Reeder & Pols presentation to ANC 1C-Dec 3 2014
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Transcript of Reeder & Pols presentation to ANC 1C-Dec 3 2014
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KALORAMA PARK
Presentation to ANC 1C
by
Belinda Reeder & Cynthia Pols
on the
Proposed DPR/DGSRe-design of the Plaza
Dec. 3, 2014
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DPR/DGSS PROPOSAL TO
DEMOLISH & REPLACEKALORAMA PARKS PLAZA:
THE ORIGINAL NATIONAL PARK
SERVICE DESIGN & WHY IT SHOULD
BE PRESERVED
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THE NATIONAL PARK
SERVICES 1947 PLANSFOR KALORAMA PARK
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Overall Plans
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Close-up of Plans for Plaza Area
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THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
CAREFULLY ADHERED TO THE 1947
PLANS AS IT BUILT THE PLAZA
SATELLITE VIEWS OF THE PLAZA OVER
THE YEARS SHOW THE SYMMETRY &
BALANCE OF THIS DESIGN & ITSCONSISTENCY WITH THE 1947 PLANS
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1999 Satellite View of the Plaza Area
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2005 Satellite View of the Plaza Area
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2007 Satellite View of the Plaza Area
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2010 Satellite View of the Plaza Area
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2010 Satellite View of the Plaza Area
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2012 Satellite View of the Plaza Area
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EXCEPT FOR THE INTERPLAY WITH
NATURE (THE LOSS OF TREES INTHE PLAZA & THE ADDITION OF
TREES IN THE PLAYGROUND), THE1947 DESIGN OF THE PLAZA & THE
OTHER ROOMS IN THE UPPER
AREA OF THE PARK HAS REMAINED
INTACT FOR SOME 50 - 60 YEARS
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WE SUDDENLY FIND OURSELVES FACED
WITH DPR/DGSS PROPOSAL TO
DEMOLISH THE PLAZA IN ITS ENTIRETY
& REPLACE IT WITH A NEW PLAZATHAT WILL NOT HAVE THE STRUCTURE
& SYMMETRY OF THE EXISTING PLAZA
AS ESTABLISHED BY THE 1947 NPSDESIGN
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DPR/DGS Final Redesign Plans (Nov
18, 2014)
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TO PUT THE DPR/DGS PROPOSED
CHANGES IN CONTEXT, IT IS HELPFULTO LOOK AT THE PLAZA IN VARIOUS
WEATHER CONDITIONS & SEASONS
NOTE THAT THE SYMMETRY &
BALANCE OF THE PLAZAS DESIGN
SHINE THROUGH REGARDLESS OF THE
CONDITIONS
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Aerial View of Plaza (winter of 2009)
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Aerial View of Plaza (2010)
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Aerial View of Plaza (early 2011)
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Aerial View of Plaza (spring of 2011)
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Aerial View of Plaza (summer of 2011)
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Aerial View of Plaza (July of 2014)
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IT IS ALSO IMPORTANT TO KEEP IN
MIND THAT THE PLAZA, IN ITS
CURRENT FORM, ACCOMMODATES AWIDE RANGE OF USES & ACTIVITIES &
IS MUCH MORE THAN AN EXTENSION
OF THE NEARBY PLAYGROUND
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People Using the Plaza (2005)
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People in the Plaza (2008?)
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People in the Plaza (2009)
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People in the Plaza (2011)
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People in the Plaza (2011)
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People in the Plaza (2014)
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THE PLAZA, IN ITS CURRENT FORM,
PROVIDES A WONDERFUL PUBLIC
SPOT WHERE NATURE & DESIGNCOME TOGETHER IN HARMONY
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Hawthorn-Northeast Corner of Plaza
(fall of 1993)
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Hawthorn in Bloom in the Plaza
(undated)
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Hawthorn in Bloom in the Plaza
(undated)
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Eastern Side of Plaza (2008)
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Western Side of Plaza (p re-erosion)
(spring of 2003)
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Western Side of Plaza (pre-erosion)
(spring of 2003)
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View of Plaza from the Oval (2008?)
