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ARCH7130, Fall 2017 Professor Timothy Love Haneen Almohammad Seifali Desai Alexandria Goudy Taylor Place Sara Schwartz 2
Table of Contents Introduction Section 1: History
Revere Beach and Wonderland
Section 2: Context
Current Context and Connectivity of Wonderland
Section 3: Implementation Site Issues and Resolutions
Section 4: Transformation
Diagramming the Evolution of the Wonderland Site
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“Contrast such monstrosities of haphazard growth as your Manchester-SalfordOldham etc., or our great sprawling brick and mortar country of London, with what a city might be; the center with its big public buildings, theaters, squares and gardens; the zone around the center with its lesser guildhalls grouping together with the house of citizens; again with parks and gardens; the outer zone again, still its district of public buildings, but with no definite gardens to it because the whole of this outer zone would be a garden thickly besprinkled with houses and other buildings. And at last the suburb proper, mostly fields and fruit gardens with scanty houses dotted till you come upon open country.� Morris, May, The Collected Writings of William Morris, 24 vols., London, 1910-15, p. 474.
Introduction “Wonderland,” a place name that conjures up an alternative reality is currently a forlorn vacant lot on a filled estuary that sits between an arterial road and a rail corridor. Its namesake, an enormous amusement park on par with Dreamland on Coney Island, only existed from 1911 until 1916. During and after its demise, Wonderland was the site of a velodrome and a dog track, both uses that perpetuated the use of the site for mass entertainment. Today, Wonderland and nearby Suffolk Downs, a former horse track, are two of a half dozen remaining redevelopment sites left in metropolitan Boston. As an antidote to the Amazon fever that shaped the master plan for Suffolk Downs, we propose an alternative approach that starts with essential infrastructural moves, including a regrading plan to solve storm water management issues and create a new “central park,” a people-mover that connects the existing Wonderland transit stop with a commuter rail station, and the relocation of the VFW parkway. The five development sites that result have a new found sense of address and are better connected to the beach, existing neighborhoods, and multiple transit choices. Central to our approach is a planning process that aims for self-conscious differences between each of the sites in terms of program, character, and lifestyle. These alternative utopias will be driven by the combination of open-minded pragmatism and poetic flights of the imagination.
- Tim Love 1
Section 1
History
The City of Revere, including the areas of Revere Beach and Wonderland, has a long, rich history. Once full of amusements and attractions, thousands would flock to America’s first public beach via train or ferry to observe the premature newborns in the Infant Incubators, see the menagerie of animals on display at the seaside Animal Show, or to just walk along the promenade and enjoy the sun and surf with their families and friends. For many years, visitors from around the world traveled to Revere, Massachusetts to enjoy the entertainments and delights offered throughout the summer season until its ultimate deterioration in the 1970’s due to a decline in visitors. 2
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Section 1:
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History
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History
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Revere, MA The City of Revere is located approximately 5 miles from downtown Boston. It is comprised of 10 square miles, although 4.1 miles are open water and wetlands which are not suitable for development. In 1739 the area was established as part of the Town of Chelsea and Revere, and it played a role in the American Revolution, with the site of the first naval battle in 1775 occurring in Rumney Marsh (the area currently known as Revere). In 1852 the Town of Chelsea began to break up and in 1871 North Chelsea adopted the name Revere, with a population of only 1,197 people. The completion of the Eastern Railroad in 1838 and of the Boston, Revere Beach, and Lynn railroad in 1875 signaled the beginning of rapid population growth for the town and the development of the Beach as a summer resort. This increased accessibility of Revere Beach, which became famous as a resort. As of 2016, the current population of the City of Revere is upwards of 53,000 people. Left: Aerial photograph of Revere Beach circa 1940. Above: Map of the Town of Revere circa 1896. Shows the site of the later Wonderland Amusement Park, as it was planned to be developed, but was never realized.
