Landscape Architecture LDE622 Kristin Antkoviak / Coseo by The Design School at Arizona State University

Central Park 2.0 Strategies for creating healthy communities in underserved neighborhoods in Phoenix

Landscape architects are the leaders our cities require to address environmental injustices. As the next generation of design leaders, we must facilitate research, scholarship, and collective capacity building initiatives to advance justice for sustainability. In December 2017, residents from the Central Park neighborhood invited Valley Metro Transportation agency to our community meeting. As a landscape architecture student, I presented evidence of serious air quality problems using research from the EPA Environmental Justice reports and overlay maps of air pollution and urban heat impacts to the engineers involved with the light rail planning. We tried to explain that dating back to the early 1900s, Central Park and Central City South neighborhoods suffered severe environmental injustices, which still exist today. Bob Bolin and colleagues documented many of these disparities in his article “The Geography of Despair: Environmental Racism and the Making of South Phoenix, Arizona, USA”. There were little to no land use regulations in its early development because it was not annexed into the city until much later, most likely because of its high immigrant and African American populations. As a result, residential areas are closely mixed with heavy industrial facilities and major transportation corridors that often produce air pollution and contribute to urban heat islands. It’s a place of compounding and accumulating factors that this underserved community has to endure. Four major highways, Sky Harbor Airport, the Union Pacific Railroad were built directly through and surrounding these neighborhoods cutting them off and producing noise, excess heat, air pollution, and fugitive dust. Public investment has been lacking and in our desert environment that means little tree cover or vegetation to clean the air or provide relief from the heat. Experiencing first-hand the problems associated with poor air quality on vulnerable populations, my friend Vincent, a Central Park resident had a stroke in 2014. Last year he visited the emergency department four times claiming he could not breathe, yet has no history of respiratory disease. A longtime resident and director of the non-profit organization, Phoenix Revitalization Corporation, informed me approximately 70% of the children at Hamilton Elementary in Central City South (adjacent to several highways) were diagnosed with asthma.

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r e h t e g o t s e c a f d o o h r o b h g i e n k r a P l a r t n e C s e g n e l l a h c e h T e l p o e P r o f s e c a l P y h t l a e H : h t l a e H y t i n ummoC Community Health: Healthy Places for People The engineers from Valley Metro seemed touched, hearing residents voice concerns about the issues and providing potential design solutions through Sonoran-inspired green infrastructure.

We asked the engineers how they plan to resolve these issues— they didn’t have solutions.

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THE COMPOUNDING CHALLENGES

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od RIO SALADO 1-17 TO 7TH AVE

MATTHEW GRANT PARK HENSON 7-11

MARCOS DE NIZA

CENTRAL PARK

CUATRO MILPAS

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NUESTRO BARRIO BARRIOS UNIDOS

RIO SALADO 7TH AVE TO 7TH

SOCIAL

ENVIRONMENTAL

DOWNTOWN PHOENIX WAREHOUSE DISTRICT

SKY HARBOR AIRPORT

GREEN VALLEY

SALT RIVER

Context Map of Central Park

The World Health Organization recommends,

“Placing health and health equity at the heart of [city] governance and planning”, highlighting the need for integrated urban planning, transport, and housing policy.” YOUR LOCAL ENVIRONMENT & ACCESS TO RESOURCES DIRECTLY AFFECT LIFESPAN

YOUR LOCAL ENVIRONMENT & SOCIAL RESOURCES DIRECTLY AFFECT LIFESPAN

Unequitable distribution of Ecosystem Services

Zip Code vs. Genetic Code

85 71

LITTLE SHADE TREES IN YARD OR RIGHT-OF-WAY -Little shade, more energy spent to cool home and more waste heat released -Fugitive dust (air pollution), no roots to hold soil in place -Little biodiversity or habitat for wildlife -Stormwater goes into gray infrastructure -Little cooling through evapotranspiration (after it rains) -Degraded urban habitat YEARS -No substantial tree canopy to intercept air pollution -Vulnerable populations suffer -Little connection to nature, reduces wellbeing -Homes located directly next to industry pollution Ecosystem Service Poor

Residence in North Scottsdale

YEARS

Ecosystem Service Rich

MANY SHADE TREES -Cools home, less electricity use -Water purification (retention in design) -Air purification -Erosion Control -Increased evapotranspiration -Vulnerable populations have relief (clean air, cool environment) CONNECTION TO NATURE -Pollination/Wildlife Habitat -Enhance spiritual experience -Enhance human health and wellbeing

Residence in Central Park Neighborhood Minnick (2016).AZ Healthy Communities Index http://arizonahealthycommunities.org/wpcontent/uploads/2016/04/Healthy_Communities_Index.pdf)

Green infrastructure is any practice that uses or replicates natural systems to achieve a desired outcome. Green infrastructure looks to nature for advice, restoring and replicating ecological systems to create human and ecological benefits. SITES DEFINITION

THE STACKED BENEFITS OF GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE • Improved water quality • Reduced municipal water use • Ground water recharge

