threads Stitching urbanism, ecology, and community together in Athens, Georgia
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Stitching Urbanism, Ecology, and Community together in Athens, Georgia by Kevan Williams Course Instructor - Professor Scott Weinberg A Senior Design Project presented to the School of Environmental Design College of Environment and Design University of Georgia In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Bachelor of Landscape Architecture Athens, Georgia Spring 2010
threads Stitching urbanism, ecology, and community together in Athens, Georgia
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Kevan Williams Thomas Brown Catherine Dunleavy Agustina Hein Elizabeth Hinrichs Mary Alston Killen Will Kiser Taylor Rassel
Copyright 2010
CO NT ENT S INTRODUCTION
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Athens-Clarke County
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THE BOROUGH Triangle Parks Corridor Solutions
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FIREFLY RXRAD DOWNTOWN Roof(Rox) NEW GREENS Wellspring College Square Extending Hot Corner
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CONCLUSIONS APPENDIX
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I NT RO D UCT I O N Athens is, like most places in the modern world, deeply fragmented. The urban environment is disconnected from the natural world, with an artificial divide between the places people inhabit, and the life-giving natural systems which ultimately sustain us. The city’s very fabric has been torn apart by highways, rail lines, infrastructure and other barriers. People are isolated from necessary services, from the environment, and from one another. Our aim is to weave this diverse city back together, producing a community which is more equitably accessible, environmentally sustainable, and expressive of the people who inhabit it. This reconnected city will be stronger and more able to meet the challenges of the future.
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The projects contained in this document are intended to serve as a patternbook of sorts, illustrating solutions which, while site-specific, could be applied to other sites not only around Athens, but throughout the region. Our intent is not to create a top-down, authoritarian approach for the city’s future, but an incremental and organic solution. We are looking for holes to be patched and gaps in the city’s existing fabric, either in the form of new connections or lost historic ones. The mending of these fragmented places will bring people and their city together. These new connections produce new ideas, and that creative spirit is what Athens is really all about. Beginning at the county level, we will explore how to organize the relationship between the built environment and its greenspaces in a meaningful and mutually beneficial way. We will then zoom in one level at a time, exploring how the notion of stitching the community together works at the scale of a borough, a neighborhood, and an individual site. This patchwork approach will create a diverse urban environment, thereby accommodating the growth that will inevitably come in the future, while still respecting the historic character and fabric, which make Athens what it is.
Planning Athens isn’t a completely reasoned process. Often, issues are emotionally charged, precluding both rational solutions and more creative ones. Without at least considering solutions which might at first seem unworkable, we won’t come up with unique ideas which tap into the vast resources of our local creative atmosphere. Inserted between chapters are images which represent unconventional, yet viable responses to current issues. They are the results of taking a step back from the issues they address, and taking the process less seriously. If adopted, these solutions might have a more beneficial result than conventional thinking regarding urban design issues. Captions were written for the images which might jar the unsuspecting reader, in order to encourage them. to go beyond their standard approach.
BELOW The J&J Flea Market, an unpredictable and surprising cross-section of local culture.
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T HE CO UNT Y
solutions which connect urban athens to its rural hinterlands
Athens -Cl arke Count y, whil e t h e s ma ll e s t co u nty in Georgia, is over one h u n d re d s q ua re m i l es in area and is home to m o re 110,0 0 0 p eo ple. In order to generate meaningful solutions at the local scale, the city must first be organized into smaller, more understandable pieces. Rather than arbitrary lines on a map, the best place to start this process of organization is with natural features. The rivers organize greenway corridors, while the ridges, which divide them, are home for major rail corridors. At the center of the city is downtown Athens, with density decreasing as you leave it, and a green agricultural belt beyond. The river and ridge corridors produce green spokes that reach in from the rural belt to the heart of the city. These green fingers break the city into five logical boroughs, each of which has its own commercial heart to provide walkable services. Greenway trails connect the boroughs to one another and to the community’s environmental areas. Transit organizes growth within the boroughs, connecting the major centers of the community. All of these approaches work together to organize growth and provide for a balance between city and nature without unduly impacting the existing fabric of neighborhoods within the city. LEFT Clayton Street, Downtown RIGHT ACC’s current Agricultural Belt Conservation Strategy contrasted with potential Greenway Overlays. The Ag Belt fails to address major natural corridors which cross the center of the county.
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THE GREENBELT The current conservation strategy as expressed in the Future Land Use Plan and zoning ordinances for Athens-Clarke County is based primarily on an agricultural belt around the developed portion of the county. This belt is not a complete loop, the southwestern portion of the county being the missing portion. Within that belt, density is restricted to one house per ten acres. The only portions of the river covered this belt are those on the fringes of the county. The ag belt doesn’t reflect any natural conditions, only a general presence or absence of development at the time of its establishment. This zoning pattern has little to do with greenway planning in the community. Shown is how a greenway based zoning approach might mesh with the existing ag belt.
Ag. Belt Greenway Overlay Ag. Belt and Greenway Overlay Government (UGA, ACC, GA, US) Government within Greenway Overlay Existing parkland.