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Section 1
History
The First Public Beach America’s first public beach was established in Revere in 1896. Prior to its commercial and recreational development, Revere Beach was a natural barrier sand dune running from Winthrop on the south to the mouths of the Saugus and Point of Pines Rivers to the north. In 1895, legislature put aside three miles of beach from Winthrop to Lynn, forming the crescent shape known today. Landscape architect Charles Elliot, former apprentice for Fredrick Law Olmsted, proposed that the beach needed to be restored back to its natural environment, and it was his ideas that convinced the legislature to create the public beach. By removing some 300 buildings from the sand, moving the railroad tracks back from the water’s edge, and constructing pavilions the beach became a seaside destination. From all over New England, families would vacation at cottages, hotels, or even in tents in the area around Revere Beach. Soon it became known as the “Coney Island of the East,” with the main street full of rides, roller coasters, ballrooms, and many more special attractions. Hotels and restaurants lined the beach to house these vacationing tourists. At one end of the beach near Beachmont Hill there was the Great Ocean Pier, which extended 1,450 feet out to the Cherry Island Bar. It held a roofed structure that was used 6
as a dance pavilion, cafe, and a large skating rink, all on a grand scale with steamer service every half-hour between Boston and Nahant. When people look back at the height of Revere Beach, it is not necessarily the sand and surf that is remembered, but the amusements that they recall with the most fondness. The Whip, the Ferris Wheel, Bluebeard’s Palace, the Fun House, Hurley’s Dodgems, the Pit, Himalaya, the Hippodrome, Sandy’s, the Wonderland!
Mickey Mouse, the Virginia Reel and many more attractions provided hours of enjoyment for residents and visitors alike. The biggest attraction at Revere Beach was the Cyclone roller coaster. Opened in 1927, its cars traveled at a speed of 50 miles per hour and its climb reached a 100 feet, it was among the largest in the United States at the time. Above: Postcard depiction of the Pier Dancing Pavilion at Revere Beach. Right: Ferry brings beach-goers to Revere in 1923.
History
Section 1
Americas first public beach was established in Revere in 1896. Prior to its commercial and recreational development, Revere Beach was a natural barrier sand dune running from Winthrop on the south to the mouths of the Saugus and Point of Pines Rivers to the north. In 1895, the legislature put aside the three miles of beach, forming the crescent shape known today from Winthrop to Lynn. Landscape architect Charles Elliot, former apprentice for Fredrick Law Olmsted, proposed that the beach needed to be restored back to its natural environment, and it was his ideas that convinced the legislature to create the public beach. By removing some 300 buildings from the sand, moving the railroad tracks from the water’s edge, and constructing pavilions, the beach became a seaside destination. From all over New England, families would vacation at cottages, hotels or even in tents in the area around Revere Beach. Soon it became known as the “Coney Island of the East”, with the main street full of rides, roller-coasters, ballrooms, and all kinds of other special attractions. Hotels and restaurants lined the beach. At one end of the beach near Beachmont Hill there was the Great Ocean Pier, which extended 1,450 feet out to Cherry Island Bar. It held a roofed structure that was used as a dance pavilion, cafe and a large skating rink, all on a
grand scale, with steamer service every halfhour between Boston and Nahant. When people look back at the height of Revere Beach, it is not necessarily the sand and surf that is remembered but more the amusements that they recall the most. The Whip, the Ferris Wheel, Bluebeard’s Palace, the Fun House, Hurley’s Dodgems, the Pit, Himalaya, Hippodrome, Sandy’s, the Mickey Mouse, the Virginia Reel and many more Wonderland!
provided hours of enjoyment for residents and visitors alike. The biggest attraction was the Cyclone roller-coaster, among the largest in the United States. Opened in 1927, its cars traveled at a speed of 50 miles per hour and its climb reached a 100 feet. Above: Postcard depiction of the Pier Dancing Pavilion at Revere Beach. Right: Ferry brings beachgoers to Revere in 1923. 7
Section 1
History
Wonderland Park At the beginning of the 1906 summer season, on May 30th, Revere’s greatest attraction ever opened: Wonderland Amusement Park. It was one of the nation’s earliest and most spectacular fantasy amusement parks. The park covered 25 acres of land and featured such attractions as a Wild West Show, Indian raids, a circus, and a scenic railway. Its most spectacular features were “Fighting the Flames,” a recreation of a great city fire, contrasted with the aqueous centerpiece of the park - a lagoon and water ride known as “Shoot the Chute.” Three men worked together to create this Wonderland Park: John J Higgins, a commercial real estate broker; Floyd C. Thompson, a visionary with interest in amusements parks and experience with Coney Island; and Major Thomas D. Barroll, a military man and entrepreneur. It was Barroll’s financing that helped the park become realized. To encourage the community to come out and enjoy the new Wonderland Amusement Park, management issued two tickets to every family in Revere to be used in the first week of the park’s opening. They also gave school children free afternoon admission and scheduled events in the late afternoon after school to encourage repeated visits. Top: Panoramic view of Wonderland.