• Lower mortality Rates

• Flood risk mitigation for small storms

•Higher self-rated health

• Reduced particulate pollution

•Lower prevalence of smoking

•Reduced air temp. in developed areas • Reduced energy use and associated with greenhouse gas emissions

• Increased or improved wildlife habitat

•Less frequent teenage pregnancy

BENEFITS OF GRAY INFRASTRUCTURE

•More social support

-Quickly moves stormwater away from city to prevent flooding

• Improved public health from reduced air

•Lower incidence of crime, including violent crime

• Cost savings

•Lower incidence of burglary

pollution and increased physical activity

• Increased recreation space

•More trust in neighbors

• Improved community aesthetics

Polluted stormwater and trash enters a drain system

•Neighborly interactions

• Increased Property Values

•Walking in park-setting improves depression

• Green jobs •Increased resilience to climate change impacts

•Positive impact on children’s well-being

such as heavier rainfalls and hotter temps.

https://www.slideshare.net/APA_Planning/health-benefits-of-green-infrastructure?from_action=save

https://maribor24.si/kronika/iz-tovornjaka-v-mariboru-iztekla-vecja-kolicina-goriva/

http://mooool.com/zuopin/3621.html

What if our City of Phoenix Transportation T2050 Plan supported a neighborhood green infrastructure strategy that could improve community health?

GRAY

https://maribor24.si/kronika/iz-tovornjaka-v-mariboru-iztekla-vecja-kolicina-goriva/

We could prioritize green infrastructure in underserved areas with compounding challenges...

GREEN

CENTRAL PARK

START GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS IN CENTRAL PARK

GRAY

ENHANCE & GROW GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE NETWORK TO MORE NEIGHBORHOODS

GREEN

BOTH https://www.treehugger.com/culture/get-a-green-job-greencareers-by-monstertrak.html

Cooperation observed through design elements

Neighbors work together with each other and a neighborhood landscape architect to design the rain gardens near their homes.

Neighbors work together with each other and a neighborhood landscape architect to design the rain gardens near their homes. —We learn together and inspire each other

BOTH

ELEMENTS OF GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE SLOW STORMWATER VELOCITY ALLOW WATER TO SOAK INTO GROUND https://www.treehugger.com/culture/get-a-green-job-greencareers-by-monstertrak.html CLEAN POLLUTANTS COOL ENVIRONMENTS FOR PEOPLE

Bioswales are vegetated, shallow, landscaped depressions designed to capture, treat, and infiltrate stormwater runoff as it moves downstram.

[BIOSWALE]

They are the most effective types of green infrastructure for slowing runoff velocity and cleansing water. Bioswales have flexible siting requirements, allowing them to be integrated with medians, culdesacs, bulb outs, and other public spaces or traffic calming strategies.

(https://nacto.org/wp-content/themes/sink_nacto/views/design-guides/retroﬁt/urbanstreet-design-guide/images/bioswales/carousel/Bioswale_Portland_OR_3.jpg)Location: Portland, OR

[FLOW-THROUGH PLANTERS]

(https://nacto.org/wp-content/themes/sink_nacto/views/designguides/retroﬁt/urban-street-design-guide/images/bioswales/bioswales-2.jpg) (https://nacto.org/wp-content/themes/sink_nacto/views/designguides/retroﬁt/urban-street-design-guide/images/bioswales/bioswales-2.jpg) 6 2 5

[BIOSWALE]

[FLOW-THROUGH PLANTERS] GRE

Streets and alleys work together, providing cooling, cleaning, and community cohesion Critical

4 Raise the overflow/bypass drain system approximately 6 inches above the soil surface to manage storms larger than the water quality event. + More Info

To reduce exit velocities and prevent erosion, use pretreatment exit energy dissipaters, such as rocks. + More Info

‹

›

(https://nacto.org/wp-content/themes/sink_nacto/views/designguides/retroﬁt/urban-street-design-guide/images/flow-through-planters/flowthrough-planters-2.png) (https://nacto.org/wpcontent/themes/sink_nacto/views/design-guides/retroﬁt/urban-street-designguide/images/flow-through-planters/flow-through-planters-2.png) 1 2

ALL

[PERVIOUS STRIPS]

[PERVIOUS PAVERS]

1ST STREET

[PERVIOUS STRIPS]

Flow-through planters treat water by allowing runoﬀ to soak through its soil matrix and ﬁlter into an underdrain system.

Critical

4 Raise the overflow/bypass drain system approximately 6 inches above the soil surface to manage storms larger than the water quality event. + More Info

Flow-through planters treat water by allowing runoﬀ to soak through its soil matrix and ﬁlter into an underdrain system.

