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Rounder Records Proposal Project Details Client: Oaktree Development (via Tufts University)Project Location: Cambridge, MADeliverables: Stormwater Management Proposal For my “Planning for Low Impact Development” course at Tufts University, we each needed to examine a project currently in the design phase. Through our evaluations, we determined how the proposal dealt with stormwater management and then make suggestions for revisions to help the development be less impactful on the local environment. With the growing focus on smart growth and urban infill development, it’s important for developers and planners to ensure that redevelopment projects are making the most of their situation. In many instances, the land that is being redeveloped has experienced a long-standing negative impact. The redevelopment of that land provides an opportunity to correct the problems while at the same time benefit the surrounding area. The Rounder Records project on North Massachusetts Avenue near Trolley Square is just such an example. The developer, Oaktree Development, is currently in the process to completely redevelop this site, open up a large amount of land currently built upon, and incorporate energy efficient elements.  One area that has not been fully considered in the project is stormwater management. My stormwater management recommendations for the project were broken down into three areas of opportunity: rooftop, greenspace, and parking lot/egress. Rooftop I proposed an extensive green roof to be used on all portions of the new structure, except for the three planned roof decks. This type of green roof would require minimal engineering adjustments to the original plan and would be able to manage the rain from a small storm (first 1/2”). Excess rain as well as the rain the falls on the roof decks would be managed by a cistern, detailed in the next area of opportunity. Greenspace The current design plan calls for park space along the Linear Park. This area is currently covered by the existing building and will be opened back up through the new development. In addition to creating a new permeable surface for this portion of the site, the park can also be used to manage the excess rainwater from the roof (and neighboring Linear Park). An underground cistern can be buried below the park (the same area the developer is considering for a much larger stormwater storage tank). This suggested cistern would only need to be a 2,000-gallon tank based on the needs from the roof plus additional load. That’s 1/10 the size of the developer’s potential stormwater storage tank. The water from the cistern could be used to water the park as well as landscaped area around the egress. The developer’s storage tank calls for the water to be pumped into the city’s sewer system (after a storm has passed). Parking Lot / Egress I proposed three revisions to this area. The first was to used raised decking for the egress, rather than blacktop or concrete as the developer has proposed. By using a raised deck, rainwater will be able to flow between the boards of the deck down to the soil below. The developer is currently planning to landscape the open space between the parking lot/egress and the residential properties on Massachusetts Avenue. Two rain gardens could be installed during this landscaping process, one closer to the rear entry and the second by the parking lot. Each rain garden would act as a small bioretention area to treat and store/handle the rainwater of the surrounding open space. The final recommendation for this area is in regards to the parking lot. This parking lot is graded significantly lower than the landscaped area described in the area previous (about 6’ below). Rather than adjust the level of the parking area to allow water to flow from its surface to the landscaped area, permeable pavers could be installed. These permeable pavers would replace the current plan to surface the lot with asphalt. In doing so, the pavers will allow the rain water to be drained directly into ground. The lot could be graded in a manner to drain excess water to a system that would feed the water to the cistern in the park.

Rounder Records Proposal

Project Details

Client: Oaktree Development (via Tufts University)
Project Location: Cambridge, MA
Deliverables: Stormwater Management Proposal

For my “Planning for Low Impact Development” course at Tufts University, we each needed to examine a project currently in the design phase. Through our evaluations, we determined how the proposal dealt with stormwater management and then make suggestions for revisions to help the development be less impactful on the local environment.

With the growing focus on smart growth and urban infill development, it’s important for developers and planners to ensure that redevelopment projects are making the most of their situation. In many instances, the land that is being redeveloped has experienced a long-standing negative impact. The redevelopment of that land provides an opportunity to correct the problems while at the same time benefit the surrounding area. The Rounder Records project on North Massachusetts Avenue near Trolley Square is just such an example. The developer, Oaktree Development, is currently in the process to completely redevelop this site, open up a large amount of land currently built upon, and incorporate energy efficient elements.  One area that has not been fully considered in the project is stormwater management.

My stormwater management recommendations for the project were broken down into three areas of opportunity: rooftop, greenspace, and parking lot/egress.

Rooftop

I proposed an extensive green roof to be used on all portions of the new structure, except for the three planned roof decks. This type of green roof would require minimal engineering adjustments to the original plan and would be able to manage the rain from a small storm (first 1/2”). Excess rain as well as the rain the falls on the roof decks would be managed by a cistern, detailed in the next area of opportunity.

Greenspace

The current design plan calls for park space along the Linear Park. This area is currently covered by the existing building and will be opened back up through the new development. In addition to creating a new permeable surface for this portion of the site, the park can also be used to manage the excess rainwater from the roof (and neighboring Linear Park). An underground cistern can be buried below the park (the same area the developer is considering for a much larger stormwater storage tank). This suggested cistern would only need to be a 2,000-gallon tank based on the needs from the roof plus additional load. That’s 1/10 the size of the developer’s potential stormwater storage tank. The water from the cistern could be used to water the park as well as landscaped area around the egress. The developer’s storage tank calls for the water to be pumped into the city’s sewer system (after a storm has passed).

Parking Lot / Egress

I proposed three revisions to this area. The first was to used raised decking for the egress, rather than blacktop or concrete as the developer has proposed. By using a raised deck, rainwater will be able to flow between the boards of the deck down to the soil below.

The developer is currently planning to landscape the open space between the parking lot/egress and the residential properties on Massachusetts Avenue. Two rain gardens could be installed during this landscaping process, one closer to the rear entry and the second by the parking lot. Each rain garden would act as a small bioretention area to treat and store/handle the rainwater of the surrounding open space.

The final recommendation for this area is in regards to the parking lot. This parking lot is graded significantly lower than the landscaped area described in the area previous (about 6’ below). Rather than adjust the level of the parking area to allow water to flow from its surface to the landscaped area, permeable pavers could be installed. These permeable pavers would replace the current plan to surface the lot with asphalt. In doing so, the pavers will allow the rain water to be drained directly into ground. The lot could be graded in a manner to drain excess water to a system that would feed the water to the cistern in the park.