary emphasis on building type, dimensions, parking location and faade features, and less emphasis on uses. They stress the appearance of the streetscape, or public realm, over long lists of different use types. These codes have the following characteristics: Zoning Districts Form-based codes are defined around districts, neighborhoods and corridors where conventional zoning districts may bear no relationship to the transportation framework or the larger area. Regulatory Focus Form-based codes de-emphasize density and use regulation in favor of rules for building form. They recognize that uses may change over time, but the building will endure. Uses Form-based codes emphasize mixed use and a mix of housing types to bring destinations into close proximity to housing and provide housing choices to meet many individuals needs at different times in their lives. Design Greater attention is given to streetscape and the design of the public realm, and the role of individual buildings in shaping the public realm. Form-based codes recognize how critical these public spaces are to defining and creating a place. Public Participation A design-focused public participation process is essential to assure thorough discussion of land use issues as the code is created. This helps reduce conflict, misunderstanding and the need for hearings as individual projects are reviewed.

Case Studies
Saratoga Springs, NY
Saratoga Springs, NY (Population 36,000) has three form-based districts in its urban core. The remaining town area is regulated by a traditional zoning ordinance. The city adopted a form-based code in 2003 in an effort to preserve and add to the historic fabric of its downtown. The form-based districts are designed to preserve and create mixed-use, pedestrian character streets and neighborhoods that related to nearby natural areas and neighborhood centers. The tree zoning districts are the Urban Neighborhood, Neighborhood Center and Urban Core. Each has its own identity and regulations regarding building height, setpbacks and parking restrictions. Go to www.greenvalleyinstitute.org for more information.

Saratoga Springs, NY

Petaluma, CA
Form-Based Zoning allows a range of flexibility in design while keeping restrictions on size, setbacks, facade detailing etc. so that each district is ahle to hold its own identity. Many codes are parced down, and are often filled with graphics rather than text-heavy codes. Form based zoning has not been extensively used in the New England area, but is being used frequently in higher growth areas of the country such as California and the south. Following the destruction of Hurricane Katrina many communities in the south are turning to form-based zoning as a redevelopment tool. These communities will have more control over their character in the future by using this innovative zoning technique. Petaluma has been a strong case study for communities interested in seeing what form-based zoning can look like when implemented. Form-based zoning was formed in response to conventional zonings inability to define and create character, and walkable, mixed use communities. By controlling the character of the development that happens, there can be a consistent feeling for the pedestrian, as seen in these photos of Petaluma.

Petaluma, CA

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Buffalo Stormwater
The Buffalo Sewer Authourity (BSA) has an existing average daily capacity of 180 million gallons with its main treatment plant. The green infrastructure alternative only needs to treat the excess beyond what the existing system can handle. The Buffalo Sewer Authority (BSA) has developed a plan based on end-of-pipe engineering solutions, constructing large holding tanks and upgrading the treatment plant, which cost a great deal and will give little back to the community in terms of amenities. The BSAs plan will only reduce the annual level of overflow events from 4 billion gallons to approximately 700 million gallons of overflow under the most expensive proposal; costing at least 1.2 billion dollars. The preferred engineering solution will only reduce annual combined overflow to 2.2 billion gallons at a cost of 524 million dollars. This plan found that a regulatory change, one that encourages residents to unhook their downspouts from the combined system, and using green infrastructure would be a more effective means of managing our stormwater so that it does not overwhelm the existing wastewater system. Restored wetlands treat stormwater runoff as effectively as bricks and mortar engineering while giving extra greenspace to the city that can be used by the public and wildlife, figure 2, lower right. The combined effects of downspout disconnections and wetland creation will limit the need for a large scale sewer separation project and lessen the financial burden that city residents will have to bear. Limitations of green infrastructure This is an untested system for the Buffalo region and the engineering knowledge may not be present. Other cities within the northeast have been able to use green infrastructure for similar purposes so case studies do exist. Climate change makes predicting the size of the green infrastructure system difficult. The Buffalo of the future may have dryer summers punctuated by more frequent heavy storm events, with rain falling too quickly to soak in the ground and the dry periods stressing the wetlands plantings. McGonagle, L

