Client: MACDC
Deliverables: Report
Status: PUBLISHED
My ten-month internship at the non-profit Massachusetts Association of Community Development Corporations (MACDC) included various projects. One such project was to research just how our members were embracing sustainability - the resulting report “Community Development Goes Green.”
By their very definition, CDCs are resourceful entities working to better the life of residents in their communities. These groups have historically worked to improve resident job and housing opportunities, health issues, and environmental impacts. We wanted to see to what extent these activities aligned with the current sustainability initiatives being taken on by the government and for-profit organizations.
CDCs promote environmental sustainability through a wide variety of means. I identified fifteen green strategies employed by CDCs through their green projects, programs and initiatives and tallied the number of CDCs employing each of those strategies. These strategies were then grouped into:
As the primary author and researcher, it was very interesting and inspiring to see the extent of sustainable activities the member associations were undertaking. Over 80% of the members were found to do take on one type of sustain activity regularly. The findings help to show that being green is not expensive and truly is important for greater quality of life.
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.
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.
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).
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.
Client: Roslindale Village Main Street
Project Location: Roslindale Village, Boston, MA
Deliverables: Economic development report
As part of the the first year core requirements in the Urban + Environmental Policy + Planning Program at Tufts University, all master of arts graduate students must take part in the Field Projects course. The course is designed to provide students with a real world planning/policy experience, working directly with a local client on a project or study of their choosing.
Groups are made up of four to five students with a professor and teachers assistant as guides. The student groups must perform a literature review on the project topic, determine the issues and needs of the client, create a methodology to illicit data, and analyze the data so as to make recommendations and proposals for the client.
My team of five students worked with the Roslindale Village Main Street (RVMS) program in the neighborhood of Roslindale in Boston, Massachusetts. RVMS is one of the first Main Streets programs in the United States and has been active in the neighborhood for decades to help draw in new business and create a better experience in the Village.
The area is currently experiencing a transition encompassing its economic development and physical identity, as well as the demographic makeup of its population. This report examines these shifts using three separate viewpoints (key ares of focus. The first component of this study inventories district transportation and analyzes physical accessibility. Through this assessment it was determined that the area is highly car-dependent, though there is not a lack of available parking. Additionally, it was found that Roslindale Village is very walkable. The identity of the changing area population is also evaluated in this study through interviews and surveys as well as demographic research. An inventory of current Roslindale Village business selection is also collected. In reviewing the identity and business selection of the Village, the report notes differences between the diversity of the population and business and service offerings. The results of these three assessments focused on access, identity and business selection are evaluated to provide recommendations for maintaining and enhancing the vitality of Roslindale Village through the present transition so that the district can best serve both current and future area populations as an active center of the community.
The full report, “Destination: Roslindale Village, A Roadmap For A Vibrant Village,” is available HERE.
Client: City of Somerville
Project Location: Gilman Square, Somerville, MA
Deliverables: Redevelopment proposal
This project was developed during my “Green Urban Design and Placemaking” graduate course at Tufts University. The course centered around the US Green Building Council’s LEED for Neighborhood Development Pilot Program. This certification program expands the LEED requirements to ensure that a project considers its impact on the great neighborhood, not just the plot of land being (re)developed. Each group in the class was assigned one project site within Somerville, MA.
There were no cost limitations to the project. The only real requirement was that the design incorporate LEED-ND guidelines. The groups were also offered the chance to add to their development site by including surrounding parcels, however, this would need to be fully reasoned.
In the end, the project finished with a design that would afford a Gold Certification. The proposed development optimized the location to the future Green Line T Station in Gilman Square as well as provided the opportunity to revitalize the neighborhood.
