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To guide commercial development through a form based code that rewards integrated, sustainable, water focused design tactics. To catalyze urban hydrologic and ecologic health through municipal infrastructure investments. To structure ongoing research of distinct, novel ecosystems, creating feedback for adaptive growth.
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WATER , ECO NOMY & CU LTU R E The Erie Canal was originally built in 1825 to connect the Hudson River to Lake Erie. Construction of the canal drove commercial growth in many New York metropolitan areas up to and even after the canal was filled in 1925, but construction of the canal caused the local ecology, water quality, and biodiversity along it to suffer. The connection of multiple, once isolated, bodies of water led to ecosystem homogenization and a subsequent decrease in biodiversity. While the cities developed in the uplands, lowland areas were most desirable for the construction of the canal itself, resulting in lowland ecosystems being most impacted. The proposed project site is located along a section of the historic canal in the city of DeWitt, a suburb of Syracuse, NY in the county of Onondaga County. This site is in the Eastern Great Lakes lowland forest ecoregion (as designated by the World Wildlife Foundation (WWF)) and the Eastern Great Lakes and Hudson lowlands ecoregion (as designated by the Environmental Protection Agency.) and while the Syracuse city center is located just outside this ecoregion, the associated suburbs spread into the neighboring lowlands, including the original path of the canal. Prior to develoment this area was characterized by a mosaic of freshwater wetlands and diverse mixed upland forests, however development has drastically impacted the remaining lowland forests and wetlands: the WWF reports that less than 5% of intact habitat remains, with over 95% of this ecoregion’s habitat lost to suburban sprawl and pollution. One of the primary conservation goals of the WWF in this ecoregion is to have zero net loss of wetlands, but unfortunately since 1780 2
there has been over 622,000 hectares lost in New York alone (M&G). The greatest land use change in the region, as reported by the USGS, has been the conversion of forest land to developed land, which has been driven by the local increase in population and commercial development in the area. These suburban development patterns continue today and represent the greatest threat to the biological diversity and the environmental health of the region. Moving forward, the cities along the Erie Canal must address the needs of the local ecology, and incorporate these needs into a new model for growth.
ECOREGION BOUNDARY ERIE CANAL
NEW YORK S TATE
ERIE CANAL
ECOREGION BOUNDARY
ONONDAGA COUNT Y
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R ECL A IM I NG WATER “Because of the many functional inter-relationships that exist between hydrology and various biological, ecological, biogeochemical, and climate patterns and processes, water management is central to forging a new path towards sustainable development.” Drexel University Sustainable Water Resource Engineering Laboratory, Philadelphia, PA The Save the Rain initiative was adopted by Onandaga County in 2009 to address the effects of a combined sewer system that overflows into surrounding bodies of water during storm and snow melt events. This program has resulted in numerous city projects: reducing runoff into the overburdened system, increasing green space, beautifying the city, and educating people about the importance of stormwater management. It has garnered praise from around the country, and it has made significant strides towards a community approach to managing stormwater. Due in large part to the Save the Rain initiative, Syracuse was named an “Emerald City” by the National Resource Defense Council. While the Erie Blvd. project site does not have combined sewer systems, it nevertheless contributes to the pollution of local waterways and the overburdening of stormwater infrastructure. The automobilecentric development pattern of the project site, common in suburban areas throughout the country, results in a large percentage of impervious surface, large quantities of stormwater discharged from the site, and few species of plants and animals able to survive. Similar methods of small scale, community involved stormwater managment that the Save the Rain program used can be applied to the Erie Blvd. site. These small scale site interventions have been used effectively in 3
many other cities as well. They are collectively referred to as “low impact development,” or LID. They are particularly effective in urban and suburban infill development where the tight site constraints, variability of surrounding site conditions, and difficulty of construction all prohibit standard approaches to stormwater management, such as retention ponds, from being efficient. The strategies behind the Save the Rain initiative should be broadly applied on a larger scale of development as well as becoming an accepted facet of city identity.
