Nuestras Raices' La Finca Landscape Plan

FARM

FOREST

BUSINESS INCUBATOR

GATHERING PLACE

LANDSCAPE PLAN

This report examines the site and suggests locations for placing important structural elements—a restaurant, a store, a greenhouse, and parking.

Ultimately, the best location for structures becomes a question of vision and values. What kind of place does the community who sustains La Finca want it to be? Is La Finca primarily a farm, a forest, a business incubator, or a cultural gathering place?

Proposed Alternatives 13. Zones of Use and Concepts 14. Summary 15. Alternatives 1 (Master Plan), 2 (Commerce First)

and 3 (Easy Street) 16. Alternatives 4 (Festival Heart), 5 (Street Presence)

and 6 (Riverboat) 17. Near-term Action Plan Appendix 18. Master Plan History

24 Jones Ferry Rd. | Holyoke, MA 01040

La Finca is at a pivotal point in its history. It is setting down its roots—planning the infrastructure that will draw visitors and provide a market for agricultural goods. The decisions made now will define the site for years to come.

Visitor Experience 9. Access and Parking 10. Arrival Sequence and Views 11. Circulation 12. Cultural References

La Finca - Nuestras Raices Farm

Thirty acres along the Connecticut River are the home of La Finca, a community-based farm and agritourism site. Just three miles south of downtown Holyoke, Massachusetts, La Finca provides agricultural opportunities to local residents, while expressing Caribbean Hispanic culture to visitors.

OVERVIEW & INDEX

OVERVIEW

Site Conditions 5. Existing Conditions 6. Legal Guidelines 7. Slopes and Soils 8. Sun and Shade

Dillon Sussman

Goals 4. Goals and Objectives

December, 2007

Context 2. Community Farm 3. Riverfront Farm

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Introduction 1. Overview and Sheet Index

Conway School of Landscape Design 332 South Deerfield Rd. | Conway, MA 01341

SHEET INDEX

La Finca is an island of rich agricultural land in an urban matrix. It is a rare resource for growing food, supplying wildlife habitat, and providing open space for people. Its urban context brings challenges and opportunities. Air pollution, theft, vandalism, and development pressure are the drawbacks. Benefits include a large potential customer base, the opportunity to help urban residents connect to food and agriculture, and community support.

Nuestras Raices is particularly involved with the Caribbean Hispanic population of Holyoke. Many Caribbean Hispanic immigrants in Holyoke came to the U.S. as migrant farmers. Nuestras Raices provides opportunities for them to connect to their agricultural past while putting down roots in their new home. La Finca, then, can be seen as a home away from home.

Farm-life, Puerto Rico, 1940’s.

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December, 2007

La Finca is a community-based farm. It grew out of Nuestras Raices’ (Our Roots) mission to promote economic, human and community development in Holyoke, through projects relating to food, agriculture, and the environment. The farm has a unique business model. Farmers rent portions of the site from Nuestras Raices, work the land, and develop independent businesses. Farmers share knowledge, build markets together, and each business helps the others grow.

Conway School of Landscape Design 332 South Deerfield Rd. | Conway, MA 01341

Urban Farm

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Modified from MASS GIS.

Photo: Dillon Sussman.

Community Farm

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Nuestras Raices would like to develop permanent infrastructure that will enable the farm to meet its agricultural and agritourism goals. Two permanent buildings are already in place—a barn and a treehouse/stage. They would like to add a large greenhouse, a store, a restaurant and on-site parking. Any permanent buildings will be located on the northern four acres which are the focus of this study.

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24 Jones Ferry Rd. | Holyoke, MA 01040

Its thirty acres on the Connecticut River are bisected by an intermittent stream flowing through a gully. Nuestras Raices, the grassroots organization that manages La Finca, leases the southern 26 acres from the Sisters of Providence for largescale agricultural production. Nuestras Raices owns the northern four acres. They are the public face of the site, where visitors shop for vegetables, visit the petting zoo and attend festivals featuring music, Paso Fino horse demonstrations and lechon asado—traditional Puerto Rican barbecue.

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La Finca - Nuestras Raices Farm

La Finca is a working farm, an agritourism destination and a focal point for the expression of Caribbean Hispanic culture in Western Massachusetts.

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COMMUNITY FARM

La Finca

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Photos: Library of Congress.

26 Acres leased from the Sisters of Providence

Modified from Sebastian Gutwein and Keith Zaltzberg, UMASS LARP Master Plan, 2006.

Focus Area 4 acres owned by Nuestras Raices.

Because La Finca is a valuable ecological resource in an environmental justice area, Nuestras Raices should continue to maintain high standards of environmental stewardship and community involvement.

Riverfront Farm The land bordering the Connecticut River is some of the most productive agricultural land in the state—if not the country. The United States Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (U.S.D.A. N.C.R.S.) has designated La Finca’s site as “prime farmland,” because it has the “best combination of physical and chemical characteristics for producing food, feed, forage, fiber, and oilseed crops.”1 That assessment is also reflected in the site’s history; the farm has been in near constant agricultural production for hundreds of years—dating back to before European colonization.

Prime farmland is being developed throughout the Connecticut River valley. La Finca is one of only two large riverfront farm parcels that remains in production in Holyoke. The surrounding towns to the east and south have even less remaining active farmland.