GREENSPACE Rural land, parks, schools, greenways, infrastructure rights-of-way, cemeteries, and rail corridors all contribute to a network of greenspaces which connect the city together and align the urban environment within an ecological framework.
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BOROUGHS Based on physical barriers such as the bypass and the greenspace corridors, the county is organized into five subregions called boroughs, within which strong neighborhood connections can be created. Central Athens, with Downtown at its heart, is the most urban borough, while four largely suburban boroughs, each with their own heart, surround it.
TRAIL CONNECTIVITY Bicycle/pedestrian corridors in the form of rail-trails and greenway trails connect boroughs across ecological corridors, bringing people in contact with nature while avoiding the negative impacts of roads and other more intensive uses.
TRANSIT Transit infrastructure is used to organize the growth of the city primarily along key corridors. This reduces pressure on more rural and suburban areas while enhancing the usability of those areas, which are intended to be urban.
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Urban Core Central Borough Transit Oriented Development Corridors Boroughs Greenbelt
COMPOSITE LAND USE
combining transportation and conservation By treating all greenspace as mutually supporting, regardless of land use designation or zoning, a more complete picture emerges of ecological flows through the county. These ecological corridors can define the zones of development for the county.
ALTERNATIVE TRANSPORT
Athens is a city always eager to experiment with foreign forms of transport. Other cities would surely have given up after their London-style taxi service and bicycle rickshaw ventures failed to take off. Not Athens though; the Classic City finally found a hit with Venetian gondolas. Nowadays, tourists and locals alike flock to the North Oconee River for a romantic ride, seeing the city from a new perspective. Eventually, Global
Warming Believers will discover the eco-friendly paddle-boats (and later, will lobby local government for special lanes along the edge of the river especially for their vehicles). Boat shops will open around town when hip, artistic types start customizing their fixed-gear paddle-boats.
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Th e Bo ro ug h
addressing local issues at a meaningful scale
The Central Athens Borough is similar in geography to the City of Athens’ boundaries prior to citycounty unification. Major boundaries include the Middle Oconee Greenway to the west, the Bypass to the north, and the North Oconee and Firefly Greenway Corridors to the south and east. The northeastern portion of the borough crosses the bypass to capture orphaned neighborhoods, which would otherwise be separated from other residential development by large undeveloped industrial zones. Where the major transit spokes converge, three large districts occur that are the densest locations in the community: Downtown, Beechwood, and a new district immediately west of Normaltown complementing the Medical School Campus. Transit corridors take on a “Main Street” character with 3 story buildings along them. While some existing neighborhood centers, such as Normaltown or Cobbham become part of these corridors, other independent neighborhood centers such as Five Points or the Iron Triangle are improved and enhanced as independent sites.
LEFT A ridge above the North Oconee defines the Central Athens Borough. Topography and Hydrology contribute to boundary definitions, allowing for local planning of varied issues such as bicycle routes or stormwater management.
Open Space Opportunities
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Within the fabric of the borough and away from the major green corridors, new locations for introducing greenspace are found by looking for remnant spaces. Highway medians become boulevards and remnant triangles in the city grid create a patchwork of neighborhood pocket parks. Each strategy succeeds by turning a no man’s land into a place for individualized expressions of neighborhood character, adding cultural and ecologic value without displacing any existing functions.
TRIANGLE PARK SITES MEDIAN CORRIDORS
DENSITY A tremendous amount of growth and redevelopment can be accomodated by simply focusing on major commercial centers and corridors. This strategy relates well to inter-borough transportation solutions. Major districts occur where transit converges, while the transit corridors themselves bring improvements to areas between the major centers.
Single Family Neighborhoods Transitional Zones Neighborhood Centers and Main Streets Major Commercial Districts
TRIANGLE PARKS
reclaiming fragments of the urban grid for greenspace Where streets of different eras come together, or due to topographic conditions, idiosyncrasies occur in the city fabric. These often take the form of odd lots and remnant medians which are generally vacant and often unbuildable. These leftovers are often owned by the city and literally located at the crossroads of various neighborhoods within the community. Reclaiming them for parks through community groups or local stakeholder groups, as in the case of the park at Athens Regional Medical Center, can produce a diverse network of free park sites around the city. Whether they become organic community gardens, venues for public art, or simply passive lawns, these spaces have the potential to be exhibits which represent the communities they inhabit. The triangle parks would be Athens’ answer to Savannah’s squares.
Dougherty Triangle
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ABOVE RIGHT This city-owned parking lot currently contributes little to Downtown’s streetlife or cultural vibrancy. This block is redesigned as a contemporary urban garden, providing a distinct public space for the north end of Downtown. The Lumpkin Street Parking Deck will make up for lost parking spaces, allowing this space to be upcycled to a more productive urban function.
EXISTING TRIANGLE PARKS TOP ARMC Park, Normaltown MIDDLE Oak Point Park, Sunset Neighborhood BOTTOM Dodd Hodgson Park, Five Points
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SIDE STREETS
bridges between neighborhoods and commerce
WILCOX TRIANGLE ABOVE LEFT This residential greenspace in the Bloomfield-Midtown neighborhood is currently unprogrammed. LEFT Redesigned as a sculpture garden, this new public park engages visitors and neighborhood residents alike.