S AV E T H E R A I N CONNECTIVE CORRIDOR ECOREGION BOUNDARY E L E VAT I N G E R I E PROJECT SITE C A N A LWAY T R A I L
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EL E VAT I N G T H E PR ES EN C E O F WAT ER This proposal is intended to leverage the success of the Save the Rain initiative by expanding and adapting its methodology to apply small scale water-focused development tactics to commercial sites on the larger scale represented by the Erie Blvd. corridor. These tactics will contribute to increased urban hydrologic and ecologic health as well as to economic growth and social development along Erie Boulevard and the surrounding corridor. These affects will be achieved through three strategies:
1.Hydro-ecological Building Code A new municipal code will be devised for the area surrounding and including the project site along Erie Blvd. This code will follow the protocol of form-based codes, which have proved successful in cities around the country in shaping the form and architectural character of development. Improving upon those codes, Erie’s new hydro-ecological form-based code will incorporate regionally specific, water-focused, and sustainable strategies into the fabric of the required development. Comparable to existing form-based codes in other regions of the country, the cities of Syracuse and DeWitt will be granted the authority to demand certain architectural features when developing or renovating a site within the corridor. Unlike most form-based codes those features will include LID strategies that will be integrated into the building and surrounding landscaping and that will be consistent with the desired character of the area. 4
This code will also provide the cities with incentives to encourage owners and developers towards early adoption of these new ideals in the critical transition stage between the current development code and the new, more ambitious code.
2.Municipal Infrastructure Catalysts One of the fundamental assumptions of this proposal is that it will require coordinated municipal action and stakeholder involvement to solve the problems associated with a sustainable urban landscape. We propose municipal catalyst projects, intended to demonstrate the character and function that are to be fostered in future development. These projects will directly contribute to the creation of additional wetland and forested areas within the corridor; they will retain water and nutrients on site, reducing peak loads on municipal infrastructure while contributing to ecosystem health; and they will provide pedestrian amenities to improve the character of the boulevard. These catalyst projects are not meant to single-handedly solve all of the problems in each area; they are meant to demonstrate the feasibility and desirability of the type of development that the new code will require. Each catalyst project will be designed as the central element of a distinct site within the overall corridor development.
boulevard, it is critical to remember that while it is possible to create healthy vibrant ecosystems in an urban context, it is not possible to exactly replicate the natural ecosystems of the region. We will be creating novel ecosystems, populated with plants and animals that are able to thrive in a place filled with people, cars, and the life of a thriving commercial corridor. One consistent attribute of healthy ecosystems, urban or natural, is that they all exhibit well moderated retention rates of water and nutrients. Exporting them downstream too quickly results in a deprived ecosystem. Furthermore, current thinking suggests that within urban conditions, biodiversity is increased when isolation is encouraged. The former Erie Canal was the antithesis of this, increasing nutrient export and homogenizing previously unconnected ecosystems. We propose to create distinct sites within the Erie Blvd Corridor. Each will be unique in the hydrologic and ecologic profile that is encouraged, taking advantage of the existing qualities of the urban landscape. This separation will not only immediately serve to improve water conditions and increase biodiversity; it will also create a framework for ongoing research and adaptation.
3. Research of Novel Ecosystems In the effort to shape and support the newly emerging ecosystem of this suburban bioELEVATING E
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A H YDRO - ECOLOGIC A L FORM BA SED CODE This code will integrate building and landscape features into a single system of requirements to make every part of the corridor a productive part of the urban ecosystem. The integration of building and landscape along with coordinated municipal projects improving parks, sidewalks, roads, and medians will shape an urban character to equally convey hydrology, ecology, and architecture in an interconnected framework.