1. NSSH Part 622 | NRCS Soils. http://soils.usda.gov/technical/handbook/contents/part622.html.

RIVERFRONT FARM

Photos: Dillon Sussman.

LA FINCA

La Finca is a crucial resource for local food production in Holyoke and the urbanized areas to its south. Its productive capacity should be safeguarded.

Prime Farmland of National Importance (Active) Farmland of Statewide Importance (Active) Scale: =4km Connecticut River

December, 2007

The trend toward greater impervious surface coverage is likely to increase flood frequency and flood heights at La Finca, which is bisected by an intermittent stream and bordered by the Connecticut River on its east side.

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Holyoke, like many urban areas, has a high percentage of impervious surfaces. Impervious surfaces, like roofs, streets, parking lots, and in some cases lawns, prevent water from penetrating the ground. This increases flood events because more water enters streams and rivers when it rains.

Much of Holyoke, including La Finca, falls within an area designated by the state as of special concern for environmental justice. The environmental justice program tries to ensure that residents in these areas are given a strong voice in policy decisions to redress the historical tendency toward environmental degradation in areas with high concentrations of minority, non-English-speaking, low-income, and foreign-born populations.

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24 Jones Ferry Rd. | Holyoke, MA 01040

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Conway School of Landscape Design 332 South Deerfield Rd. | Conway, MA 01341

Impervious Surfaces

Environmental Justice

Scale:

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La Finca - Nuestras Raices Farm

Impervious surfaces

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MASS GIS NRCS “prime farmland” layer combined with MA land-use data for active cropland & pasture.

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Modified from Mass GIS.

Modified from Mass GIS.

Environmental justice area

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PROJECT GOALS

PLANTS AT LA FINCA • contribute to Caribbean Hispanic feel • are multifunctional, when possible (e.g., edible, ornamental, nitrogen fixing, habitat-providing) • create and define spaces • frame views; don’t block them • create multi-season interest • receive at least six hours of sunlight from February through November • take advantage of microclimates • are not untested, potentially aggressive species

Restaurant • has views of farm, festival ground and/or river • is a comfortable walking distance from parking • is a comfortable walking distance from the festival area • has access routes that are clearly defined and that enrich the “farm experience” • has shaded outdoor seating • has shaded ordering and pickup window with enough space to accommodate lines that may form during festivals • is no more than thirty feet from a loading zone for restaurant supplies • is no more than seventy feet from a dumpster • is situated upwind of animals areas • shares outdoor space with the store

Farm-stand/store • is close enough to parking that customers can comfortably carry purchases to cars • is no more than thirty feet from a loading zone for medium sized trucks • has access routes that are clearly defined and that enrich the “farm experience” • is no more than seventy feet from a dumpster • is shaded during summer to reduce cooling requirements • shares outdoor space with the greenhouse • shares outdoor space with the restaurant • has outdoor work space • has shaded outdoor seating for staff • contributes to security on site (e.g. by hardening edges of site or providing staff with broad views of site).

Greenhouse • faces south with minimal shade year round • is no more than thirty feet from a loading zone for medium sized trucks • is close enough to parking that customers can comfortably carry small items to cars.

• provides a loading zone for customers who purchase large items • has access routes that are clearly defined and that enrich the “farm experience” • is no more than seventy feet from a dumpster • has space to move potted plants outside during fair weather • shares outdoor space with the store • is easily accessed from agricultural land • is far enough from the borders of the property to protect against vandalism

La Finca - Nuestras Raices Farm

PARKING AT LA FINCA • is visible from entrance to site • functions as multi-use space when not used for parking • shares space with agricultural areas • shares space with festival area • allows stormwater infiltration • provides easy entry and exiting • avoids construction on high quality farmland • is shaded during the summer • avoids slopes greater than 8%

GOALS & OBJECTIVES

BUILDINGS AT LA FINCA • define the edges of outdoor spaces for gathering • are visible at key points as visitors move through site • provide views to additional destinations in the site • use architectural idioms from Hispanic Caribbean • take advantage of solar gain for winter heating • take advantage of shade for summer cooling • utilize shelter from winter winds from the Northwest • create microclimates for people and plants • avoid construction on high quality farmland

Dillon Sussman

DESIGN OBJECTIVES

December, 2007

Existing conditions, looking south from entrance (see page 5).

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site a lechonera/restaurant (3000 square feet) site a farm store (600 square feet) site a greenhouse (40 feet X 80 feet) site parking for twenty-five cars make suggestions for event parking design “identity” plantings for common spaces

24 Jones Ferry Rd. | Holyoke, MA 01040

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SECTION A-A

Conway School of Landscape Design 332 South Deerfield Rd. | Conway, MA 01341

SITE BUILDINGS & ASSOCIATED INFRASTRUCTURE TO ENHANCE THE FUNCTIONING AND EXPERIENCE OF A THRIVING COMMUNITY-BASED FARM AND CARIBBEAN HISPANIC AGRITOURISM DESTINATION

Existing Conditions

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The Jones Ferry River Access Center provides a boat launch and parking for seventy cars. On summer weekends, the parking lot is often filled by large trucks with boat trailers. Visitors to La Finca also use the parking lot.

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During heavy storm events the city’s combined sewer overflow spews stormwater and sewage into the Connecticut River. During a large flood event, the sewage could wash back onto the site. This is a serious public health hazard.