(https://nacto.org/wp-content/themes/sink_nacto/views/design-guides/retroﬁt/urbanstreet-design-guide/images/pervious-pavement/pervious-pavement-1.jpg) (https://nacto.org/wp-content/themes/sink_nacto/views/design-guides/retroﬁt/urbanstreet-design-guide/images/pervious-pavement/pervious-pavement-1.jpg) 3 2

Pedestrian walking path Rain Gardens streets & alleys

(https://nacto.org/wp-content/themes/sink_nacto/views/design-guides/retroﬁt/urbanstreet-design-guide/images/pervious-strips/pervious-strips-1.jpg) (https://nacto.org/wpcontent/themes/sink_nacto/views/design-guides/retroﬁt/urban-street-designguide/images/pervious-strips/pervious-strips-1.jpg) 1 2 3

[PERVIOUS PAVERS]

Recommended

2 Utilize an underdrain system to treat overflow, or if partial inﬁltration is preferred, to convey remaining runoﬀ to the municipal sewer system.

Native plants increase biodiversity, act as a pollinator habitat, and are well-adapted to the regional climate, increasing their chances for survival.

[stormwater flows through a series of elements] Pervious pavements have multiple applications, including sidewalks, street furniture zones, and entire roadways

https://nacto.org/publication/urban-street-design-guide/street-design-elements/stormwater-man(https://nacto.org/wp-content/themes/sink_nacto/views/design-guides/retroﬁt/urbanstreet-design-guide/images/pervious-pavement/pervious-pavement-1.jpg) agement/bioswales/

Sustainable stormwater management can prove less costly than upgrading large sub-grade pipe networks, and allows for flexible, modular installation. They have an overflow that connects to the existing stormdrain system. Flow-through planters are hard-edged stormwater management facilities with an impermeable base. Appropriate for infiltration-preclusive or high-density urban areas, flow-through planters treat water by allowing runoff to soak through and absorb into its soil matrix, unabsorbed water filters into an underdrain system.

Pervious strips are long, linear landscaped areas or linear areas of pervious pavement that capture and slow runoff. Depending on the underlying subsurface soil condition, pervious strips can provide some infiltration, but to a much lesser extent than bioswales. Pervious strips offer an inexpensive initial step in urban stormwater management, but are unlikely to provide enough capacity for treatment of a street’s full water quality event. Reduce irrigation requirements of pervious strips by utilizing pervious pavements and native plants. Native landscaped areas are generally preferable because they will generate less runoff and can help mitigate the urban heat island effect. Native plants increase biodiversity, act as a pollinator habitat, and are well-adapted to the regional climate, increasing their chances for survival. Pervious pavement effectively treats, detains, and infiltrates stormwater runoff where landscape-based strategies are restricted or less desired. Pervious pavements have multiple applications, including sidewalks, street furniture zones, and entire roadways (or just their parking lane or gutter strip portions).

(https://nacto.org/wp-content/themes/sink_nacto/views/design-guides/retroﬁt/urbanstreet-design-guide/images/pervious-pavement/pervious-pavement-1.jpg) 3 2

Recommended

Native plants increase biodiversity, act as a pollinator habitat, and are well-adapted to the regional climate, increasing their chances for survival.

2 Utilize an underdrain system to treat overflow, or if partial inﬁltration is preferred, to convey remaining runoﬀ to the municipal sewer system.

Pervious pavements have multiple applications, including sidewalks, street furniture zones,

THESE ARE PLACES FOR NEIGHBORS TO ACTIVELY USE AND ENJOY—LINEAR PARKS and entire roadways

Rain Gardens are Alligned with Central City South’s ‘Quality of Life Plan’ -PROMOTE AND EXPAND COMMUNITY GARDENS TO PROVIDE SOCIALIZATION OPPORTUNITIES -EXPAND CURRENT GARDENERS TO OTHER NEIGHBORHOODS THROUGH A MENTORSHIP PROGRAM INCLUDE EDIBLE LANDSCAPES TO NEW AND EXISTING HOUSES -INCORPORATE PERMACULTURE CONCEPTS INTO NEW PROJECTS GOLDEN THREADS: PRIDE-TELL AND PRESERVE OUR STORIES THROUGH PAST, PRESENT, FUTURE, THROUGH ORAL AND ART EFFORTS -INCREASE THE NUMBER OF TREES AND BEGETATION

-MULTICULTURAL PROGRAMS/EVENTS/FESTIVALS THAT CELEBRATE STORIES -INTRODUCE COMMUNITY TO NEW OR EXPANDED EXPERIENCES -POSITIVE USE OF LEISURE TIME—HEALTHIER HAPPIER NEIGHBORHOODS -JOGGING OR WALKING PATHS -INCREASE OPPORTUNITIES FOR NEIGHBOR TO NEIGHBOR INTERACTION IN DIVERSE ENVIRONMENTS -TOURS AND ART WALKS -ESTABLISH A FITNESS PROGRAM TO ADDRESS HEALTHY LIFESTYLE

project low maintenance gardner beautification project video video ELEVATION ALONG ALLEY—TRANSFORMED INTO COMMUNITY SPACES mentorship program

neighbor to neighbor interactions

honor natural form & seasonality

permaculture

LDE 622: Spring 2018 Advanced Landscape Architecture Studio IV

respect existing plant groups —SOCIALIZING AND ACTIVITY structures blend

help/support

symbolic of inclusiveness

walls as as culturally culturally responsive responsive canvas canvas walls

tell & preserve preserve our stories stories

Student: Kristin Antkoviak Instructor: Paul Coseo