INTEGRATE PEOPLE + WATER
DISPLAY LI(r)D SYSTEMS
STAKEHOLDERS
MUNICIPALITY
LIVING SHORELINES
TRAFFIC IMPACT REDUCTION:
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REDUCE PEAK WATER LOAD
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INCREASE BIODIVERSITY
FLOODABLE/ OCCUPIABLE LANDSCAPES
PERMEABLE SURFACES
WETLAND EXPANSION:
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DETENTION RETENTION INFILTRATION
REFORESTATION: NO-MOW AREAS PLANTING TREES
NARROW ROADS ON-STREET PARKING PEDESTRIAN AMENITIES
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ENCOURAGE DENSITY AND PEDESTRIAN ACTIVITY
REDUCE SETBACKS REDUCE LOT SIZE 5
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EDUCATE THE PUBLIC
This code will encourage community involvement in the management of urban ecosystems. In order for community members to contribute they must understand the ecosystems that are being created and the management methods that are being used to create them. INTEGRATING PEOPLE & THE NATURAL WORLD is the first and most potent step towards making people aware of the connection between their own lives and the ecosystems around them. This code will create spaces that are appealing to pedestrians while simultaneously creating landscapes that support plants and animals. DISPLAY OF LID SYSTEMS fosters public awareness and understanding of the ways in which we can respond to issues of urban environmentalism. Pipes, water storage areas, and filtering systems have become an ubiquitous part of urban development in recent years as a result of water quality initiatives, but there is a convention of hiding them from public view. This convention reduces awareness and prohibits public understanding. FLOODABLE AND OCCUPIABLE LANDSCAPES achieve two goals; first they provide areas where stormwater can collect during storms to reduce peak loads on the municipal stormwater system. Second they create opportunities for people to experience the scale and impact of the stormwater events.
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This code will reduce the amount of water that enters the municipal stormwater system which will reduce maintenance and management costs, but more importantly, will retain water and nutrients on site.
The primary limitation to biodiversity within the Erie Blvd. Corridor is the lack of supporting habitat. This code will increase biodiversity by reducing impervious surfaces and managed lawns and restoring them to natural conditions.
Public involvement is fundamental to the educational and performance goals of this code. Strategies to increase the stakeholder involvement in the area will also serve to create a vibrant commercial corridor.
PERMEABLE SURFACES allow water to infiltrate into the ground rather than to flow off site. This reduces loads on the municipal stormwater system, contributes to groundwater recharge, and supports nutrient retention. This code will encourage the use of permeable surfaces such as pavers, pervious concrete, or open green space in lieu of asphalt and concrete.
REFORESTATION will support a wider range of species and contribute to the beauty of the city. Defining certain areas as “no mow” will allow them to gradually return to meadow or forest conditions as the naturally occurring plants to resettle. This will reduce the need to water and fertilize, thereby reducing unwanted pollutants in urban runoff. Planting trees will expedite the reforestation process and can be done by volunteer groups, including local students, thereby increasing public involvement in the process.
PEDESTRIAN AMENITIES such as parks, plazas, and green space make it more appealing for people to be in the spaces in and around the corridor.
DETENTION, RETENTION, AND INFILTRATION are common LID strategies that contribute to water retention and reuse. Detention refers to the collection and storage of water for reuse on site. It can be filtered and reused in the building or used for onsite irrigation. Retention refers to the holding of water on site for a period of time before releasing it. This can be done with rain gardens, retention ponds (also known as BMP’s) or bioswales. Infiltration describes the action of water entering the ground, which is fostered by the use of permeable surfaces. Furthermore, retention of water in rain gardens, bioswales, etc. allows more time for the water to infiltrate.
WETLAND EXPANSION within the urban corridor will support an increase in the number and variety of plants and animals. Due to their transitional nature, wetlands are naturally occurring biodiversity hotspots. This code will encourage expansion of existing wetland areas as well as the creation of new wetlands.
ALLOWING HIGHER DENSITY DEVELOPMENT has a two-fold impact on the process of development. First it acts as the impetus for owner and developer involvement during the transition phase of rezoning because it provides the opportunity for increased occupiable or leasable square footage. Second, by increasing the density of development, it begins the transition to a more pedestrian and less automobile-centric urban condition. TRAFFIC IMPACT REDUCTION can be achieved through narrowing of streets and through creation of on-street parking. These strategies slow traffic and make the area more comfortable for pedestrians.