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A right of way for sewer service bisects the farm. The city has the right to remove anything within this zone that impedes their work.

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The towering grove shades the festival grounds and farm plots. The treehouse/stage hosts events and is an under–used clubhouse for staff.

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A nature trail runs across the intermittent stream to the southern land. It is difficult to distinguish it from the surrounding land and is rarely used.

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A band of steep slopes runs north-south through the property. Where eastwest farm roads cross it, they are eroding and possibly dangerous.

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A dumpster at the terminus of the access road is unsightly, as is the mulch pile east of it.

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A post-and-beam barn was recently constructed. It will stable horses and other animals. Offices or a break room may occupy the second floor.

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Three farm plots in the center of the farm are used as market gardens. The eastern side of the plots are shady and susceptible to erosion.

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The hoop greenhouse extends the growing season. The area in front of the greenhouse and toolshed is a de facto gathering place for staff.

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Note: The benchmark (BM) is a manhole cover. The iron pin (IP) noted here was recorded during a survey performed by the Conway School of Landscape Design in September 2007. It does not correspond to property lines shown on Hoyoke parcel maps or maps made by Sean Gaffney (CSLD 2003), Sebastian Gutwein & Keith Zaltzberg (UMASS LARP, 2006), or Dodson Associates (2006). Property lines shown here follow Holyoke parcel maps.

December, 2007

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24 Jones Ferry Rd. | Holyoke, MA 01040

The store sits just inside the entrance, facing south. The store traps heat from the summer sun, sometimes causing produce to spoil. A concrete pad from a recently demolished building is east of the store. The lechon asado is a cinderblock structure used for roasting animals. It rests on a flattened area whose edges are eroding.

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Conway School of Landscape Design 332 South Deerfield Rd. | Conway, MA 01341

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La Finca - Nuestras Raices Farm

A small parking lot just inside the entrance can handle two cars. It occupies an area whose soil was degraded by past use.

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Dillon Sussman

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EXISTING CONDTIONS

The focus area slopes from Main Street down to the Connecticut River. Its western half, which is moderately sloped, contains agricultural and commercial areas. The eastern half of the property, from the right of way to the bank of the Connecticut River, is relatively flat floodplain. A grove of mature silver maple and boxelder trees shades a unique treehouse and stage that are the heart of the festival ground. Regenerating forest wraps around the eastern, southern and western sides of the property. Of the buildings on the site, only the barn and the treehouse/stage are considered permanent structures.

Legal Guidelines

1 inch = 80 feet

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Federal Emergency Management Agency 100-year floodplain Building by special permit only. Must provide “compensatory storage” to mitigate any loss of flood capacity.

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Right of Way The city of Holyoke can remove anything within this zone that impedes sewer service work.

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Rivers Protection Act 200-foot resource area No cut, fill, or vegetation removal, except for agricultural purposes.

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Rivers Protection Act 100-foot resource area No cut, fill, or vegetation removal.

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Wetlands Protection Act 100-foot buffer zone Any work in this zone will require special permitting.

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Holyoke 15-foot side setback Building in this zone would require a zoning variance from the city.

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The legal restrictions can be seen as helpful guidelines for good stewardship.

Building within environmental protection zones should be avoided, when possible, because it may be contrary to Nuestras Raices’ environmental mission.

If building must occur within a restricted zone, Nuestras Raices might consider which variances it has the political capital to acquire, as well as what mitigatory activities it could undertake.

Note on City Setbacks The land owned by Nuestras Raices at La Finca is currently listed as three separate properties by the city. Each property therefore has its own side setbacks which further limit buildable locations. The analysis shown here treats the site as one parcel, without additional side setbacks. Further research should be performed to evaluate the benefits of combining the land into one parcel.

Note: all legal boundaries shown on this page are approximate. Topography for the core of the site is from a Conway School for Landscape Design survey (October, 2007). Topography for the perimeter of the site was interpolated from Sebastian Gutwein & Keith Zaltzberg (2006) and Sean Gaffney (2003). The interpolated area includes south of the southern treeline into the gully, the western slope from Main Street down to the inner fence line, and from the eastern treeline down to the Connecticut River. NHESP, data is from Mass GIS. RPA and WPA lines are estimated from visible river and stream edges. FEMA data is based on a FEMA firmette map. Property lines are based on Holyoke City parcel maps and tax maps and an iron pin located in the northwest corner of the property. All data was aligned using digital orthophotos from Mass GIS as a common reference.

Previous landscape design plans show marked differences regarding the location of the 100-year flood line. An accurate assessment of the flood line should be completed before Nuestras Raices proceeds with building planning.

December, 2007

Natural Heritage Endangered Species Program priority habitat of endangered species and estimated habitat of endangered species.

Any development will require review by NHESP

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24 Jones Ferry Rd. | Holyoke, MA 01040

Unconstrained area There are no legal constraints in this area. Building here would not require any special applications, permitting, or environmental review.

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La Finca - Nuestras Raices Farm

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Dillon Sussman

Holyoke 40-foot front setback Building in this zone would require a zoning variance from the city.

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LEGAL GUIDELINES

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Conway School of Landscape Design 332 South Deerfield Rd. | Conway, MA 01341

Because of its proximity to water, the site faces a number of legal restrictions that will require special permitting for building construction. The restrictions overlap and increase in intensity approaching the river. Only a narrow rectangle, approximately 50 feet by 315 feet (15,750 square feet), is unconstrained.