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View of Plaza in Winter (2009)
file:///.file/id=6571367.16file:///.file/id=6571
367.16042497041094
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DPR/DGS PROPOSAL FOR A
PERMEABLE PAVEMENT
SYSTEM FOR THE PLAZA:
QUESTIONS & CONCERNS ABOUT THE
VIABILITY OF THE PROPOSED SYSTEM
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The bad history of the 2009 anti-erosion
project requires extra vigilance
Following DPRs 2009 implementation of an anti-
erosion project, erosion worsened
That 2009 project involved tearing apart the parkto install 3 bioswales, modify 3 catch basins,
install 1 new catch basin, remove 2 catch basins,
& install a new play area for children
Some 5 years later, the 2009 project remains
unfinished & caused damage to the park in many
areas41
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The bad history of the 2009 anti-erosion
project requires extra vigilance
The 2009 anti-erosion project did not includeimprovements or repairs to the trench drainsystem in the plaza The trench drain system had worked well for some 50
- 60 years It was damaged in recent years either by DPR
contractors for the 2009 anti-erosion project or bysome other occurrence like root intrusion
It has not been repaired in spite of its centralimportance
DGS confirmed in July of 2014 that the trench drainsmain drain pipe was damaged
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The bad history of the 2009 anti-erosion
project requires extra vigilance
DPR commissioned a report in 2012 by anengineering firm (Volkert) to assess the 2009 anti-erosion project
Volkert found numerous flaws in theimplementation of the 2009 anti-erosion project,including that the 3 catch basins associated withthe bioswales were not working properly
DPR failed to develop proper contracts in 2009for the anti-erosion project or to oversee thecontractors
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The bad history of the 2009 anti-
erosion project requires extra vigilance
The fix proposed by DPR/DGS in 2014 for themess created by the 2009 anti-erosion project is acomplex, engineered permeable pavementsystem
Based on history, it is not wise to automaticallyassume that the planners have it right
Given history, it is reasonable to question
whether DPR/DGS will implement the aggressivemaintenance plan required to keep the proposedsystem in operation
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How the proposed permeable
pavement system would work
It captures & temporarily stores water in a stone
reservoir directly below the pavements surface
The system is designed to collect water & return
it to the stormwater system or filter it into thesoil within 48 hours
If working properly, it provides some control of
water run-off It can also slow down the speed at which surface
water is released into the stormwater system
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How the proposed permeable
pavement system would work
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What are key design issues as per
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What are key design issues as per
DCs Stormwater Management
Guidebook (SWMG)? The below-surface drainage system for slowly
emptying the reservoir:
-This system may consist of: drainage pipes(over& under drainstypically 4 6 in diameter &
with 3/8 perforations); & the infiltration sump
or a second stone reservoir below the under drain
pipes
- Other factors: number of drainage pipes in the
reservoir; space between drainage pipes
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What are key design issues as per
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What are key design issues as per
DCs Stormwater Management
Guidebook (SWMG)?
Connections to the stormwater system to
drain the water out of the reservoir
Geotextile & other walls between the stone
reservoir & adjacent areas to prevent clogging
of the pavement & drainage system
Distance from nearby buildings and utility
lines (DCs SWMG recommends at least 10)
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Possible problems with permeable
pavement systems?
The reservoir has insufficient storage capacity
Due to design deficiencies, the water retained
below the pavement surface in the reservoir
cannot drain within the requisite 48 hours
Some or all of the drains in the reservoir
become clogged over time
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Possible problems with permeable
pavement systems?
The surface pavements clog up over time,
blocking water from filtering into the reservoir
The geotextiles used to create walls betweenthe reservoir & nearby landscaped areas break
down over time, allowing soil to migrate into
the reservoir
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Main problems with a permeable
pavement system in the plaza area?
The soil beneath the plaza has limited ability toabsorb water:
- A DGS subcontractor found the soil to be close to not
permeableit can absorb only about inch of waterin 48 hours (0.005 inches/hour)
- The subsurface reservoir must be engineered to bothretain virtually all the water & to gradually release it
into the stormwater system over 48 hours- The stone reservoir must be deep (likely at least 4) &
equipped with multiple drains
- The system must be linked to the stormwater system52
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Main problems with a permeable
pavement system in the plaza area?
DGS tested the water infiltration rate at 8 points in
the park in July of 2014- The plaza testing points are shown on the map in
the next slide (B-2 is the main testing point forthe plaza; tests were also conducted at B-1)
-The results of the tests at all 8 points are shownin the slide after that
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Main problems with a permeable
pavement system in the plaza area?
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Main problems with a permeable
pavement system in the plaza area?
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Main problems with a permeable
pavement system in the plaza area?
Nearby areas drain into the plaza area (the roof of the reccenter, the 2 playgrounds, & the Oval), compounding theproblems associated with the soils limited permeability:- Additional issues are implicated by unformed plans to
reconstruct the adjacent playgrounds
-The surface of the adjacent playground already poses a threat toa permeable pavement systemit is 6 above the plaza &consists of mulch & similar loose materials
- DPR/DGS plans to upgrade the playgrounds but does not plan toinstall permeable surface (DGS Nov. 5 announcement)
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DPR/DGS plans to replace the existing surface with wood chips(likely incompatible with the proposed permeable pavementsystem as loose materials could clog the system)
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Main problems ith a permeable
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Main problems with a permeable
pavement system in the plaza area?
The plaza directly abuts the rec centerunder theSWMG, the 10-foot strip in front of the rec centershould not be part of the permeable pavement system
DPR/DGS plans to plant new trees & landscaping in the
plaza (a source of loose materials) Unanswered questions include who will vacuum &
maintain the permeable pavement system
This is a baseline question
DC does not have an established track record ofmaintaining the park (trimming trees & hedges, repairingthe trench drain)
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THE BOTTOM LINE
A permeable pavement system is a complex,engineered system, with numerous points of possiblefailure, and requires regular, systematic maintenance
The plaza area has many features which are highly
problematic for a permeable pavement system (mulch,organic materials, a building, trees, shrubs, grass)
Permeable pavement is best suited to lessenvironmentally complex areas (like parking lots with
limited vegetation) Given the small surface area involved & the high cost, it
is an ineffective way to manage stormwater
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SUGGESTED APPROACH
Defer finalizing plans for plaza improvementsuntil plansfor playground improvements are finalized
Restore & augment the trench drain system & remediateerosion
In developing plans for plaza improvements, preserve the
1947 NPS plaza design by steps like replacing theHawthorn trees with similar trees, restoring the plazasprivets, & planting compatible bushes or plants in the 2oblong planters
If it is conclusively determined that the permeable
pavement system is technically & environmentally superiorto the trench drain system & that maintenance questionscan be resolved, consider deployment of permeablepavement in areas of the park where it will not requiremodification of the existing plaza design