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PROGRESSIONAL GROWTH The newly created hydro-ecological code will foster simultaneous and integrated changes to the infrastructure, the commercial buildings, and the landscape of the Erie Blvd. Corridor. This integration is fundamental to the idea that we can create an urban character that reflects the sustainable strategies that are embedded within it. Requiring the hydroecological strategies to be visibly included in the buildings and the landscape will not only functinally improve the area, it will also create a continuity in architectural character based on the consistent reference to a hydrologicallycontrolled and biologically-supportive agenda. The cities will contribute complimentary infrastructure improvements to sidewalks, road frontages and stormwater infrastructure resulting in a fully integrated ecologically sustainable development pattern.
PROGRESSIONAL SERIES: BIO RETENTION ELEMENTS Constructed wetlands, green roofs, rain gardens and bioswales are each different configurations of the same idea that we can control the flow of water to increase biodiversity within the urban realm.
This new, expressive urban character will be beautiful, productive, and by displaying the water management systems, it will passively educate the public.
PROGRESSIONAL SERIES: ASPHALT REDUCTION The various bio-retention elements cannot be added at the expense of the buildings or public spaces that contribute to the character of the city. Bio-retention will come at the expense of asphalt and roof area: impervious surfaces that represent the greatest opportunity for rapid improvement of the water retention capacity of the area.
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In order to encourage stake holder involvement, the cities of DeWitt and Syracuse will be given several tools to encourage participation. Reducing building setbacks allows property owners to add value to their existing commercial lots by increasing the amount of occupiable or leasable space possible on each lot. Reducing parking requirements similarly allows higher density development on the same lots. Coupling this allowance with the creation of on-street parking will foster a pedestrian friendly environment. Municipal investment in sidewalks, landscaping, stormwater infrastructure, street lighting etc. concurrent with development projects will entice private investment because of increased property values. Tax incentives for sustainable landscaping or building elements can be used to encourage enhancement of existing properties.
BRANCH SITE: PROSPECTIVE FUTURE 20 YEARS
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BRANCH SITE: PERSPECTIVE
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I N FR A S T R U C T U R A L C ATA LY S T S LEGEND EMERGING WETLANDS MULTI-USE TRAIL NETWORK PERVIOUS SURFACING
SITE C INFRASTRUCTURE CATALYST: COMMUNITY GARDENS RECREATION TRAILS ENCOURAGED HABITAT: POLLINATOR HABITAT
BRANCH SITE
INFRASTRUCTURE CATALYST: FLOODABLE WATER PLAZA ENCOURAGED HABITAT: WETLANDS
LONG-TERM FOREST GROWTH PUBLIC PLAZAS
SITE B INFRASTRUCTURE CATALYST: MEDIAN STRIP PARK WITH BIOSWALES ENCOURAGED HABITAT: CREEK BED
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SITE D INFRASTRUCTURE CATALYST: ERIE CANAL TRAILWAY VISITOR CENTER ENCOURAGED HABITAT: UPLAND FOREST
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Each distinct site within the Erie Blvd growth area plan will feature a different municipal catalyst project. Because these projects are intended to catalyze the surrounding development they will vary slightly depending on the character of the hydrological and architectural features at the specific sites. The catalyst project for the Branch Site will be two part. The first will be a water plaza at the corner of Erie Blvd and Bridge St. The second will be the expansion of the wetland areas surrounding the open water.
WATER PLAZA & PARK
WETLAND EXPANSION
REFORESTATION
BRANCH SITE CATALYSTS: AERIAL VIEW
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WATER COLLECTION ALONG BRIDGE ST.