Slopes

1 inch = 80 feet

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The majority of slopes at La Finca are appropriate for agricultural use and human gathering spaces. The steep slopes around the perimeter of the site limit potential vehicular access points. Likewise, the band of moderately steep slopes separating the river terraces makes it difficult for vehicles and wheelchairs to cross the site in an east-west direction.

SOI L S (e s

Moderate slopes should be considered for siting parking lots, roads, pathways and buildings.

DEGR ADED

Soils

An area of degraded soil stretches along Jones Ferry Road from the parking lot, to the concrete pad. It appears that a fair amount of gravel and glass were dumped in this area before Nuestras Raices took ownership of the land. Soils near the river may also have been damaged by ATVs and dirt bikes that frequented this area.2 The majority of the soil at La Finca is a uniquely valuable resource that is better suited to agriculture and light recreation than to development. Development plans at La Finca should consider the costs versus benefits of building on this soil.

If construction proceeds, steps should be taken to minimize its negative effects which might include erosion, compaction, or the loss of soil microorganism communities.

Degraded areas should be evaluated for building suitability and/or rehabilitated.

1. U.S.D.A. Natural Resources Conservation Service. Web Soils Survey, http://websoilsurvey.nrcs.usda.gov/app/.

2. Eric Toensmeier, Farm Director, La Finca. Personal Conversation, November 4, 2007.

POS SIBLE

Hadley very fine sandy loam predominates on the site. This soil is well drained, extremely productive, and ideal for agriculture. Hadley very fine sandy loam is highly susceptible to frost action, so asphalt roads should be avoided. The depth to the water table is estimated at 39 to 67 inches, so buildings with basements should not be built, if possible. Small commercial buildings (less than three stories) without basements are okay provided steps are taken to deal with slopes.

Natural-surface roads, paths and picnic areas are appropriate on this site. 1

0-3% 3-5% 5-8% 8-15% >15%

December, 2007

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La Finca - Nuestras Raices Farm

DED SOI

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SLOPES AND SOILS

• Slopes from 0-3% are suitable for almost all activities and are comfortable for walking.

• Slopes from 3-5% are suitable for walking, driving and parking.

5% is the upper limit for wheel chair accessible ramps without handrails. It is also the upper limit for parking lots without paving.

• Slopes from 5-8% are suitable for handicap accessible ramps with handrails.

• Slopes from 5-10% are the recommended maximum for paved parking, service roads and driveways.

• Slopes from 10-15% can sometimes be graded to produce slopes acceptable for parking and driving.

• Slopes greater than 15% are not suitable for most activities and should be planted with perennials to prevent erosion.

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24 Jones Ferry Rd. | Holyoke, MA 01040

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Conway School of Landscape Design 332 South Deerfield Rd. | Conway, MA 01341

The property shows evidence of two river terraces formed by the Connecticut River. It slopes steeply from Main Street down to an upper terrace which extends across the farm road toward the middle of the farm plots. This terrace has a slope of 5-8%. A lower terrace extends from the silver maple grove to the river. It is relatively flat with slopes ranging from 0-5%. In between the two river terraces, there is a broad band with steeper slopes ranging from 8-15%.

1 inch = 160 feet

The area around the current store and the lechon asado receives the most sun.

A band which runs down the center of the site on either side of the main access road also receives a significant amount of sun.

Market gardens and the greenhouse demand the sunny locations, while the store, restaurant, gathering spaces and livestock pens would benefit from shade during the summer.

The silver maple grove provides dappled shade during the Harvest Festival, 2007.

Shade darkens the market gardens, while the store remains in full sun on an October afternoon.

December, 2007

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Not for construction. This drawing is part of a student project and is not based on a legal survey.

Large trees cast shade across the site in three areas: • The silver maple grove casts shadows across the market gardens in the morning.

• The mixed hardwoods along Main Street cast shadows across the barn, and petting zoo in the afternoon. The effect of these trees is intensified because they are located on the top of a slope and so cast longer shadows.

• The mixed hardwoods along the southern border cast shadows all day.

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24 Jones Ferry Rd. | Holyoke, MA 01040

Photos: Dillon Sussman.

Sun and Shade

Conway School of Landscape Design 332 South Deerfield Rd. | Conway, MA 01341

Summer Solstice, composite shadows 8 a.m., 12 p.m., and 4 p.m.

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La Finca - Nuestras Raices Farm

Spring/Fall Equinox, composite shadows 8 a.m., 12 p.m., and 4 p.m.

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SUN AND SHADE

Winter Solstice, composite shadows 9 a.m., 12 p.m., and 3 p.m.

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Dillon Sussman

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Daily and weekend parking

Festival parking

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Parking

Local and regional visitors are expected.

La Finca experiences two distinct parking volumes. On weekdays during the summer, the staff parks in several spots on-site and on Jones Ferry Road. When the farm stand is open, small numbers of visitors arrive. They park in the remaining spots on Jones Ferry Road, and then begin to fill in the municipal parking lot.

Local visitors will travel on Main St. or Northampton Street (Route 5).

Regional visitors’ routes • Route 91, exit 14. North on Main Street to Jones Ferry Road • Route 90, exit 4. North on Main Street to Jones Ferry Road.