Bottom: Birds-eye view of Wonderland. 8
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Parades occurred daily at the park, similar to events we see now in parks such as Disney World. There were also international cultural exhibits, demonstrations, educational displays, and also scientific exhibits (such as the infant incubators) at the park’s full service hospital. The centerpiece of Wonderland Park was a beautiful lagoon and the “Shoot the Chute” ride. Passengers would be lifted in their gondolas to the top of a steep grade. Once at the top, the gondola would be dropped down the water slide and back down into the huge lagoon. The “Fighting the Flames” show cost $75,000 to build, and included 350 people in the cast. The Wild West show employed 100 cowboys, cowgirls and Indians, as well as 40 live horses, and the Japanese Village held a cast of 50 people costumed in traditional Japanese garb. Wonderland Park existed for just five years, due to the large sums of money required to keep the park running. The park had been expensive to build, had a very high overhead, and had a large payroll for personnel and actors in the performances. In 1911, because of the aggressive approach to outdo previous exhibits, the unpredictable New England weather, and competition with the adjacent boardwalk attractions, its operators suffered great financial difficulty and had to close down.
Postcard depiction of the Japanese Village in Wonderland Park.
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History
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Wonderland & Coney Island
Top: Coney Island’s Dreamland, Hell Gate. Bottom: Wonderland Park, Hell Gate. 10
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Top: Fighting the Flames attraction at Coney Island. Bottom: Fighting the Flames attraction at Wonderland Park. Wonderland!
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Top: Coney Island’s Luna Park, Shoot the Chutes attraction. Bottom: Wonderland Park, Shooting the Chutes attraction. 12
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Top: Coney Island.
Bottom: Wonderland Park. Wonderland!
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Section 1
History
Other Wonders of Revere From 1901-1931 another attraction existed in Revere adjacent to the Wonderland Amusement Park. The Revere Beach Cycle Track was built in response to the popularity of bicycle racing events in the Greater Boston area. The promoters of the track believed that the vacationers that came to Revere Beach for the amusements would naturally be attracted to the cycling venue. On May 30th 1901, the Track was opened with an inaugural 25 mile motor-paced race. The cycling track at Revere Beach was part of the National Cycling Association Grand Circuit for 1901, which included fifty-six days of racing across the USA between July 6th and September 8th. In July of that season, as the cycling season was clipping along, another key race was held at the Revere Beach Cycling Track, which helped develop the reputation of the track for being a fast venue. On the still, humid days of summer the racing was perfect in the early evening, and as the 1901 season was winding down, the track hosted a big finale, a six-day bicycle race at Revere Beach Cycling Track, starting on August 27th. The promoters of the Revere Beach six-day bicycle race were able to attract a well-balanced group of riders that included several veteran racers, a few young elite racers and a group of utility riders.
Racers prepare for the Boston six-day bicycle race in 1901.
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Section 1
The Wonderland Greyhound Park opened on June 12th 1935 on the site formerly occupied by the Wonderland Amusement Park, and offered 361 races during its 100day, April to September racing period. An estimated 5,000 people attended opening night of the Wonderland Greyhound Park. That evening, $58,462 was wagered on the races and Pansy Walker won the first-ever greyhound race in the park. Wonderland quickly became the premier greyhound racing venue in the Northern United States, and was known throughout the industry for hosting the premier championship greyhound race each August, “The Wonderland Derby.� This race, which was run for the last time in 1988, often drew in excess of 30,000 fans. The Greyhound Park offered a grandstand area and a two-story clubhouse to its visitors. The upper floor of the clubhouse offered a sit down dining room, which was known for the quality of its food and on weekend evenings generally required advance reservation. As a result of a statewide ban on dog racing known as the Massachusetts Greyhound Protection Act, which took effect on January 1st 2010, the track for a short while offered only simulcast wagering, but completely closed its doors on August 19th 2010 and has sat empty and neglected since then. An advertisement for the Clubhouse at the Wonderland Greyhound Park. Wonderland!