STORMWATER INFLOW
CONCRETE PLANTER
CONSTRUCTED WETLAND
WIDEWATER PLAZA The concept of a water plaza has been used in a number of urban revitalization projects around the world including Water Square in Rotterdam, Netherlands and First Avenue Water Plaza in New York City. Water plazas act as stormwater retention basins, but use sculptural forms to make the area more attractive so that the space can also function as a pulic park. Most parks are rendered less desirable by inclement weather; a water plaza is actually activated by the presence of water. During peak periods of rain fall or snow melt, the low areas of the courtyard will fill and act as a water feature. Stormwater collection along Bridge St. will be rerouted to collect at the main retention area. Surrounding properties will also be given the opportunity to use the area as a retention pond in future development surrounding the park. The design of Widewater Plaza will use topographical data to create an occupiable replica of a local waterway cast in pervious concrete. The design will include models of local buildings, also cast in concrete, with some being used as planterbeds, suggestive of green roofs.
CATCHMENT AREA
STORMWATER OVERFLOW
WATER PLAZA PLAN
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WETLAND EXPANSION The existing condition of the body of water at Branch site is a common one in suburban areas: the banks are kept mowed and the edges drop precipitously off into open water. The water and its riparian edge are home to few species of animal and plant, and the steep profile of the edge and the consistent mowing of the surrounding area make it a difficult place for most species to thrive.
FAUNA OF AN UNHEALTHY WATER’S EDGE common reptile and amphibian species local bird species squirrels snowshoe hares
In addition to being inhospitable to most plants and animals, the area is sandwiched between two roads, one with high speed traffic, which makes it inhospitable to people as well.
TYPICAL SUBURBAN WATER’S EDGE DIAGRAM
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WETLAND EXPANSION The second part of the catalyst project for Branch site will be to create a more habitable riparian wetland. Creating this wetland area will involve infilling portions of the open water area as well as lowering some of the upland areas to create a more gradual and varied riparian transition. Because emergent vegetation can support a wider array of species, both flora and fauna, converting open water and upland area to wetlands with a near surface water table will increase the potential for biodiversity. Reforestation projects will be coupled with these wetland expansions to further promote complex ecosystem biodiversity. Reforestation will be accomplished through no mow areas and tree planting efforts. For tree planting in the upland areas, species should be chosen that can succeed in a variety of soil conditions. Additionally, early successional species should be included initially to facilitate the transistion from the existing condition to a planned healthy urban ecosystem. Finally, species should be chosen which will thrive in poor sandy soils as well as moist, poor draining soils.
white pine quaking aspen paper birch pines (red and white) red oak sugar maple American beech red maple yellow birch eastern hemlock pine
red maple arrow wood button bush pussy willow osier dogwood wetland rose river birch
bulrushes water willow spike rush carex sedges
white water lilies spatterdock
eastern white cedar red maple elms eastern cottonwood ash
Riparian plant species should be chosen to encourage nesting birds, pollinating insects, and other native animal species. These will also need to have a tolerance for high water tables. Wetland species should mostly consist of sedges which provide bank stabilization, as well as providing a habitat for waterfowl, without becoming invasive.
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REFORESTATION & EXPANDING MARSH DIAGRAM
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ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT The primary disturbance to the existing landscape will be the conversion of part of the open water feature at the Branch Site to a riparian wetland. This will involve importing appropriate soils and grading the area to bring the soil surface to a more level plane. This will temporarily displace current fauna. The existing vegetation will be destroyed, but a new and wetland appropriate species palette will be planted. The vegetation selected should be native to the area, and readily available from the New York State Tree Nursery, requiring no extraordinary greenhouse space, resources, or fertilizers once planted. The water plaza will require major excavation of a currently paved surface, which will be replaced with a retention feature, which will act to reduce peak storm flow and also serve as a community gathering space. There will be no increase in impervious area at the site, however it will extend below the ground surface, most likely requiring major rerouting of utilities. As part of our LID code encouragement permeable pavement, vegetated bioswales, rain gardens, and other direct infiltration techniques will be implemented. These mitigations should replace currently impervious surfaces, which allow direct runoff into the storm water system. Construction of these elements would not disturb the natural environment, but would pose a temporary increase in machine traffic in the area.