A network of artificial wetlands or bio-retention areas will need to be built with enough excess capacity to handle these future heavy storm events. Wetlands tend to do a poor job of absorbing phosphorus as it is a nutrient required only in low dosages for health. For high concentrations of phosphorus removal mechanical and chemical solutions work significantly better. At a low concentration wetlands will be able to handle most of the nutrients.
Markings indicate where the stormwater will drain

Average Buffalo Annual Rainfall 1970-2000

4.50 4.00

Inches of Precipitation

3.50

3.00

2.50

2.00

1.50

1.00

Se pt em be r

N ov em be r

Month

Cold climates, specifically cold winters, provide challenges to maintaining a plant based stormwater retention and treatment system. As plants will not be able to break down harmful compounds or absorb nutrients during winter and the ground will not allow water to soak in and undergo bacterial action while frozen the holding capacity of the entire green infrastructure system must have an additional winter capacity to hold accumulated snow and ice and allow for filtration during the spring thaw.
Combined Sewer Outfall

Table 5: Acres 1,476 1,279 1,204 505 4,464

Acres of land differentiated by classification Land Classification Acres % to be set aside Parks and Natural Space 221 15% of Parks and Natural Space Industrial Land 192 15% of Industrial Land Vacant Industrial Land 421 35% of Vacant Industrial Land Institutional Land 50 10% of Institutional Land Total Acres 885 Total Acres to Capture Stormwater

Table 6: Amount of land needed to handle monthly maximum runoff Monthly Maximum Combined Sewage and Runoff Storage Calculation 4,000,000,000 386,873,921 1,187 792 Gallons of Overflow Events Annual (Rounded up) Gallons X Monthly Maximum (9.7%) of Total Annual Precipitation Surface Acres of Water (converted to cubic feet/43,560) Acres Needed For On-Site Retention (Average Depth of 1.5 ft.)

There is also some question as to whether the NYSDEC or the US EPA will allow green infrastructure to be used as an alternative to traditional sewage treatment practices. The EPA has numerous publications related to using restored wetlands and other types of plant based treatments systems for the capture and filtration of surface runoff but there is little information regarding the urban based issue of the combined sewage and stormwater runoff system. Considering the numerous benefits of green infrastructure for better filtration at a lower cost while giving something back to the local community it is the belief of the author (S. Nagowski) that so long as the wetlands system is not directly connected to local creeks or rivers, and with little risk of leakage into the surface watershed, some flexibility will be allowed in designing and building an alternative system for the combined sewage and stormwater. Most of the green infrastructure system should be geared towards capturing and filtering only stormwater before it enters into the combined collection system in order to avoid negatives however.
Masters Thesis by Steven Nagowski. entitled City of Green and Blue, restoring wetlands to treat our stormwater. 2008. U.B. Dept. of Urban and Regional Planning

Large combined sewer outfall on the Buffalo River

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D ec em be r

O ct ob er

Ja nu ar y

Fe br ar y

M ar ch

Au gu st

A pr il

M ay

Ju ne

Ju ly

DRAFT

Excerpt from booklet: From Grey to Green: Sustainable Practices for Redeveloping a Vacant Shopping Center A project of: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), City of Manchester, Connecticut and Capitol Region Council of Governments With support from: EPAs Land Revitalization Program and developed by Wallace Roberts & Todd, LLC January 2010