• Route 91, Exit 15. West on Lower Westfield Road. Follow Westfield Road as it snakes down the hill. Sharp right onto Ingleside Road. Immediate left onto Jones Ferry Road.

Visitors will enjoy easy access from downtown Holyoke, from the Mass Pike and from Highway 91South. Visitors from the north, however, will have a harder time finding the site. The route from the highway passes through confusing intersections as it twists down steep hills.

Additional way-finding elements, such as signs or signature plants, could help direct visitors from Route 91, exit 15.

During festivals, the parking requirements increase dramatically. All possible spots along Jones Ferry Road, in the municipal parking lot, and along Main Street and neighboring side streets are occupied.

Parking on site and along Jones Ferry Road meets La Finca’s light and moderate volume needs. Nuestras Raices might consider petitioning the city to officially legalize parking on Main Street and Jones Ferry Road and to formalize permission to use the Jones Ferry River Access Center parking lot. Nuestras Raices might consider looking to the broader area for additional parking during festivals. A shuttle service could make a circuit of local parking lots. (See the top left map for large parking lots in La Finca’s area)

Parking on Jones Ferry Road is officially prohibited. The conflict between a “No Parking” sign posted on Jones Ferry Road and the ever-present parked cars contributes to a confusing first impression of the site.

The heavy use of local streets for parking during festivals may cause tension with neighbors over time. As festivals draw larger crowds, La Finca may outgrow the available on-street parking within walking distance. Furthermore, the reliance on unenforced illegal parking makes La Finca vulnerable to political whims and changing favor.

It seems unlikely that all festival parking could be handled on site without significant damage to the site due to soil compaction.

Parking on Jones Ferry Road during Harvest Festival, 2007.

La Finca - Nuestras Raices Farm

Access to La Finca

Dillon Sussman

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ACCESS AND PARKING

Scale:

Not to Scale

Photos: Dillon Sussman.

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Easy Access Route Confusing Access Route Large Parking Lots Off-site

Not to Scale

December, 2007

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24 Jones Ferry Rd. | Holyoke, MA 01040

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Conway School of Landscape Design 332 South Deerfield Rd. | Conway, MA 01341

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1 inch = 80 feet

into the site from Main Street of the sign on Main Street of the parking lot at the end of Jones Ferry Road into the site from Jones Ferry Road of the entrance on Jones Ferry Road to the entrance to the store

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Views of the petting zoo are blocked by the greenhouse and toolshed. For children and shorter adults, views into the farm plots are blocked by fences topped with prolific vines. Views from the main access road to the treehouse/stage are blocked by the silver maple grove.

The sewer pump is visible from many places on the site and the dumpster is in a prime visual location (the end of the axis that runs from the entrance down the gravel road).

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Thinning vegetation to open views at key points would create a more welcoming experience of the site. Permanent buildings can be sited so that they have a visual presence from the street. Views of the sewer pump might be screened from the farm. The dumpster could be relocated and/or screened.

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Typical Arrival Sequence 1. Glimpse Site 2. Notice sign 3. See entrance 4. Locate parking and park 5. Find destination 6. Notice additional destinations

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Desirable object, field of view Black=obstructed White=unobstructed Undesirable object, field of view Black=obstructed.

White=unobstructed Important line of sight

La Finca - Nuestras Raices Farm

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ARRIVAL AND VIEWS

As visitors move through the site, desirable views continue to be blocked while several undesirable views are left open.

Dillon Sussman

Blocked views during the arrival sequence confuse visitors and can give them the sense that they may not be welcome at the farm.

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December, 2007

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Key views are blocked throughout the arrival sequence at La Finca:

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24 Jones Ferry Rd. | Holyoke, MA 01040

Views

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Conway School of Landscape Design 332 South Deerfield Rd. | Conway, MA 01341

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1 inch = 80 feet

Regular Visitors

Festival Visitors

Staff Vehicles

24 Jones Ferry Rd. | Holyoke, MA 01040

Additional visitor attractions along the route of circulation could encourage more visitors to take full advantage of the site.

Opening and/or framing views to attractions could also encourage exploration. Pedestrian-only pathways could be created to separate foot and vehicle traffic and to create more direct routes to destinations throughout the site. In particular, a direct route through the farm plots would appeal to tired staff who currently must walk around the farm’s perimeter when looking for a shady spot to take a break.

CIRCULATION

The site’s circulation system must also accommodate traffic from large trucks (not shown on graphic) including fire trucks, dump trucks and medium-sized delivery vehicles which frequent the store and barn.

La Finca - Nuestras Raices Farm

Dillon Sussman

Three types of people move through La Finca, each with their own motivations and routes. Staff go everywhere on the site by foot, and also frequently drive through the site. Regular visitors are drawn to the store and often remain in the northwest corner of the site.

The petting zoo occasionally pulls visitors on a counter-clockwise route, but the visitors rarely proceed further. Festival visitors tend to move clockwise. They pass in front of the store to the lechon asado and then proceed down the hill to the treehouse and stage. Festival attendees sometimes finish the loop passing by the barn and petting zoo. A small number of festival visitors also cross the bridge to the southern portion of the farm, or explore the nature trail.

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Circulation

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One of the goals at La Finca is to create a place that feels like a Caribbean Hispanic village. Each community member carries his/her own memories of home. Here are some common themes among landscapes and outdoor spaces drawn from photos of Puerto Rico from the first half of the twentieth century.