Feeder streets which support the major commercial streets of Athens should be designed to seamlessly connect and buffer single family neighborhoods from more urban zones. These corridors are transformed via small-scale mixed-use infill and more residential streetscaping treatments to promote walkability across and between urban district types, accommodating growth while enhancing both the surrounding historic single-family neighborhoods and the commercial corridors beyond. Streets such as Barber, Baxter, and Chase, Oglethorpe, and South Lumpkin Street are examples of where this strategy may be suitable. These places represeent a distinct type of street and need special rules independent of the two places they connect. TOP RIGHT Existing conditions on Barber Street, looking north. MIDDLE RIGHT Street trees, crosswalks, and bike lanes are added to promote walkability and add value to the area. RIGHT Transitional Infill follows public investment, with building forms that bridge scales from the residential portions of Barber to urban Prince Avenue.
Corridors
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retrofitting suburban strips into urban avenues
Currently, the major streets of Athens, which ought be the lively hearts of our city, are barren and impassible barriers. They are suburban highways which sever neighborhoods from one another, with only token gestures toward walkability. The rights-of-way are generally wide enough that they can accommodate a pedestrian-oriented street as easily as a highway, with little effect on auto capacity. Turn lanes are replaced with tree lined medians, travel lanes are narrowed, and sidewalks are widened. Transit, be it in the form of streetcars or high-frequency buses is organized along the major corridors, enhancing their viability as commercial districts and reducing the need for private vehicles in the city.
BELOW West Broad Street, looking west from Magnolia Street, reimagined as an urban boulevard reminiscent of New Orleans’ St. Charles Avenue or Boston’s Commonwealth Avenue.
RIGHT Streetcars return to Prince Avenue, seen here in front of the Grit, at Prince and Newton.
RAIL RIGHT-0F-WAY PEDESTRIAN ZONE VEHICULAR ZONE VEGETATED BUFFER ABOVE LEFT Section illustrating the zones within the existing Prince Avenue right-of-way. LEFT Revised right-of-way to create a more pedestrian friendly avenue. BELOW Existing conditions at Prince and Milledge Avenues
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PRINCE AVENUE This level route was historically home to streetcars, and could benefit from their return. Many of the stately mansions which once lined the street have been replaced with strip development. Transit, in the form of streetcars, light rail, or rapid buses, coupled with the new UGA Medical School could spark a new era on Prince, with mixed use development reclaiming currently auto oriented spaces, while serving as a model for corridors across the city. This corridor’s cross section is more typical of Athens’ arterials, which generally have five lanes. The central turning lane is converted to a treelined median with transit service in the right hand lane.
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RAIL RIGHT-0F-WAY PEDESTRIAN ZONE VEHICULAR ZONE VEGETATED BUFFER
BROAD STREET The 160’ wide right-of-way for Broad Street is suitable for a grand boulevard, with a wide central lawn and path, over which streetcars can run, reminiscent of St. Charles Avenue in New Orleans. Currently much of the right-of-way is unused, serving only as a grassy area between parking lots and the streets. By pushing the streetscape toward auto-oriented buildings and reclaiming that wasted right-of-way, those structures will begin to contribute to an urban street environment. ABOVE Section of West Broad Street Before and After conversion to a boulevard. LEFT Existing conditions on West Broad Street, looking east from Magnolia Street.
RIGHT It is possible to create a completely independent transit corridor entirely within existing right-of-way, Hancock and Broad past Beechwood to the westernmost end of the Atlanta Highway commercial corridor.
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RIGHT Private Investment, in the form of new mixed-use buildings, would likely follow public investment in streetscaping and new transit infrastructure. Public Transportation Systems with fixed guideways are particularly successful at attracting economic development and growth.
LOCAL LIBRARIES
Reaching out to Athenians living OTL (Outside the Loop), the city will decide to build a state of the art, “green� library on the Eastside. Kids can walk to the library from any of four schools in the area. No longer will the parking lot be full of idling SUVs, as parents wait for their children to be dismissed from
the afterschool sing-a-long puppet show. This LEED certified building will be equipped with watersaving urinals and a grass covered roof - the site of an annual, all-day bluegrass concert called “Fiddlers on the Roof.�
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FI REFLY
a beacon for new relationships between urbanism, infrastructure, and conservation
NAMED for the original sparking locomotive which first traversed this historic rail line in the 1840’s, plans are underway to convert the former rail bed into a bicycle trail. Much of the 38 mile corridor will be rural in character, linking small towns such as Winterville, Crawford, Maxey’s and Union Point. The section between Athens and Winterville passes through a much more dynamic landscape, with the potential to connect neighborhoods both urban and suburban with commercial zones, industry, and open space. Firefly itself can become a major organizing piece for the entire eastern portion of the county, serving as a green finger which connects rural farmland and forest with urban parks. The major feature along this corridor is the Hanson Quarry, an approximately 50 acre granite quarry which will likely close within the next 10-15 years. Several hundred feet deep, the quarry rivals Clarke County’s share of the existing multi-county Bear Creek Reservoir. A Hanson Reservoir could be the resource which sustains Athens’ future as water conservation becomes a greater issue in Georgia politics. In order to protect the water quality of the reservoir as well as nearby Carr Creek, development should be controlled in the area, with the Firefly Trail itself serving as a hard edge separating city from country. This trail will be a seam which bonds the active city with an active ecology, creating a dynamic environment which is simultaneously urban and rural.