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Section 2
Context
The Wonderland site we address here is located in Revere, Massachusetts, a neighborhood located to the Northeast of the city of Boston. It is adjacent to main transit lines, which have direct connections to downtown as well as continuing up along the coast. Major highways also run close to the site and connect Wonderland to a larger network that makes it an accessible area through a variety of transit methods. The coastal location of the site creates both a unique estuary condition as well as a floodplain that is influenced by future sea-level rise. All of these contextual site conditions influenced design decisions in the new master plan that was developed for the Wonderland site. 16
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Section 2:
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Context
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Section 2
Context
Transit Access
Our site can be accessed by public transit, on the MBTA Blue Line, and from a proposed new station for Revere on the Commuter Rail Rockport/Newburyport Line. The Blue Line connects directly to Boston Logan International Airport from Wonderland, as well as to the heart of Downtown Boston, with a travel time of less than 20 minutes. From the Blue Line, one can access neighborhoods throughout and west of the city via Green Line trains, as well as neighborhoods to the north, such as Somerville, and south/southwest on the Orange Line, such as Jamaica Plain. The Commuter Rail offers transit options further outside of the city: the line that passes directly adjacent to the site travels up the coast to Rockport and Newburyport, and connects to the city via North Station, where other commuter rail trains access far reaching suburbs and Amtrak trains go as far north as Brunswick, ME. 18
Wonderland!
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Highway Access The Wonderland site can be accessed directly by Route 60 and Route 1A, both connecting to the larger U.S. Route 1 that runs from Pawtucket, Rhode Island to Seabrook, New Hampshire. From our site, Route 1A continues directly up the coastline. U.S. Route 1 connects our site to the larger Interstate highway system that runs through and around Boston. Interstate 93 runs through New England North to South, from Canton, Massachusetts to Waterford, Vermont. Interstate 95 serves areas from Florida to Maine, connecting Miami, Florida to New Brunswick, Canada. The largest, Interstate 90, is transcontinental connecting Seattle, Washington to Boston.
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Context
Section 2
Watershed The Wonderland site is situated in a lowlying area surrounded by Boston Harbor and its estuary system. Estuaries are bodies of water along our coasts that are formed when fresh water from rivers flow into and mix with salt water from the ocean. In estuaries, the fresh river water is blocked from streaming into the open ocean by surrounding mainland, peninsulas, barrier islands, or fringing salt marshes. This mixing of fresh and salt water in estuaries creates a unique environment that brims with all kinds of life in this transition zone. Because our site is located in an area of flat topography at the base of higher topographic changes, water drains to this area through the connective watershed tissue on its way out to the larger surrounding systems. This map also highlights the FEMA 100 year floodplain that would immediately affect the Wonderland site. Due to proximity to the harbor and the nature of the topography, the site is extremely prone to flooding and is anticipated to be underwater due to predicted sea level rise over the next century. Right: Map showing the topographical changes and watershed of the site today. Opposite: The 100 year floodplain encompasses our site. 20
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Context
Wonderland Current Site Conditions
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Section 3
Implementation
After thoroughly studying the Wonderland Site and its surrounding context, through both site visits and extensive research, our team was able to develop a clear understanding of its current conditions. Moving forward with that information we worked as a team to create a master plan for the site that would address the current issues facing Wonderland. By proposing a variety of changes at different scales we were able to resolve problems such as current flood conditions and rising sea levels, connectivity between a proposed commuter rail station and the existing transit infrastructure, and a large but split parcel that needed to be joined together to make a cohesive site to work with. 24
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Section 3:
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Implementation
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Strategic Development: Creating the Site Wonderland as it exists today is bordered by two major roads that connect the neighborhood to the surrounding areas. Approaching the site as it is currently seen from the MBTA train station leads you directly to North Shore Road, the four lane, high traffic thoroughfare on the north side of a large traffic circle, which is seen as a large obstruction for accessing parking lots across from the train station and the nearby strip mall. The current configuration of the traffic circle funnels cars through the neighborhood to the south of our site, disturbing residents. The 330 foot wide traffic circle also takes up much of the area’s real estate, and creates congestion in the area during rush hour. Conversations with current city officials led us to see the significance of relocating the existing parkway to allow for better flows of traffic. In order to both benefit the development site and the surrounding neighborhoods, the VFW Parkway and North Shore Road are realigned to maintain the high traffic along the less developed green space to the northwest of the site, creating a new 40 acre site for development.