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Green Buildings
Features of Green Buildings Buildings that optimize performance lessen negative impacts on their surroundings. Sustainable building strategies that optimize performance employ a variety of energysaving and even energy-producing elements. These can range from high-tech materials and processes like photovoltaics (solar panels) and automated shade structures, to age-old methods like siting and design that improve both building performance and the health and comfort of its inhabitants. Green building strategies achieve multiple objectives like resource and energy conservation, and environmental quality: Design with nature, and orient buildings to optimize microclimate, landscape with native plants and manage stormwater on site. Maximize water efficiency through landscaping and high-performance fixtures. Save energy through window orientation and glazing performance, electricity use, heating and cooling efficiency, and building fixtures from dishwashers to printers. Generate energy through use of photovoltaics, geothermal, or wind power. Make smart use of materials by reusing onsite materials, specifying local materials and constructing with certified wood products and green materials. Safeguard indoor environmental quality by using nontoxic materials and furnishings, cleaning products and providing ventilation and access to fresh air. Green building practices should extend to parking. Shared and structured parkingreduce the land area needed for parking, and parking structures can employ the same strategies as other buildings. Surface lots with planted areas and swales can capture and filter stormwater, while pavers in low-traffic areas can provide overflow parking and allow infiltration. Multiple Benefits of Green Buildings Green buildings provide additional benefits from construction to occupancy. By taking advantage of local and regional materials, the construction of green buildings helps conserve natural resources while also stimulating local and regional economies. The integrated design approach needed for green building ensures all building systems are considered together at the same time, maximizing efficiencies and reducing operating and capital costs throughout the lifecycle of the building. By employing leading technology and design, green buildings tend to have higher market values and can sustain those values for a longer period of time than non-green buildings because they are less likely to become outdated. Additional Resources US Green Building Council (USGBC): www.usgbc.org; USGBCs LEED section: www.usgbc.org/leed; USGBCs Resources page (external links) US EPAs Energy Star: www.energystar.gov NRDC: www.nrdc.org/buildinggreen National Institute of Building Sciences Whole Building Design Guide: www.wbdg.org Rocky Mountain Institutes Built Environment Team: http://bet.rmi.org/
Overow Drain
Transfers overow from green roof to constructed wetland system

Passive Cooling
Building orientation, operable windows, window shades and awnings optimize indoor climate for maximum comfort

Mixed-Use Development
Creates vibrant, walkable neighborhoods

Green Roof System

Solar panels, vegetated roof cover, and light-colored roof surfaces decrease building energy costs and the urban heat island effectan area with consistently higher temperatures than surrounding areas because of a greater retention of heat

Transit Connection
Provides transportation choices and decreases reliance on automobiles

Proximity to Open Space

Provides access to recreation,increases property value

Greywater Recycling
Utilizes water from bathing and washing for reuse

Geothermal or Ground Source Heat Pumps

Electrically powered systems that tap the stored thermal energy of the earth to generate electricity and heat water

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Parks
Features of Parks Parks are significant contributors to the physical and aesthetic quality of urban neighborhoods. Largely maintained by local government, they provide open space for active and passive recreation, habitat for wildlife, and processes that are significant to natural function, like microclimate management and air filtration. Beyond the ability for the park at the Parkade site to be an ecological and recreational resource for the community, it will also be a functioning element of the stormwater management system. This park will be located upland and adjacent to the Bigelow Brook basin and its woodland buffer, as protection of the natural system is critical to water quality and local hydrology. Rain that falls within the park will be absorbed into the ground, recharging groundwater levels. Topography, in the form of subtle or pronounced depressions in the ground, can retain and detain stormwater from heavy rainfall events that would otherwise flood and erode the stream channel. The park can also host a range of native vegetation, all of which will contribute to absorbing and retaining stormwater and mitigate erosive flooding. In addition, the redevelopment plan calls for this park to connect eastwards to Center Springs Park. Multiple Benefits of Parks Parks can increase the value of real estate, promote human health, play a central role in a communitys tourism economy, increase community cohesion and social capital, provide locations to plant new trees, create jobs and youth development opportunities, and support public health and community building. Economists have estimated that there is an average property value premium of 10% when parks and plazas are integrated into development, with premiums upwards of 20% along parks. Parks also provide benefits that have a direct impact on a communitys economy, including removal of air pollution by vegetation, reduction in the cost of managing urban stormwater, tax revenue from increased residential property value and direct use Additional Resources The Trust for Public Land: www.tpl.org How Smart Parks Investment Pays its Way, a study by Ernst&Young, commissioned by New Yorkers for Parks Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection: www.ct.gov/dep

