P5
COMMUNITY INTERSECTION REPAIR
JESSICA FAIN FRANNY RITCHIE ALBERT CHING
Successfully trialed in Portland, OR and Brooklyn, NY, a community intersection repair engages youth to remake a part of the community that is often overlooked: intersections. Along with becoming a community-building and arts activity for locals, the projects also aim to calm traffic along some of the busier thoroughfares in a neighborhood, which in this gateway intersection to the Harlem River waterfront, would be most welcome.
PIER 5 WATER PARK master plan PIER 5 WATER PARK is an attempt to be the place on the Harlem River waterfront where nature and people meet. Low-cost, natural ecological treatments can be used for environmental remediation and to create “eco-islands” under the bridges. While the CSX rail line directly cuts off access to the river itself, a spray park on Pier 5, a pocket wetland, and a walkable water’s edge bring a new water experience to park visitors Spaces like Pier 5 are also designed to be adaptable for medium-scale cultural events, something that is largely absent on the Harlem River waterfront. For special events, the 149th St bridge, a lower cartraffic bridge in the area, may also be temporarily reclaimed for pedestrian use.
ECO-ISLAND There are 6 bridges with metal support structures that float in the middle of the Harlem River. The structure under the 149th Street bridge can be transformed into an “ecoIsland,” where floating plant beds and oyster substrates filter the water biologically and fit within the existing metal grid structure.
POP-UP FOOD ON THE 149TH ST BRIDGE
With wide lanes and relativelylow car traffic, the 149th St bridge which connects with Harlem may be the perfect bridge for pedestrians to reclaim on a summer Sunday to bring the neighboring communities together around perhaps ... the world’s largest paella.
WETLAND PARK Red-tailed hawk, spotted in High Bridge Park
Downy woodpecker, spotted in Inwood Hill
AN URBAN Bird-WATCHING WILDeRNeSS Perhaps the only one of its kind in all of NYC, a 5-acre pocket wetland near a dense urban setting and strong transport connections could be a powerful investment in bringing back native habitat and wildlife to the Harlem River waterfront.
OUTDOOR ECOLOGICAL CLASSROOM Learning about the environment has become an increasingly important part of the curriculum for many schools in the Bronx and to groups like the Harlem River Rangers. Hands-on activities like bird-tracking, water-testing, and wild nature observation may be possible in specially-designed outdoor classrooms within the natural wetland.
Native birds like the robin, red-tailed hawk, and downy woodpecker could call this new waterfront environment home along with a plethora of other native plants and animals. For locals unable to access the more distant, wild nature preserves, this could be a unique and powerful way to experience nature and its beauty. Robin, spotted near Mill Pond Park
TAKING CARE OF THE WATER STormwATER mAnAGEMENT As storms become more frequent, a big concern for quality of the Harlem River water is Combined Sewer Overflows, or CSOs. Stormwater often flows through the same systems as untreated sewage, and in the event of a big storm can lead to direct spills into the Harlem River. A CSO spot is located under the 149th St bridge.
WETLAND PARK section
One strategy to limit these events, which are quite frequent along the Harlem River, is to divert some of the stormwater from flowing directly into the sewer system. A pocket wetland proposed on the site currently occupied by the Bronx Recycling Center is designed to divert stormwater from a signficant section of the Major Deegan into a wetland environment where it can not only be stored but also naturally filtered before it reaches the Harlem River.
P5
Bronx, Meet Your Waterfront Plan
Site & Systems Planning Practicum
Department of Urban Studies & Planning
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
http://bronx.mit.edu
spring 2011
1 of 2
P5
PIER 5 SPRAY PARK Imagine Pier 5 as a celebration of water. River water quality improves with new, soft edges, highway runoff gets recycled through giant rain barrels, and a unique, intimate experience with nature is just south of the 149th Street Bridge. We think this certainly deserves a monument...and a splash. A seasonal spray feature will allow people to cool off and have fun.
JESSICA FAIN FRANNY RITCHIE ALBERT CHING
OUTDOOR EVENTS ON PIER 5
Bronx Gateway Sign and stage
Pier 5 Flexible Programming
Flexible, open space is integrated into the design scheme to accomodate a variety of outdoor events. Revenue-generating or open to the public, the idea is to get people to the space...and get to know their waterfront.
PIER 5 section
SUPER BARREL RAINWATER FILTERS ON PIER 5
WALKABLE GABION WATER EDGE A system using recycled rubble and gabions allows both people and animals to enjoy the river’s edge. The gabions slow down the water, allowing for new riparian growth. A boardwalk provides resting spots and unique views.
When it rains, water that lands on the Major Deegan Expressway is goes directly into the Harlem River. While not highly toxic, this water contains contaminants that add pollutants to the river. Redirecting the water into giant rain barrels for later reuse would help address this issue. Brightly colored barrels create iconic entrances to the park.
P5
Bronx, Meet Your Waterfront Plan
Site & Systems Planning Practicum
Department of Urban Studies & Planning
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
http://bronx.mit.edu
spring 2011
2 of 2