DISTRICT CONCEPT
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EXISTING SITE CONDITIONS TOP LEFT Light Industrial and vacant land are the predominant uses in the area. In the distance, overburden mounds from the Hanson Quarry can be seen. MIDDLE LEFT The foundations of a former fertilizer warehouse, which was serviced by rail spurs from the Firefly Corridor. BOTTOM LEFT The “Murmur” Trestle, over Trail Creek in Dudley Park.
HERITAGE The trail has the potential to link many historic features and existing resources which celebrate the industrial and transportation heritage of Athens, while also being a major connector for the community.
QUARRY SITE
Multimodal CENTER MURMUR TRES TLE
WAREHOUSE RUINS
Neighborhood Identities Many communities fall along the trail corridor, often with overlapping and contradictory identities and definitions.
PO TTERY TOWN
EAST ATHENS CHICOPEE DUDLEY
BEN EPPS AIRPOR T
HALLMARK
IRON TRIANGLE
C ARR’s HILL
New Connections Strategies such as building new streets in-between existing ones, erecting a new bridge over the bypass, or strengthening existing streetscapes (as seen at Nellie B Avenue), pulls the city closer to the park. Likewise, ambiguous vacant land is converted to park space, bringing ecological areas closer to the city to create a dynamic edge along the trail.
EXTENDED URB AN FABRIC DEFINED GREENBELT EDGE
TRAIL CREEK GREENWAY
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HYBRID LANDSCAPE Former mounds surrounding the quarry are planted with a successional landscape which will over time transition from grasses to mature forest. These hills created by industrial means will over time develop into a valuable habitat. The mounds will not only delight visitors to this new preserve with expansive views, but also help to screen airport noise from nearby development.
PARK AND RIDE The design of a proposed park and ride facility adjacent to the Firefly Corridor currently fails to take advantage of the many opportunies which surround it. Such a public facility should not be a simple bus shelter; rather, it should be a gateway to the community which connects many forms of transportation and encourages other investment around it. This facility also has the potential to set the precedent for new development on the OakOconee Street Corridor.
ABOVE LEFT The proposed park and ride can serve as a gateway to Athens.
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LEFT The pedestrian bridge links the Firefly Trail with a mixed-use gas station and the park and ride lot by bridging over Oconee Street. This bridge becomes the eastern gateway to Athens’ most urban districts.
WATER QUALITY Former quarries and services ponds are repurposed as reservoirs and wetlands, which serve not only as habitat and educational open spaces, but also as a life-giving water source for the entire community.
INDUSTRIAL CHARACTER Rather than eliminating historic ruins of industrial infrastructure, those features can be incorporated into new greenspaces to create a fascinating landscape experience. Here, the foundations of a former fertilizer warehouse are transformed into a sublime garden-like space.
GREENWAY OBSERVATIONS
Greenway users will be able to stop at a new observation tower along the North Oconee River - a perfect gateway into the city. The tower, along with wildlife viewing stations, offers opportunities for people to connect with the city’s abundant nature and wildlife. Feral cats will prowl the Greenway, along with free range chickens and Georgia football tailgaters (all displaced from their respective habitats). Signs will designate the viewing areas off-limits to hunters after a few unfortunate incidents at the beginning of Turkey Season.
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RXRAD
Unearthing a railroad arts district from brownfields
Centered around the renovated Chase Street Park Warehouses, RXRAD is a name given by some artists to this district, which stretches along the CSX tracks north of town. Many eclectic entrepreneurs, artists, and musicians have already transformed the formerly industrial district into a vibrant arts haven; we need now only to link it to the greater community. Although the corridor is primarily industrial, the disturbance created by the active rail line has created a strip of vacant open spaces, which when strung together create an overland connection between the Middle and North Oconee Rivers. These three routes together circumscribe a triangle around the densest parts of Athens, linking major retail, employment, education and residential areas. A rail-with-trail could weave between the vacant green spaces intruding into the rail right-of-way only at key, highly managed points, making the route safer for both trains and people, while providing a new path through the city. Surrounding the Chase Street Park Warehouses, there are many vacant or otherwise unused industrial spaces which over time could be revived, renovated, or replaced to create a living mixed-use arts district for Athens. The highly active rail line would also likely mitigate some of the impacts of gentrification by artificially depressing local land values. Those lower values would likely create conditions where lower income artists and musicians would be able to permanently occupy the area, rather than being pushed out by rising prices. Noise pollution from the train would not only permanently depress land values along the corridor, it would also mask the sounds of late night concerts and practicing musicians which give Athens its identity, thus allowing such activities to continue without disrupting neighborhoods.