Woodland Buffer Street Trees

Capture rain, lter air, provide shade Captures and lters rainfall, protects stream channel, enhances plant and animal biodiversity

Flood Prevention
Topographic depressions retain excessive runoff, protect the stream from oods

Large Permeable Spaces

Permit inltration and maintain groundwater levels and consistent stream base ow

Section Graphics & Summary Text can be found in the WRT From Grey to Green booklet. Jan 2010 McGonagle, L

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Constructed Wetlands
These mechanisms include sedimentation, filtration, adsorption, microbial activity (nitrification and denitrification), and plant uptake. Constructed wetland costs are competitive with other stormwater best management practices, with the added advantage of providing recreational and wildlife benefits. It is very important to avoid aggressive and non-native plant species when planting a constructed wetland. Reliance on native species will ensure a sustainable natural environment and increase peoples exposure to Connecticuts native plants. Additional Resources The Stormwater Managers Resource Center: www.stormwatercenter.net Connecticut Department of Environmental Protections Connecticut Stormwater Quality Manual; Chapter 11: www.ct.gov/dep/lib/ dep/water_regulating_and_discharges/ stormwater/manual/CH_11_Intro.pdf US EPA Wetlands, Oceans, and Watersheds website: www.epa.gov/owow

Features of Wetlands Constructed for Stormwater Management

Street Trees

Constructed wetlands are manmade systems that incorporate wetland plants within a topographically depressed area in a landscape capable of having saturated soil. Wetlands are very effective at removing pollutants while offering aesthetic value. Note that stormwater should never be directed towards natural wetlands since it would degrade them, and wetlands constructed to treat stormwater should never be located within natural wetlands. As stormwater runoff flows through a constructed wetland, pollutants in the water are removed through settling and biological uptake by the plants. Since constructed wetlands are designed specifically to treat stormwater runoff, they typically have less biodiversity than natural wetlands both in terms of plant and animal life. To be most effective, the constructed wetlands at the Parkade site will need to be designed with complex microtopography, incorporating both zones that are very shallow (<6 water) and moderately shallow (<18 water). This design will provide a longer flow path through the wetland to encourage settling, and provides two depth zones to encourage plant diversity.

Capture rain, lter air, provide shade

Curb Opening Inlet

The constructed wetlands will work in conjunction with the other stormwater management systems at the Parkade site. Overflow from the stormwater planters and green roofs will flow through underground pipes to the wetlands, for slow release into the stream. Further studies will be required to calculate the needed acreage for constructed wetlands, as will permitting from the US Army Corps of Engineers and the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection.
Constructed Wetlands

Transfers road runoff to continuous stormwater planter

Multiple Benefits of Constructed Wetlands Constructed wetlands use several mechanisms to remove pollutants, and arguably employ more ways to remove sediments, nutrients, metals and chemicals, and even bacteria than conventional stormwater treatment methods.

Store and lter excess stormwater, protect the stream from oods, permit inltration, enhance biodiversity

Continuous Trenches
Store and lter excess stormwater, permit inltration, provide more space for street tree roots

Overow Drain
Disperses overow from green streets and green roofs into constructed wetlands