Right: Current satellite imagery of Wonderland site, showing the dog track, parking lot, and strip mall in reference to the round-a-bout and train station. Opposite: The proposed realignment of the VFW Parkway and North Shore Road. 26
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Section 3
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Strategic Development: Connecting the Site The proposed site is situated between the MBTA commuter rail Rockport/Newburyport line (west of the site) and the Blue Line (east of the site). The development site is most accessible via the Wonderland T stop on the Blue Line, as the existing Commuter Rail does not yet provide a stop. The proposed site is situated between an industrial/commercial zone and Revere Beach, a key tourist attraction and source of income for the community. Currently, there is a strong disconnect between the Commuter Rail and the Blue Line. This has been found to be inefficient and detrimental to the Revere local economy and traffic flows. The lack of a Commuter Rail stop prevents potential visitors and locals from visiting the site, either for work or pleasure. The separation of the two lines also causes inefficiency in connection to Revere Beach, preventing potential income from tourists who would access the site via the Commuter Rail. A rail stop and a connection to the T would also allow for more parking options for those who work or are visiting Revere Beach. Public transportation between the two points would reduce the number of cars on the road by allowing users to park their vehicles and move easily throughout the site.
In order to mitigate this inefficiency, we will implement a people mover monorail system that will transport people between the Revere T stop and the proposed Commuter Rail stop. The single-track monorail will run through the site, stopping at the halfway point to allow access in and out of the development site.
In addition to the monorail, a bike path was designed that allows for variability in modes of transportation through the site. The path will connect existing Dunn Road and Walnut Avenue, allow access to each of the individual plots, and facilitates accessibility to the monorail stop within the site. Above, Left: The proposed monorail track for the site. Above, Right: The proposed bike path. Opposite: The proposed connections with sites outlined.
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The People Mover A people mover or automated people mover is a type of grade-separated mass transit system. The term is generally used only to describe systems serving relatively small areas such as airports, downtown districts, or theme parks, but is sometimes applied to considerable more complex automated system.
Advantages of Monorails + Quicker implementation times + Cost control due to risk minimization + Low life-cycle costs + Transports thousands of passengers quickly and safely everyday
Monorails today must enhance city development by exploiting their iconic aesthetics and easy urban integration, allowing them to be cost effective, because planning authorities often face conflicting demands to provide reliable and accessible high capacity public transportation Installing metro systems is typically very costly and often involves extensive relocation and destruction of valuable existing infrastructure.
Bombardier Transportation is the world’s leading supplier of fully automated, driverless monorail systems. It offers the latest evolution in medium capacity monorail technology.
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Implementation
Monorails Around the World
FRANCE: AGC
SWEDEN: Austrian Federal Railway
EGYPT: EGP 6n
LAS VEGAS: Innovia APM 100
SPAIN: AVE-S-102
SWITZERLAND: Bombardier Flexity
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People Mover Specifications Vehicle Data Type of Vehicle Maximum train consist
Innovia Monorail 300 2 to 8 car trains
Dimension and Weight Length (end car overall) Length (mid car) Width (overall) Rooftop to top of running surface Floor to top of running surface Doorway width (clear opening) Doorway Height (at threshold) Wheelbase (centerline to centerline) Vehicle weight empty (average) Turning Radius
10’
43 ft 38 ft 10 ft 9 ft 1.5 ft 5 ft 6 ft 30 ft 45 ft 175 ft
Technicalities Power Distribution Vehicle Guidance Vehicle Operation Braking Suspension Bogies Carbody Windows Doors Air-Conditioning Fire Safety Design
750 Vdc Straddle beam Bi-directional Regenerative/friction Pneumatic spring 2 single axle dual Aluminum car body, steel underframe, composite end cap Tinted, single glazed 2 bi-parting doors per side per car Roof-mounted module containing twin HVAC units Floor rating meets ASTM E-119, NFPA 130 compliant
80 km/hr 1.0 m/s2 1.0 m/s2 46 m 10% 6% 1 per car 16 flexible 11,300 24,100 49,600
Innovia Monorail 300 brings futuristic aesthetics, spacious interiors, and a smooth ride experience for passengers. An Inter-car walk through provides free passenger flow and enhances passenger safety.