DISTRICT CONCEPT Open Spaces Along the corridor, there are many vacant parcels which could contribute to a system of park spaces. Some of these spaces are already in conservation, while others are unbuildable or are owned by the railroads or utilities.
EXISTING SITE CONDITIONS
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ABOVE LEFT Vacant kudzu fields dominate the landscape along the CSX tracks. LEFT A former warehouse space is creatively repurposed as a courtyard.
Already this corridor is lined with clusters of unique businesses and artists. Identifying and connecting these places strengthens the viability of all the nodes along the corridor.
A New Grid
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ABOVE LEFT A manmade waterfall along Brickyard Creek. LEFT Water towers are the most prominent landmark in the district.
Several surrounding neighborhoods provide a template from which to create a new street grid as the RXRAD district grows. Connections can be built as individual parcels are redeveloped, eventually resulting in a cohesive district.
PARKS OTHER CITY PROPERTY PRIVATE GREENSPACE UTILITY (GA POWER, CSX) PRIVATE OWNERSHIP
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BRIC KYARD CREEK TRAIL
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NOR TH OCONEE GREENWAY
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Ponds and Streams
PUL ASKI CREEK GREENWAY
Primary Greenspaces Secondary Greenspaces New Buildings Existing Buildings Streets Trails Study Area
PEDESTRIAN ALLEYS Platforms which once were used for loading cotton onto rail cars are repurposed as pedestrian streets, with new infill oriented toward the corridors. New retail and cafes spill out into the wide walkways, shaded by trees planted amongst the old cross ties.
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COMMUNITY CENTER Here, the existing cement plant’s silos are reinvisioned as a community focal point fo the RXRAD district. Such a facility might include lending libraries for tools, and classroom spaces where professional artists could teach classes to community members.
RIGHT and BELOW RIGHT Aerial views show how proposed infill(in orange) would relate to the existing historic structures (blue) in the RXRAD district.
Trail Sections
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Although called a rail-with-trail, very little of the trail itself would actually fall within the railroad right of way. Most of the time, the path would travel through adjacent open spaces, with vegetation and a considerable distance keeping people and trains safe. Where the trail enters within the right-of-way, fences, vegetative buffers, and grade separations ensure a safe and well-defined relationship between people and trains, benefitting both trail users and the railroad.
RAIL RIGHT-0F-WAY PEDESTRIAN ZONE VEHICULAR ZONE VEGETATED BUFFER
BEN EPPS MEMORIAL
Rather than a statue, it was decided that replicas of Ben Epps’ airplanes would make for a better display of local public art. The first three planes were installed as part of the memorial. The next seven were the unfortunate result of the Classic City’s first and only attempt at hosting a Downtown airshow. It’s a shame too, because the views from the new parking deck green roof were phenomenal.
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D OWNTOWN
new public spaces to fill in the gaps between town and gown
Athens is a unique city in that it lacks any truly public realm. There are no true city squares, parks, avenues, or waterfronts around which the city can orient. Topography isolates the Downtown district from surrounding areas. Gentrification threatens the creative enterprises which provide Downtown with its identity. In spite of all the challenges it has faced over the years, Downtown Athens has continued to maintain a vibrant spirit that many cities of comparable size lack. As wonderful as Downtown is, it is an artificial city that primarily functions as an entertainment district for the University. We propose several strategies to make this a living viable district that can stand on its own. Key to this is a 3.6mile “Green Loop” which connects Downtown, the University, and surrounding neighborhoods. Clockwise from the north, this loop would follow the North Oconee River, Reed Alley and the Georgia Quad, Tanyard Creek, intra-block alleys, and Pulaski Creek. Key portions of this loop are already underway; all that’s left is to recognize the relationship individual portions have with one another. Connections across the loop in the form of tributary greenways, pedestrian “green streets”, boulevard streetscapes, and new plazas knit the district together and pull green into the city. The strategies focus on finding underutilized and neglected spaces and turning them into positive amenities, complementing, rather than disrupting existing successful portions of the city. This new Downtown will have room for new growth, while also holding onto the arts and music culture that put Athens on the map.
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DOWNTOWN VIEWS
OPEN SKIES The fabric of Downtown as it exists today is one predominately made up of buildings in the 2-4 story range, with a few narrow buildings punctuating the skyline. This keeps the city full of light and good breezes, with a view mostly of open sky. Strategies for new highrise development downtown should maintain this openness.
VIEWSHEDS Clayton Street’s eastward view is currently unobscured by buildings, leaving an open view to the hills and open sky beyond. Low buildings do exist below the hill, but they do not impact the viewshed. Broad Street’s sightline, on the other hand, has been obscured by a new building, even though the street itself continues. Ideally, both visual and physical connections should be preserved where possible.
GREENWAYS TRIBUTARY SPRINGS CONSTRUCTED LANDSCAPES UNIVERSITY GREENSPACES
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DISTRICT CONCEPT
GREEN LOOP CURRENT BOUNDARIES PROPOSED BOUNDARIES
OPEN SPACE
DEFINING DOWNTOWN
Downtown, situated on a hill above the North Oconee River. Four major springs connect the urban environment above to the ecological zones below. Industrial landscapes such as rail corridors and a quarry, and Institutional landscapes such as campuses and city park space comprise the remainder of downtown open space.