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Green Streets
Features of Green Streets Streets occupy nearly a quarter of the site (almost 8 acres) in the preliminary design for the Parkade site. Because typical streets are impermeable, all the rain that falls on them becomes stormwater that needs to be managed. With street trees, swales, planted medians, and stormwater planters, green streets are able to manage stormwater through interception, evapotranspiration, and attenuation. In some cases, green streets are more cost effective than conventional stormwater infrastructure. At the Parkade site, green streets will be the integral component to the stormwater management system. During rain events, stormwater will collect in stormwater planters and be allowed to soak into the ground, thereby replenishing groundwater. Taking advantage of the sites natural slope, this captured stormwater will percolate through the stormwater planter network, with overflow collecting in wetlands constructed for that purpose. Additional elements of the green street system, like pervious paving (where possible), light-colored paving, and trees, can allow green streets to handle even more stormwater and provide additional benefits. Pervious paving can be used for low volume streets, parking lots, street gutters, and sidewalks. Porous pavement is becoming more commonly used in Connecticut, and experience in its installation and maintenanceis growing. It is not typically used in high traffic areas due to frequent clogging of the pores with sand or dirt. All pavement absorbs heat during the day and radiates it at night. Using lighter-colored paving can reduce the amount of heat retained, and street trees can shade streets to keep them even cooler. This leads to less cracking from temperature fluctuations and a reduced heat island effect. Multiple Benefits of Green Streets Trees, as components of green streets, can moderate microclimate by slowing winter winds, funneling summer breezes, providing shade, and reducing the heat island effect, which increases peoples comfort and reduces energy needs. Trees also sequester and store atmospheric carbon. Their leaves enable evapotranspiration and filter pollution from the air. Trees also provide wildlife habitat. Added vegetation or special paving can make streets more attractive and safer. People prefer streets with trees and greenery. Thus, green streets can attract more pedestrians who subsequently feel safer, as streets with more people have less crime. A successful green street in combination with a trail network encourages walking and biking and connects neighborhoods, reducing the environmental impacts associated with automobile traffic. A University of Pennsylvania study found that streetscaping imparts a 28% increase in surrounding home values relative to similar homes in comparable areas without streetscape improvements. Additional Resources www.lowimpactdevelopment.org/ greenstreets US EPA: www.epa.gov/owow/podcasts/ greenstreetsusa.html University of Pennyslvania study: www.upenn.edu/penniur/pdf/ Public Investment Strategies.pdf University of Connecticuts inventory of Low Impact Development practices in CT: http://clear.uconn.edu/tools/lid
Stormwater Inltration Planter
Stores and lters collected road runoff

DRAFT

Shade Tree
Captures rain, lters air, provides shade

Pavers
Enhance permeability of sidewalk

Curb Opening Inlet

Captures road runoff

Overow Drain
Transfers overow to wetland system

Section Graphics & Summary Text can be found in the WRT From Grey to Green booklet. Jan 2010 McGonagle, L Right-Sizing Buffalo l 33

Green Plazas
Features of Green Plazas Plazas within the Parkade site will not only provide urban open space for people, but they also can assist buildings and streetscapes in managing roof and site stormwater runoff through tree cover, permeable surfaces, rain gardens and underground cisterns. A green plazas trees will absorb and filter rainfall. Its permeable surfaces ranging from lawns and plantings to modular pavers will increase the absorption of rainfall into the ground, helping to maintain groundwater supply. Surface runoff from the plaza can be directed to trenches that transfer the stormwater to the underground cistern to later irrigate the plants in the plaza. Surface runoff can also be directed into planting areas and rain gardens, where it will be available for use by the plants before being filtered through the soil. Rain gardens also present the opportunity to make an educational event of rainstorms and become public art. Small pools and basins, and narrow channels like runnels and weirs are sculptural elements that intercept runoff and make rain events a performance. Properly-sized underground cisterns will be able to capture and store roof overflow and plaza runoff, and this water can be used in an automatic irrigation system to water all the plantings in the plaza, or reused in toilets or other non-potable water applications. Planted areas in the plaza can store overflow from the underground cistern. Multiple Benefits of Green Plazas Trees planted in urban plazas create outdoor rooms that provide benefits similar to those of green streets. Green plazas can moderate microclimate, reduce the heat island effect, filter air, sequester carbon, reduce energy needs and increase peoples comfort. A U.S. Department of Energy study reports that trees reduce noise pollution by acting as a buffer and absorbing 50% of urban noise. The evaporation from a single large tree can produce the cooling effect of 10 room size air conditioners operating 24 hours/day (www.treefolks.org). Well-maintained green plazas will also increase the popularity of a location, which translates into increased property values. The addition of amenities to plazas, such as transit stops and cafes, will only increase the popularity and use of plazas. Plazas also increase the walkability of an urban neighborhood, reducing the need for automobile use (and its negative environmental impacts) and creating more opportunities for social interaction. Additional Resources Multiple benefits of trees: www.lgc.org/issues/water/trees.html Benefits of Trees In Urban Areas: www.coloradotrees.org/benefits.htm#6 Tree Folks: www.treefolks.org/store_biglist.asp