Building on hills—terraces and long stairways Photos on this page are from Library of Congress F.S.A. collection, except the third column, top and bottom photos, which are from an unknown source, and the fourth column, middle and bottom photos, which are from The Cultural Landscape Foundation, (http://www.tclf.org/landslide/2006/jajome/history.htm).

Conway School of Landscape Design 332 South Deerfield Rd. | Conway, MA 01341

December, 2007 Not for construction. This drawing is part of a student project and is not based on a legal survey.

Plazas

24 Jones Ferry Rd. | Holyoke, MA 01040

Cultural References

La Finca - Nuestras Raices Farm

Dillon Sussman Close-set buildings, narrow streets

CULTURAL REFERENCES

Informal outdoor gathering spaces

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1 inch = 130 feet

New buildings and parking will reshape the zones of use on the site. Unless extensive permitting is pursued to allow building in the festival/forest zones, the agricultural zone will lose space to the commercial zone. The relationship between the livestock and market garden areas will also likely change.

Development on the site presents opportunities for re-configuring zones of use and connecting them in different ways. For example, the edges of zones could be blurred; corridors between zones could be created; or one zone could be nestled inside another.

In this conception, agriculture dominates the visitor’s experience of the site. Regenerating forest occupies a large amount of land—both because riparian forest is valuable and because it is legally mandated. Commercial and festival areas are close to parking, but have views into agriculture and forest. Some elements borrow space from each other. For example, on-site parking spots might be used as a market area during festivals when cars are kept off the site.

The concept is motivated by the site’s unique ecological and agricultural capacity. The site’s soils and habitat function are given the highest priority. Commerce and visitors are concentrated to minimize their impact on food production and habitat provision.

24 Jones Ferry Rd. | Holyoke, MA 01040

The farm is divided into seven zones of use. Approximately half of the farm is used for regenerating forest, which shares space with the festival area. About a quarter of the farm is dedicated to crop agriculture, while the remaining quarter is divided between livestock areas and commercial areas. Gathering spots are limited. Visitors use the festival area and the petting zoo as gathering spots, and occasionally congregate around the store.

Many conceptual diagrams could be produced for this site, each with its own set of relationships and priorities. For example, one diagram might value business incubation more than agriculture and so commercial zones would expand while agricultural zones would shrink or become peripheral. Another diagram might combine the festival and commercial areas into one zone and place it in the center of the agricultural area.

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December, 2007

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La Finca - Nuestras Raices Farm

Zones of Use

This diagram attempts to simplify the project to its most basic elements and tease out the relationships between them. The diagram is not strictly spatial. It does not illustrate where on the site an element should be placed, but rather how close, or far, elements should be from each other and what kind of interactions they should have.

ZONES OF USE/CONCEPTS

Conceptual Diagram

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Not for construction. This drawing is part of a student project and is not based on a legal survey.

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Conway School of Landscape Design 332 South Deerfield Rd. | Conway, MA 01341

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80'

Full sun

Degraded soil Important line of site Steep slope

Partial sun Shady

24 Jones Ferry Rd. | Holyoke, MA 01040

Prime farmland

La Finca - Nuestras Raices Farm

The following alternatives should be seen as a starting point for discussion about the future of La Finca and the tough choices that face Nuestras Raices.

Summary Analysis

SUMMARY

Ultimately, Nuestras Raices must make difficult decisions. Because of the limited buildable space at La Finca, and the value of the land itself, it will be difficult for the site to gracefully accommodate all of the programmatic requirements. For example, adding parking will destroy farmland; developing commercial buildings will shift visitors’ experience of the site away from agriculture.

Dillon Sussman

1. This is a unique site and should be approached sensitively.

2. Plans should maintain high standards of environmental stewardship and community involvement.

3. The site is a crucial resource for local food production in Holyoke.

4. Buildings should be built away from flood-prone areas.

5. Legal restrictions limit buildable locations.

6. Buildings should avoid steep slopes, or be built into them to utilize thermal mass. Parking should be sited to minimize grading requirements.

7. Buildings and parking should not damage high quality agricultural soils. They should be placed on areas with degraded soil, if possible. If construction must proceed on prime agricultural soils, the soils should be stockpiled and used elsewhere on the farm.

8. The greenhouse should be given the sunniest location.

Parking, the store, the restaurant, gathering places, and animal areas will benefit from shady locations during late spring, summer, and early fall.

9. On-site parking should be minimized. Access to off-site parking should be formalized.

10. Sitings of buildings and parking will shape visitors’ experience of the site.

11. Sitings should consider visitors’ arrival experience. If possible, parking and the store should be visible from the entrance.

12. Sitings should reinforce existing circulation patterns and enhance them. If a flow of visitors is desired, then buildings should be spread and additional paths should be established. If clustering of visitors is desired, then buildings should be clustered.

13. Buildings can create gathering spaces 14. Sitings of buildings should reflect Caribbean Hispanic culture.

December, 2007

The alternatives are guided by the following design directions:

Not for construction. This drawing is part of a student project and is not based on a legal survey.

The alternatives, shown on sheets 15 and 16, are based on the preceding site analysis and different conceptual relationships between the site’s elements. Each alternative reconfigures those relationships to produce different functions and “feels” for La Finca. Each alternative shifts zones of use, impacts views and circulation (and by extension the visitor experience), and each involves its own unique legal challenges.