The current definition of downtown (in red) is an arbitrary one which disregards both the natural features and the historic grain of the city. Above (in orange) is a new definition defined by the natural topography and hydrology of the city on the north, east and south, with the historic grid as a boundary on the west. A greenspace loop is created around this new Downtown by utilizing the various open space types, serving as a boundary to the district and providing connections to surrounding neighborhoods.
HYBRID DISTRICT UGA CAMPUS
HYBRID DISTRICT
HIGHRISE 8-12 Stories MIDRISE 4-7 STORIES LOWRISE 2-4 STORIES
FORMER RAIL BEDS FORMER STREETS NEW GREEN ALLEYS VIEWSHEDS
NEW CONNECTIONS
DENSITY
Once the new definition of Downtown is created, new streets and pedestrian ways extend the city fabric out into underdeveloped areas. Viewsheds toward the river and hills beyond are utilized to create these new connections. Midblock alleys increase pedestrian connectivity by providing additional north-south links through Downtown. Historic street alignments and rail corridors are also utilized.
Within an expanded grid, new rules for building height and scale concentrate the greatest density along major downtown streets, with mid-to low-rise development tapering off to seamlessly meet the scale of surrounding neighborhoods. Adjacent to the university, new private developments which complement the on-campus public research functions create hybrid urban districts, which improve both the vitality of the local economy and the University’s standing as a major research institution.
Ponds and Streams Primary Greenspaces Secondary Greenspaces New Buildings Existing Buildings Streets Trails Study Area
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ABOVE RIGHT Green Fingers following the rail corridor and town spring connect from the river below to downtown above, bringing green into the city. RIGHT New Streets and pedestrian spaces extend the downtown fabric past the Classic Center to physically and visually connect to the river. Where existing lowrise buildings interrupt the physical fabric, view corridors are still preserved.
THE RED BARN
This historic building is saved from UGA’s chopping block and relocated to downtown as a new sanctuary for Redeemer Presbyterian. It serves as a new icon for that end of Clayton Street, and becomes a popular spot for weddings. During the holiday season the barn becomes a hot destination, as it will host the state’s largest live manger scene. Prestige Parking will still control the space after hours, as the barn doors open to expose a retractable floor system with designated parking spots underneath.
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RO O F(ROX )
granite outcrops as models for urban rooftop ecologies
While our concepts have focused on bringing nature into the city, there is still a conceptual division between urbanism and ecology implied in such an effort. What if they city itself were just as functional a habitat as any natural environment? Rather than trying to interject nature abstractly into urban environments, we must tailor our strategy to the processes which are in effect in the city. The major environmental forces are high sun and intense rain events followed by extended dry periods. The granite rock outcrop ecosystem is one which is fairly unique in the world, with the Piedmont region having most of the world’s granite outcrop habitats. That ecosystem of plants existing in thin layers and tiny cracks over exposed granite is remarkably similar to the conditions found on urban rooftops. By selecting suitable plant communities for varying rooftops in Downtown Athens, a new hybrid urban ecosystem can bridge the divide between city and nature. LEFT and BELOW Rather than views of mechanical units and infrastructure, the view for residents of downtown will be as natural as one in the suburbs. The restorative effects of the living in the country will now be available to urban dwellers.
ROOFTOP SUITABILITY
Downtown rooftops are analyzed for the suitability for rooftop gardens, determining how viable each roof type is for each plant community.
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ANNUAL-Perennial HERB COMMUNITY
DIAMORPHA COMMUNITY
HERB-SHRUB COMMUNITY
LICHEN-ANNUAL HERB COMMUNITY LIC HEN-ANNUAL HERB PRIORIT Y ZONE
DIAMORPHA PRIORIT Y ZONE
ANNUAL -PERENNIAL PRIORIT Y ZONE
HERB-SHRUB PRIORIT Y ZONE
Ecosystems Based on suitability, plant communities are clustered together to create a viable habitat across the city.
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DOWNTOWN ROOFTOP CONCEPT PLAN
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Rooftops can serve not only as a habitat for wildlife, but also as educational spaces and passive park spaces for downtown residents.
TOP RIGHT Annual-Perennial Herb Community Rooftop Design MIDDLE RIGHT Diamorpha Community Rooftop Design BOTTOM RIGHT Lichen-Annual Herb Community Rooftop Design
SWELLING DWELLINGS
The design of the new homeless shelters, now built into the streets and sidewalks, provide a visible way to deal with homelessness. Hard-earning citizens out for a night on the town can finally sweep the homeless of Athens under the sidewalk so to speak. And with its aerodynamic lines, this innovative wrinkle in pedestrian transport can act as a wind shelter too - so residents can still light cigarettes! The sidewalks could also impact local DUI statistics, as confused college students would be able to camp underneath the sidewalk instead of attempting a dangerous, drunken drive home.