Shade Trees
Capture rain, lter air, provide shade

Lawn and Planted Areas

Capture rain; recharge groundwater levels through detention and inltration; store overow from cistern

Roof Overow Drain

Transfers overow from adjacent green roof to underground cistern

Drainage Trench
Collects stormwater runoff from impermeable areas of plaza, drains to cistern

Underground Cistern

Section Graphics & Summary Text can be found in the WRT From Grey to Green booklet. Jan 2010 McGonagle, L

Collects stormwater runoff from plaza and adjacent building; irrigates plaza plants

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Costs & Maintenance

Green Infrastructure Costsand Concerns While costs associated with the maintenanceof green infrastructure are viewed by some as an added cost to property management or municipal maintenance, the cost model for green infrastructure relies on spreading out replacement costs over time and sharing costs with other maintenance efforts, such as landscape maintenance. One example of this cost-sharing model is the maintenance of rain gardens in green streets, plazas and parks. Because these gardens also serve as stormwater infiltration and filtration systems, the costs to maintain their hydrologic function are shared with landscape maintenance costs. Although green roofs tend to be designed for private use, the same costsharing model applies, with this open space amenity doubling as a system for handling stormwater and reducing energy costs. The Bureaus of Transportation and Environmental Services in Portland, Oregon have some of the best historical data for comparative costs between conventional stormwater systems and green infrastructure in the U.S. Their most recent construction savings estimates are between 20% to 63% over conventional storm sewer systems, without accounting for the value of improved air and water quality, increased natural habitat, and other ecosystem benefits. As with any new technology or innovation, the data available for cost analysis can be highly variable during the first years of implementation. In the early years of implementing green infrastructure this was certainly the case, with places like Portland and Seattle viewed as anomalies due to their unique climates. Early documentation of performance and costs in the Northwest still left many communities uncertain about the transferability to their climate and related maintenance costs. This uncertainty of costs coupled with the risk-adverse budgetary environment of most small municipalities has slowed the adoption of green infrastructure technologies over conventional systems. The biggest fear among public works departments has been the cost associated with maintaining green infrastructure and the perceived lowmaintenance cost of conventional stormwater management systems. Over the twenty years since the first green infrastructure elements were conceived and implemented the data and tools for comparing these costs has been developed and is now available to municipalities. The Water Environment Research Foundation (WERF), a U.S.-based scientific research organization dedicated to wastewater and stormwater issues, provides research material and tools for evaluating the costs of green infrastructure. Through their research and evaluation of implemented projects across the country, WERF has developed whole life cost(WLC) tools, which include spreadsheetmodels to facilitate automation of a whole life costing approach. The models allow users to systematically identify and combine capital costs and ongoing maintenance expenditures. The most recent edition of the WLC models was developed in collaboration with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and includes all of the green infrastructure practices included in this document. To access the complete set of tools for a Whole Life Cycle analysis and accompanying users guide, visit: www.werf.org/bmpcost. Current data has shown that implementing integrated green infrastructure practices can result in enhanced environmental performance while reducing upfront costs when compared to conventional stormwater management approaches. A portion of this cost savings is typically achieved through reduced infrastructure because the total volume of stormwater runoff is minimized through capture, infiltration, and evapotranspiration. Green Infrastructure Maintenance The most prevalent maintenance concerns for green infrastructure are the pervious areas in streets, sidewalks, parking areas, rain gardens, and constructed wetlands. For planted infiltration areas such as green street infiltration planters, rain gardens, and constructed wetlands, the maintenance related to aesthetic appearance is a major concern for communities, because many are not accustomed to maintaining higher quality streetscape, plaza and park environments. With pervious paving, the concern is the potential clogging of the concrete or asphalt pores. With planted infiltration areas, the concerns are debris, sedimentation, and weeding. While these concerns are legitimate, they require a shift in maintenance focus. All stormwater systems require maintenance. With conventional infrastructure, maintenance often occurs only when there is a failure, because it is out of sight and out of mind. Most green infrastructure is visible, and its aesthetic maintenance is combined with necessary maintenance to ensure long term functionality. Design and construction affects how systems need to be maintained, and therefore it is important for maintenance staff to be involved in the planning and design process and for the community to be educated about the connection between visual amenity and its relationship to environmental and economic benefits. For pervious paving like concrete, asphalt, and pavers, fine particles that can clog the materials pores are of maintenance concern. These particles are deposited on the surface from vehicles, the atmosphere, and runoff from adjacent land surfaces. The following facts address frequently asked questions about the use, performance and maintenance of permeable paving: Permeable concrete can last 20 to 40 years because of its ability to handle seasonal temperature effects Cold weather and frost penetration do not negatively impact surface infiltration rates Pervious paving must be vacuumed seasonally McGonagle, L Right-Sizing Buffalo l 35