165’ 43’
Performance and Capacity Maximum design Speed Acceleration rate (service) Brake rate Minimum horizontal curve radius Maximum sustained gradient Recommended maximum gradient Wheelchair locations Passenger seats per car Design capacity 2-car trains at 75 sec headways 4-car trains at 72 sec headways 8-car trains at 75 sec headways
38’
13’
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Section 3
Implementation
The Urban Monorail Facilities for passenger or cargo transport either straddling a track or suspended from one are generally called monorails. Monorails are used widely, not only as urban transportation systems but also for amusement, sightseeing, and agricultural purposes. To establish the monorail as a form of urban transportation, the Law Concerning the Promotion of the installation of Urban Monorails in Japan was enacted in 1972. Article 2 of this law defines “urban monorails” as the following: “Passenger or cargo transporting systems for general traffic, whose carriers are suspended from, or ride on, a track constructed over a road in principle, and most of which are installed within an urban planning area,” a definition used largely to define urban monorail systems across the globe.
Straddle-Type and Suspended Type Monorail Systems: Monorails are classified into straddle and suspended type sytems. Since the straddletype travels by straddling the track, its center of gravity is situated above the track. The suspended-type, on the other hand, is configured suspending from the track, with its center of gravity under the track.
Top: Straddle Type Monorail
Bottom: Suspended Type Monorail 34
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Large, Medium, and Compact Monorail Systems: Monorails developed to meet Japan’s urban monorail definition are classified into large, medium, and compact systems, depending on the size of the cars and the overall system scale. The large and medium size monorail systems meet the high ridership demands of large metropolitan areas, especially effective during peak-hour situations for daily commuting. These systems have a proven track record for creating a profitable operation model for public transit and are suitable for over 20,000 passengers per hour per direction, and can carry up to 125,000 passengers daily. In order to meet the demands for a low cost, highly versatile urban transit system, the compact monorail system was developed as a simplified version of its larger counterpart, with a significant reduction in size and weight of not only the rail cars, but also ground facilities, such as tracks, columns, and stations, to account for the need to align routes in accordance with the complicated road configurations of narrow passages and sharp curves. For the Wonderland people mover, we are suggesting the Innovia Monorail 300, a medium sized monorail system.
Top: Large Monorail Length
Middle: Medium Monorail Length
Bottom: Compact Monorail Length Wonderland!
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Precedent: Buffalo Bayou Promenade Designer
SWA Group
Location
Houston, TX
Size Budget Completion Date Project Type
Former Land Use
23 Acres $15 Million 2006 Stormwater Management, Park/ Open Space Greyfield
This $15 million project by SWA completed in 2006, was a revitalization of an urban waterfront that consisted of a master plan and full landscape architectural services along two miles of key urban connection within the city of Houston. In addition to being an eyesore before the project, the location was also subject to large amounts of flooding during storm events. The project features naturalization of gently sloping banks, extensive native landscaping, hiking and biking trails, 12 new street-to-bayou entryways, stairs and ramps reconnecting people to the bayou, and a major north-to-south pedestrian bridge. The natural channel and the soil along the banks of the bayou were stabilized through the use of gabions and the anchoring of 14,000 tons of rock and recycled concrete. Weeds and other invasive plants were replaced by nearly 300,000 plants (including native perennials, ground cover and trees). The Army Corps of Engineers’ existing HEC model was used to ensure that floodwater conveyance would not be compromised by the improvements. This new public space provides national prominence conducive to commercial, recreational, cultural, and civic vitality.
Left: After image of completed project. Above: SWA site plan for project.
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Precedent: Thornton Creek Water Quality Channel Designer
SvR Design
Location
Seattle, WA
Size Budget Completion Date Project Type
Former Land Use
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2.7 Acres $10.7 Million 2009 Stormwater Management, Park/ Open Space Greyfield
This 2.7 acre, $10.7 million project by SvR Design Company, completed in 2009, was created to reduce the on site impervious surfaces by 78%, to contain the majority of the stormwater runoff for the larger 680 acre drainage basin, and to remove between 40-80% of solids from this runoff. In addition to the treatment of stormwater, the relatively small basin created a new habitat for wildlife in the area, as well as encourages pedestrian interaction with the wildlife by increasing open space by 50% within the Urban Center and decreasing pedestrian walking distances by 50% between the nearby commercial and residential neighborhoods. The project creates a natural space right in the center of a mixed-use development, where the constant emphasis for the project is on the water flowing beneath the pathways below. The grading of the channel allows for the water to both pool and to flow within the channel, but is most importantly designed for water quality treatment after storms. This fully-engineered, high performing landscape allows for an appreciation of the site from an aesthetic point of view in addition to the purely functional point of view.