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NEW GRE ENS
creating public space from underutilized urban corridors
ATHENS, GEORGIA, which was designed more as an academic village than a major city, is without formal greenspaces within the city fabric. Since the city’s original plan is now largely built out in private commercial uses, we must look for wasted spaces and other marginalized parts of the city to reclaim for the public program we desire. Streams, infrastructure, and the streets and alleys themselves are all opportunities for new forms. While Athens will never have a traditional central green, the University having largely occupied that space within the city fabric, it could be the unique adaptations which come to define Athens as a special place. The quirky nature of those public spaces could also relate well to the community’s arts identity, encouraging creative expression in creative spaces.
WELLSPRING
Reimagining a historic water source as a new community crossroads The Historic Town Spring, which led the University’s founders to choose this spot, should be liberated from its pipes and celebrated as a true public park from its source at namesake Spring Street all the way to its confluence with the North Oconee, creating an urban oasis for both the people of Athens and the students of the University. This natural divide will serve as a logical eastern edge for North Campus, where the urban attributes of Downtown coalesce with the more institutional university. Likewise, the functions contained within the buildings should do the same, using the University as a magnet for economic development nearby.
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In the north, design of the spaces will celebrate the historic aspects of the corridor’s industrial past, as a district of railyards and warehouses. As each section of the spring is uncovered, old layers of the city are revealed including the historic railbeds, cobblestone streets, and brick foundations, all becoming features in the park. Further south, each section of the park will serve as a “front yard” for nearby buildings, connecting the use within to the greater community outside.
TOP LEFT The upper portion of the town spring was once a railyard. New plantings celebrate this unique history. MIDDLE LEFT Daylighted portions of the Town Spring are largely intact and quite scenic. BOTTOM LEFT Urban Campus Architecture
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RIGHT A conceptual master plan illustrating how new development and new greenspaces could define a hybrid district along the Town Spring. Rather than a hard edge between campus and Downtown, UGA affiliated mixed-use buildings. New streets extend the downtown grid and tie into on campus pedestrian ways.
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YARDS As the spring corridor crosses blocks, each segment becomes a “front yard� for adjacent infill. Each segment takes on a distinct feel representative of nearby users, be it an office building, the art school, or apartments.
SPRING The lower reaches of the town spring are still in good health, although they lie at the bottom of a steep ravine. A new pedestrian bridge, inspired by railroad trestle architecture, connects across the valley to the REM Steeple on Oconee Street. Below, more informal nature trails allow people to view the restored urban stream up close.
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The physical strata of the city are peeled back to reveal asphalt, foundations, cobblestone streets, railroad tracks, and ultimately a granite stream bed.
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ABOVE Now that Athens owns the entire block on which City Hall sits, streetscaping efforts should extend beyond the sidewalk, into the heart of the block to create a seamless public experience. Here, broad steps and ramps make access to the seat of local government easy and inviting. FAR LEFT College Square during the Human Rights Festival LEFT Flyer Kiosk
COLLEGE SQUARE
a new public space to bridge the divide between town and gown If Broad Street is the corridor which divides town and gown, it is College Avenue which unites them. Extending from City Hall south along a ridge to the Arch and scenic North Campus, College Avenue, especially the block between Clayton and Broad, serves as the focal point for Downtown Athens. Our most iconic symbols and artworks are scattered along College, but without any common element to link them together. A new streetscape, extending from City Hall to the Arch, will mend the southern three blocks of this axis, which ultimately extends from North Campus to the river. In front of City Hall, a broad set of steps will make government symbolically more accessible by connecting the street to the building in an open and inviting way, while also beginning to transform that block into a true town square. Between Broad and Clayton, a pedestrian mall will replace traffic and parking, allowing sidewalk cafes to spill out in every direction, while simultaneously providing a place for regular outdoor gatherings and music festivals. The design of College Square takes advantage of College Avenue’s natural topography, incorporating a bowl shape into the square. This bowl-like space encourages impromptu performance by creating an informal actor-audience relationship. If any city should have a permanent place for performance and expression, it’s Athens.
WASHIN G TON S TREET
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ABOVE A subtle amphitheatre incorporated into the College Square plaza encourages peope to orient towards the center of the space. This is an invitation in built form for street musicians and other entertainers to take advantage of the space, and showcase local talent and creativity. LEFT A wider streetscape will serve as the focal point for downtown and encourage more pedestrian traffic rather than vehicular traffic. A more open orientation for retail spaces in the College Avenue Parking Deck will add vitality to the corridor.
College Avenue already has stairs which lead down into the basements of buildings along the street. Balconies and stairways should be designed which provide access from upper floors to the street. This strategy could potentially create 3 times as much activity per foot of street scape, ensuring a lively 24 hour district. Here, the building which houses Wuxtry is given a new lease on life through a contemporary addition, and new connections ot the second floor.
EXTENDING HOT CORNER
completing the circuit which sparks nightlife in the west end of downtown In order to bridge the gap in the Green Loop between the headwaters of Tanyard Creek at Broad Street and the Pulaski Creek at Dougherty, an overland route is needed which weaves through the city fabric. Such a route can be created by organizing and linking the various alleys and courtyards on the western end of Downtown. Recovered basements and small scale infill structures will front shady intimate, pedestrian spaces, with outdoor stages, public art, cafe seating and beer gardens to take advantage of the weather with which Athens is blessed all year round.