Comparing the Overall Costs of Green Infrastructure and Grey Infrastructure. Green Infrastructure requires more frequent, although much less costly, maintenance than conventional grey infrastructure.

Annual inspections are needed to inspect for sediment build-up areas, dewatering effectiveness, and surface deterioration or spalling Permeable materials freeze as a porous medium, preserving its infiltration capacity Rapid drainage in pervious paving of the surface reduces the occurrence of freezing puddles and black ice Melting snow and ice infiltrates directly into pervious pavement, facilitating faster melting Road salt application can be reduced up to 75% with the use of permeable pavements The application of sand for snow or ice conditions should be avoided or limited Snow plowing can proceed as with other pavements and salt can be used in moderation Plowed snow piles should not be left to melt over pervious paving as clogging of pores can develop more quickly.

References
In addition to the following sites, please refer to GroundWorks Buffalo for more information regarding the Mid-City Neighborhood. Wiki Page: http://groundworkbuffalo.wikispaces.com/ BLOGS Buffalo Rising http://www.buffalorising.com/ Greater Buffalo Blog http://greaterbuffalo.blogs.com/ Planetizen Urban Planning, Design & Development Network http://www.planetizen.com/ Shrinking Cities Article http://www.planetizen.com/node/43826 GENERAL Buffalo Artspace Neighborhood Planning Document online http://www.esnips.com/web/Artspace Local Initiatives Support Corporation http://www.buffalolisc.org// Building on our Past For Our Future (Video Link) http://vimeo.com/10090840 Preservation Buffalo Niagra http://www.preservationbuffaloniagara.org/ Traffic Counts Greater Buffalo-Niagra www.gbnrtc.org Urban Design Project http://www.urbandesignproject.org/ PUSH Buffalo Sustainable Housing movement http://www.pushbuffalo.org/ Real Estate Housing Market Buffalo www.coldwellbanker.com http://www.coldwellbanker.com/real_estate/home_ search/ny/Buffalo HOUSING Community Benefits Agreements Jobs, Affordable Housing, Social Justice & Livable Neighborhoods http://communitybenefits.blogspot.com/ Buffalo Rising Articles Student Housing Project http://www.buffalorising.com/2009/05/hunt-commercial-brokers-deal-for-downtown-buffalo-student-housing.html#SlideFrame_0 Hudson Street Apartment Project http://www.buffalorising.com/2009/06/hudson-streetapartment-project-funded.html

SUSTAINABILITY Buffalo ReUse Warehouse for recycled building materials http://www.buffaloreuse.org/ Grow WNY Living Green, Environmental Awareness in Western NY http://www.growwny.org/ Grassroots Gardens of Buffalo Vacant Lot Opportunities http://www.grassrootsgardens.org/ Urban Roots Community Garden center http://www.urbanroots.org/

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