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Strategic Implementation: Tactics
+21’ ( Proposed New Elevation for Utopia Plots)
Treeline provides aid in potential shoreline erosion and privacy between utopias
Instrumental to the development of the canal within our Wonderland site, is the development of an inhabitable slope - at no more than a 3:1 ratio - which allows the tops of each development plot to rest above the FEMA 100 year flood levels. The canal also helps to mitigate rising storm waters, as it creates a large basin for water to collect in large storm events. The bike and pedestrian connection across the site that links Dunn Road and Walnut Avenue engages heavily with this developed ecological system - the bridged walkways will occur both above and within the planted zone of each site, enhancing the engagement with nature on site.
3:1 Slope - able to be actively used
+11’ (Current Elevation, will remain same for N Shore Rd and Train Tracks) +9’ (Low Point of Topo - Bed of Stormwater System)
Within the canal waters, hydrophytic plants such as water lilies, water poppies, and Canadian pondweed will help to purify the canals and stormwater runoff. Immediately surrounding the canal system will be shoreline plants, such as golden cannas, lanceleaf frogfruit, and bulrush to create a wildlife habitat and protect the shoreline. Finally, once above the water’s edge, it is essential to incorporate plants that will reinforce the canal edge with their roots - including ferns, woody shrubs, climbing vines and a tree canopy in order to ensure the stability of the bank - these plantings will keep the soil in place in case of large scale storm events. Wonderland!
Opposite, Left: SvR site plan for project. Opposite, Right: After image of completed project. Above: Proposed new topography for the site, including landscaped barriers for the protection of both the topography and health of the created canal system.
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Strategic Implementation: On Site A quick parcelization of the entire site into five, relatively equal 6 acre plots was the initial idea for the partitioning of site - in part due to the number of parcels needed for development, but also in order to create a functional canal system to handle stormwater and future flooding. The initial delineation of plots (top figure) was accomplished by referencing a few of the larger moves already in place on the site. The path of the monorail defined the east/west border of a few plots, and the central axis separating northern from southern plots was defined by the location of the monorail stop, as well as the path connecting Dunn Road to Walnut Avenue. Once the areas of the five development plots were set, the topography was then pushed and pulled (middle and bottom figures) so that the majority of each site sits above the 100 year flood plain in Revere, and the stormwater canal between the plots will sit lower than the surrounding areas.
The figures to the right show the development from five ‘blobs’ into the topographical changes introduced on site in order to meet the goals of both a working canal system as well as five relatively equal plots for development. 40
Inherent to the development of the site’s parcelization is the idea of a natural path for stormwater to leave the site - this natural flow then influenced the shaping of the canal, and thus the development parcels. These parcels, between 5.48 acres and 6.98 acres will become the five future locations of development on site. Wonderland!
Implementation
Section 3
6.44 Acres 5.48 Acres
6.77 Acres
5.68 Acres 6.98 Acres The final parcelization of the entire site includes five plots between 5.48 acres and 6.98 acres. Each of these plots for development will also include an area off site (or semi-off site) for additional development - these include the connection to the Wonderland T Station, the Monorail Station, the Commuter Rail Station, and the landscape and bike path between the plots. Wonderland!