Conway School of Landscape Design 332 South Deerfield Rd. | Conway, MA 01341

Summary

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Pros + Parking near the store, lechonera, and greenhouse provides an easy-in-easy-out experience for shoppers. + The store and lechonera create a plaza. + The plaza contains room expand the store and dining pavilion.

Cons – The store and lechonera violate the city’s 40’ front setback.

– All buildings violate NHESP priority habitat of endangered species.

– The lechonera is within the FEMA 100 year flood zone.

– Full sun will beat on the store and lechonera all day during the summer, increasing cooling costs.

– The greenhouse will be shaded in the afternoon.

– The second parking lot occupies about a quarter of an acre of high-quality farmland, and its driveway may confuse visitors.

– The parking lot will require significant regrading.

Pros + Legal applications, permitting and environmental reviews are minimized + The close-set buildings define a plaza, and “a street,” which contribute a Caribbean aesthetic to the site. + The store and restaurant receive afternoon shade. + A clear path of circulation separates foot traffic from vehicles. + New gardens surrounded by paths increase visitors’ interface with agriculture. + A loading zone behind the greenhouse serves all of the buildings.

Cons – The greenhouse does not have optimal sun access.

– The parking lot requires a small amount of regrading within the FEMA 100 year flood plain. Compensatory flood storage must be provided.

– A dogwood and a Japanese maple must be relocated to make way for the parking lot.

– Parking next to farmland increases pollution in the soil.

Pros + The clustering of the store and restaurant reduces their footprints. + The greenhouse is situated in the sunniest spot on the farm and receives full sun for most of the year. + The dining area provides views of the farm to the south and east. + Parking is hidden from the farm by the buildings. + Buildings create a secure entrance to the site by limiting access of thieves and vandals entering from the north. + Awnings unite the store and restaurant, define circulation routes and provide shade for customers waiting in line at the pick-up window.

Cons – The store, restaurant, greenhouse, and parking are placed within the priority habitat of endangered species and will require special permitting.

– Part of the greenhouse is within the FEMA 100 year flood zone.

Its construction will require regulatory review and provision of compensatory flood storage.

December, 2007

In this design, visitors park and pass through the commercial core before they enter the farm. Buildings have a northern urbanoriented side that provide easy-in, easy-out access for customers in a hurry. The buildings’ southern farm-oriented sides provide a farm experience for more relaxed visitors.

160'

Not for construction. This drawing is part of a student project and is not based on a legal survey.

In this configuration, the store and restaurant rest within the legally unconstrained portion of the farm. Their construction would not require any special applications, permitting or environmental review.

About three quarters of the greenhouse, and the entire parking lot fall within the NHESP priority habitat of endangered species.

However, parking covers previously disturbed soils southeast of the entrance.

24 Jones Ferry Rd. | Holyoke, MA 01040

This design is based on Joseph Krupczyinski’s modifications of Dodson and Associates’ 2006 masterplan. (See the appendix for the full masterplan). The expanded greenhouse, store and lechonera cluster at the farm’s entrance. Parking wraps around the greenhouse; seven spots take advantage of degraded soils on the north side of the greenhouse, while an additional eighteen spots can be found in an auxiliary lot southwest of the greenhouse. The petting zoo has been moved to the south side of the barn to take advantage of an underutilized shady space. A new entrance to the site has been opened on Jones Ferry Road to serve farmers travelling to the land leased from the Sisters of Providence.

Conway School of Landscape Design 332 South Deerfield Rd. | Conway, MA 01341

Alternative 3, “Commerce First”

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La Finca - Nuestras Raices Farm

Alternative 2, “Easy Street”

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ALTERNATIVES 1, 2, & 3

Alternative 1, “Based on Masterplan”

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Pros + The maximum amount of farmland is maintained; prime lands are not used for building the store or restaurant. + Heating and cooling costs are reduced by the thermal mass provided by the slope into which the multifunctional building is cut. + The street level entrance utilizes on-street parking on Main St. and raises the public profile of the farm. + The greenhouse has the best possible sun access. + The multifunctional building is outside of the priority habitat of endangered species and the FEMA 100 year flood zone.

Cons – The multifunctional building is within the forty foot front setback established by the city of Holyoke. It will require a zoning variance.

– Cutting into the slope will increase construction costs.

– The multifunction building may require an elevator if an ADA accessible path cannot be created between Main St. and the farm.

– Permission for on-street parking on Main Street will have to be negotiated with the city.

– Locations for dumpsters near the store and restaurant are limited.

Pros + There is a strong connection between the festival ground, the restaurant, and the store. + Gathering areas are created in front of the store and the restaurant. + The dining area has pleasant views on all sides—of the festival ground, market gardens, the barn, and the river. + The store and petting zoo take advantage of shady spots. + The store and restaurant have room to grow. + The store is not in the priority habitat of endangered species.

Cons – The restaurant occupies prime farmland and is within the priority habitat of endangered species.

– About three-quarters of the parking lot occupies prime farmland.

– The restaurant is within priority habitat of endangered species.

– Parking next to farmland increases pollution in the soil.

The riverboat lechonera will be a unique dining experience that will draw visitors from throughout the region. It will also double as a floating classroom for river-education excursions. The restaurant will strengthen ties to the municipal boat launch and can also expand its market by going on voyages to bring a flavor of La Finca to riverfront Communities as far south as New Haven.