FAUNA OF A HEALTHY WATERS EDGE eastern american toad, american bull frog blue spotted salamander woodpecker, cardinal, thrush least shrew,woodland jumping mouse squirrel (red,gray), chipmunk turtle garter snake, eastern hog nose snake snowshoe hare
wood duck, black duck green heron
human
NATURALIZED WATERS EDGE DIAGRAM
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BRANCH SITE: CATALYSTS PERSPECTIVE
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RESE A RCH OF NOVEL ECOSYSTEMS TYPICAL COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT SITE: GARDEN PLOTS RECREATIONAL FIELDS NATURE TRAILS LOCAL SCHOOL ENGAGEMENT STUDENT RESEARCH SHOW CASE
TYPICAL COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT SITE: SMALL COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT ENCOURAGED FORM-BASED CODE INTRODUCED
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WETLANDS REGENERATION AND WATER EDUCATION
TYPICAL UPLAND FOREST REGROWTH SITE: MAINTAIN AS RESIDENTIAL AREA LONG-TERM FOREST GROWTH LIVING SHORELINES HABITAT CREATION
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“...while human modification of the hydrologic cycle is a known driver of ecosystem change, explicit understanding of the relationship between the hydrologic functions of a particular type of ecosystem and its ability to provide specific ecosystem goods and services is still lacking, especially in urban areas, which now house more than half of the world’s population.” The Sustainable Water Resource Engineering Laboratory, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA
We lack a complete understanding of the nutrient flows, hydrologic performance, species profile, and myriad other issues relating to an urban wetland ecosystem. The specific ecological tactics presented in this proposal are a starting point, but they will need to be measured and adjusted over time in order to ensure that development happens in a sustainable way well into the future. The hydroecological code proposed here will be structured to improve over time by encouraging the specific strategies that are successful at each location based on concrete data collected on site. The successful incorporation of this feedback loop will determine whether this proposal is successful longterm.
O N - S T R E E T PA R K I N G ENCOURAGED BUILDING DENSITY N A R R OW E D R OA DWAY M U LT I - U S E T R A I L L I N K E D TO C A N A LWAY T R A I L S Y S T E M
INFRASTRUCTURAL C ATA LYS T : M E D I A N PA R K F I LT R AT I O N B I O S WA L E S A
DEVELOPER-FUNDED LID S YS T E M S F O L LOW M U N I C I PA L EXAMPLE
ECOLOGICAL TESTING ZONES PROVIDE LONG-TERM FEEDBAC K TO IMPROVE ECOSYSTEM DESIGN AND E VO LV E T H E F O R M - B A S E D CODE WHICH DIRECTS DEVELOPMENT
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It will be essential that the municipality maintain connections to the scientific community. This can be done by facilitating research endeavors and by providing opportunities to apply the findings in small scale implementable designs. Because of the unique character of this urban ecological corridor there is an opportunity to contribute to the growing body of research on urban ecosystems.Because the new hydro-ecolocial code is built on small scale interventions, it will be capable of rapidly incorporating the latest findings.
ECOLOGICAL TESTING ZONES W I T H I N M E D I A N S T R I P PA R K
M U LT I - U S E T R A I L L I N K E D TO C A N A LWAY T R A I L S Y S T E M
F I LT R AT I O N B I O S WA L E S
In the end, the scientific community, the municipal agencies of Syracuse and DeWitt, and the community stake holders in the area must work together to shape the character of the Erie Blvd. Corridor. This proposal outlines the form by which the groundwork should be laid for that effort.
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“What distinquishes us in our humanity is the fact that we inhabit relatively permanent worlds that precede our birth and outlast our death, binding the generations together in a historical continuum. These worlds, with their transgenerational things, houses, cities, institutions, and artworks, are brought into being by work... human beings hold nothing more dear than what they bring into being, or maintain in being, through their own cultivating efforts.� Robert Pogue Harrison Gardens: An Essay on the Human Condition
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