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Section 4
Transformation
Finally, we give a summation of all the previous sections by distilling the ideas inherent to the transformation of our site, from its origins as an early 20th Century amusement park and a cycling/dog track into its current state of semi-demolished veterinary building, airport valet parking, and strip mall and turn them into a functioning, mixeduse development site. These large site moves are here filtered down to 6 phases, which are shown as simplified grand gestures in order to create a new site for Wonderland - these newly determined changes become the defining factors that lay the groundwork for changing what ‘wonder’ can be perceived as in Revere today. 42
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Transformation
Transformation
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Section 4
Transformation
Phase 1 The Wonderland site is centered between the tracks of the Rockport/Newburyport commuter rail and the Wonderland T Stop at the end of the MBTA Blue Line. A large roundabout is situated at the end of the VFW Parkway and along North Shore Road; this large intersection divides a large parcel of land that represents a huge development opportunity. The southern portion of the site holds an old strip mall, and the northern portion holds an unused parking lot, an airport valet parking lot, and a portion of the Wonderland Greyhound Park that is currently in the process of being demolished. Behind the parking lots on site is an open field, with a stormwater canal running through the center of it. This current condition leaves much to be desired for the area’s current residents and those looking to revitalize the area. 44
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Section 4
Transformation
Phase 2 The addition of a new commuter rail station in Revere opens many possibilities for the renewal of the neighborhood as a whole, from bringing in new opportunities for tourists to expanding the reach of its residents, in addition to providing an opportunity to connect the MBTA Blue Line to the larger commuter rail network of the Greater Boston Area. Between this new commuter rail station and the Wonderland T Station, we have introduced a Bombardier monorail, with a single track and a single intermediary stop in the center of the site in order to encourage development within the parcel. This new monorail will provide access for many commuters into the city of Boston, lightening the traffic loads of the area, and providing the new development site a key location for potential residents in their upcoming connectivity. 46
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Phase 3 By realigning the VFW parkway along the current canal on site and reorganizing North Shore Road to be a more manageable neighborhood scale, we still allow for bus access to the Wonderland T Station, while discouraging high volumes of traffic from traversing the residential neighborhoods of Revere, as the current configuration of the traffic circle funnels cars through the neighborhood to the south of the site. The 330 foot wide traffic circle also creates congestion in the area during rush hour - based on conversations with current city officials, relocating the existing parkway to allow for better flows of traffic was key in the development of this site. This realignment of the roads also creates a larger singular site of about 40 acres, with the previously added monorail dissecting the space and creating a compelling area to parcel out for development. 48
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Phase 4 Because the roadways become more streamlined and separated in the previous phase, we introduce a bike path connecting the neighborhoods to the north and south of the site, crossing underneath the monorail at the intermediary monorail stop as a connector between Walnut Avenue and Dunn Road. This bike path provides connection to neighborhoods on both sides of the new site, as well as provides the future parcelized sites access to each other and to larger transportation networks. The bike path also increases the connectivity of the nearby neighborhoods with the new development, this connection with the nearby neighborhoods and Revere Beach allow the site to take on a role as an economic stimulus for the area allowing for job creation as well as stores and restaurants to be enjoyed by neighbors. 50
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Phase 5 Once these larger transportation and accessibility issues have been addressed within the site, we are able to portion the 40 acres into five smaller development parcels, plus a large open park to the north of the realigned VFW Parkway. These sites, which are to be further developed by individual proposal, range in size between 5.48 and 6.98 acres and were designed to access the roadways, maintain a relatively balanced plot size, as well as housing a multitude of people at a semi-urban density. These plots then have their topography pushed and pulled into the final phase, which addresses the 100 year flood plain in Revere, and creates a stormwater canal system between the plots, which will sit lower than the surrounding areas - as a basin for large scale storm events. 52
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Phase 6 The final phase of development shows the site with all of its elements working together to create a development parcel that is physically connected to Revere, Boston, and the Greater Boston Area and is connected through landscape to the current estuary system that Revere is built on top of. These five sites and their landscaped borders provide a unique opportunity for development in close proximity to Revere Beach - the non-linear parcels allow for different methods of site planning in future proposals. The connections to transit, the existing neighborhoods, and Revere Beach from these unique sites creates a purposefully malleable baseline for each site to take on unique elements between their program, character, and promoted lifestyles - based on each proposals’ personal compromise between judicious and fantastical thinking. 54
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Special thanks to: Robert O’Brien, Director of Economic Development, City of Revere, MA Paul Rupp, Community Reinvestment Associates, consultant to the City of Revere, MA Claire Ricker, Urban Renewal Project Manager, City of Lowell, MA George Proakis, Director of Planning, City of Somerville, MA Elizabeth Christoforetti, Design Critic, Harvard GSD, and Principal, Supernormal Amanda Lawrence, Associate Professor, Northeastern University School of Architecture Mary Hughes, Northeastern University School of Architecture Cory Berg, urban planner, Utile John McCartin, urban planner, Utile Jessica Robertson, transportation planner, Utile 56
Fall 2017
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