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Reclaiming formerly neglected parts of the city is primarily accomplished by eliminating undefined spaces. Blank walls with planting strips can be replaced by small-scale pre-fab structures which introduce life to the streets. Empty basements or upper floors can be connected to the public realm. Service alleys can become spaces for people. New buildings can fill in holes in block and organize spaces. Modern forms which solve the current problems our city faces can successfully be juxtaposed with traditional materials. Together these approaches eliminate ambiguity in urban spaces and create a rich pedestrian experience.
TOP LEFT Caledonia Lounge Patio TOP MIDDLE LEFT Max Canada Patio BOTTOM MIDDLE LEFT Alley behind Cotton Exchange Building. BOTTOM LEFT Farm 255 Courtyard.
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RIGHT A conceptual master plan illustrating how alleys could be repurposed as pedestrian ways to complete a four block network. This network could connect the two creeks which form the westernn edge of the green loop.
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NEW FORMS
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Juxtaposing neoclassical with modern architecture draws attention to this otherwise overlooked corridor while simultaneously stimulating business in downtown Athens
MOVING OUTDOORS Businesses which provide entertainment can spill out into adjacent alley spaces, providing such activities as outdoor films, concerts, and performances.
CREATIVE REUSE The greyhound bus station’s location is the perfect place to add a mixed-use building. By adding residential spaces on the 2nd and 3rd stories, while converting the 1st floor into a garden cafe, people from around the community can reestablish a presence for that part of downtown, which has been missing for quite sometime.
PREFAB Modular structures, such as this one, serve as an accessisible and transportable solution for the live, work, play lifestyle that Athens promotes. Their portability and inexpensive cost allow artists, musicians, and small businesses to thrive and adds an intersting texture to many existing facades.
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By simply erasing the barriers between each space, the bars, concert halls, and restaurants that adorn this block of downtown have a much better dialogue with one another and the rest of downtown. This multi-block entertainment district becomes in effect a series of beergardens.
BISHOP PARK PAVILION
The reworking of Bishop Park into the Bishop Tennis Center did include some money to convert the existing covered courts into a fireworks viewing pavilion for local Independence Day festivities. Halfway through bleacher installation, it was pointed out that the pavilion’s roof might obscure said fireworks. Ultimately, the pavilion was converted for use as an outdoor concert venue, and as the home of the recently displaced Farmers’ Market. It’s a good thing too, because those straw hats, while adding an air of authencitiy to the organic growers, provided little UV protection from the summer sun.
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LO O SE E NDS
The Athens shown here will likely never exist. These images are nothing more than drawings on a page, representing one possible future out of many. This is true of any drawing though, be it a developers’ proposal, a county land use document, or a university master plan. Until construction is completed, the future of our built environment is immensely flexible. Even then, the act of using a space cannot be strictly planned for. Nevertheless, this doesn’t invalidate attempts to explore the future. We must consider as many possibilities as we can if we want to learn what the best fit for Athens is. If every idea contained here were rejected it would still be a valuable exercise for having eliminated a possibility which doesn’t suit Athens. However, these compelling concepts are grounded in an understanding of Athens as it is, noting local successes and failures, both visible and hidden. The solutions shown here grow directly out of the native soil; they are refinements to Athens’ already strong bones rather than an entirely new framework. Combined, the projects shown here represent hundreds of millions of dollars of infrastructure investment for Athens, serving and supported by many times that in private development. Economic viability and intense population growth are assumed. Growth in some form is inevitable, but the quality and form of that growth is not. Rather than dismissing the entire concept outright, we should consider steps to move forward with the means available. How can barriers be eliminated and unused urban spaces be reclaimed while simultaneously utilizing local creativity? How can incremental steps be used to achieve long-term visions? Can the projects of our various public agencies be mutually reinforcing to achieve greater value and greater effect per dollar invested? Can we do all of these things without losing our identity? All of these questions are asked in an effort to make Athens a better version of itself.
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AP P E N D IX
Hanson Quarry Analysis and Supporting Images
SITE ANALYSIS
EXISTING SITE CONDITIONS
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SOIL INVENTORY
SLOPE ANALYSIS
IMPERVIOUS COVER INVENTORY
AIRPORT OVERLAY RESTRICTIONS
VEGETATION & HYDROLOGY INVENTORY
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COMPOSITE ANALYSIS
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DESIGN CONCEPTS
CONCEPT ONE
CONCEPT TWO
New Development and Greenspace takes on a parallel relationship to Firefly Trail Corridor, with highest intensity of use closest to the trail.
Perpendicular connections to the trail corridor bridge between natural and urban zones.
CONCEPT THREE Development nodes along the corridor take on distinct identities related to nearby building programming. Those identies spill over into the greenspace.
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FOUNDATION GARDEN SITE DESIGN
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PLANTING PLAN
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GRADING PLAN
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DESTRUCTION DETAILS