Pros + Takes advantage of the farm’s riverfront location. + Creates a unique dining experience. + Minimizes development on valuable farmland. + Strengthens ties between La Finca and other riverfront communities. + Strengthens ties to the Jones Ferry Riverfront Access Center + The store and the greenhouse hide the parking from the farm. + The store and greenhouse define a portal which provides a dramatic entry experience to the farm, while increasing security by making entry and exit very visible.

Cons – The riverboat requires construction of dock facilities and will require additional permitting.

December, 2007

How can Nuestras Raices build a restaurant without losing prime farmland, and establish a stronger connection to the Connecticut River at the same time? Put the restaurant on a riverboat!

160'

Not for construction. This drawing is part of a student project and is not based on a legal survey.

Visitors are brought into the heart of the farm by placing the store and restaurant at its center. A large parking lot in the northwest corner accommodates twenty-four cars. An axial pathway runs from the store through the restaurant to the silver maple grove, uniting the commercial and festival zones. The petting zoo stretches out in the shade along a pedestrian-only path between the store and the parking lot.

24 Jones Ferry Rd. | Holyoke, MA 01040

A two story multifunctional building is cut into the farm’s east facing slope along Main Street. Visitors can enter the building at street level from Main Street, or at the lower level from the farm.

The building houses the store and restaurant while providing outdoor dining with panoramic views of the farm from its second floor.

Conway School of Landscape Design 332 South Deerfield Rd. | Conway, MA 01341

Alternative 6, “Riverboat”

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La Finca - Nuestras Raices Farm

Alternative 5, “Festival Heart”

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ALTERNATIVES 4, 5, & 6

Alternative 4, “Street Presence”

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Plant gardens around the greenhouse that illustrate the history of cultural groups who have worked La Finca’s land. Tropical-esque gardens take shelter from the greenhouse. Native American, French and Irish historic gardens frame its entrance.

5

Add a second small fruit pergola. The corridor becomes the starting point for an expanded nature trail which is planted with understory forest species. Add benches at nodes in the path to create gathering spaces.

6

Plant an orchard of small fruit trees around the Silver Maple Grove. As Silver Maples decline, replace them with medium-sized dense canopy trees, for example Mulberry.

Open the orchard and small fruit pergolas (see 5) to pick-your-own harvesting.

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Establish a vegetative buffer between the petting zoo and the intermittent stream to filter manure runoff from animals.

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Move the chicken house to the terminus of the entrance road so it is visible from the entrance. Place the petting zoo and paddock in the shade next to it. It is expected that animals will be rotated between the zoo and pasture in the southern farm.

9

Open a path between the two market gardens at the farm’s center. Move back fences around these beds and encircle them with pick-your-own strips—allowing visitors to interact with the crops.

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10 Create a service drive and truck turn-around next to the barn. Hide the dumpster and tool shed at its end. The turn around will allow medium-sized delivery trucks (33’) to enter and exit the site without braving the steep slope to the lower road.

11 Remove selected Norway maples along Main Street to open views into the farm.

Plant the base of the slope with multi-functional understory shrubs to define the farm’s western edge.

Existing Conditions

12 Move the Youth Garden to the entrance of the farm, symbolically elevating the youths’ position within the community. Plant a Caribbean Hispanic themed vegetable garden next to the Youth Garden. Label plants in both gardens with Spanish and English names.

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December, 2007

Site the greenhouse in the sunniest location on the site (exact location to be determined).

Relocate the current store and lechon asado to the area currently occupied by the greenhouse and tool shed. Add a dining tent to create a plaza configuration. Add a door and arbor to the south side of the store to create a gathering place for staff that has clear view of most of the farm, thereby increasing security.

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Not for construction. This drawing is part of a student project and is not based on a legal survey.

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24 Jones Ferry Rd. | Holyoke, MA 01040

Create a small parking lot at the site’s entrance, utilizing degraded land. Open an entrance with two parallel-parking spots along the right of way. Build alliances with owners of large local parking lots and establish a parking shuttle service for festivals.

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Conway School of Landscape Design 332 South Deerfield Rd. | Conway, MA 01341

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La Finca - Nuestras Raices Farm

The developments that Nuestras Raices is contemplating for La Finca are ambitious and will take time to plan and accomplish, but there are some simple improvements that could be made to the site in the near-term. The suggestions are relatively inexpensive and will not limit future possibilities or have long term negative effects on the farm’s agricultural capacity.

Dillon Sussman

1 Rehabilitate soils in the current parking lot. Create a terrace in the northwest corner of the property and plant it with multi-functional ornamentals reminiscent of the farm’s Caribbean Hispanic roots. Plants on Jones Ferry Rd. frame views into the farm.

Near-Term Action Plan

Near-Term Action Plan

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*Note: In these graphics north is oriented to the right.

Dodson Associates, 2006. *

Joseph Krupczynski, 2007.

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December, 2007

Conway School of Landscape Design 332 South Deerfield Rd. | Conway, MA 01341

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Not for construction. This drawing is part of a student project and is not based on a legal survey.

Sebastian Gutwein & Keith Zaltzberg, 2006.

Dillon Sussman

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24 Jones Ferry Rd. | Holyoke, MA 01040

Sean Gaffney, 2003.

La Finca - Nuestras Raices Farm

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MASTER PLAN HISTORY

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