Dear Neighbors,
Bloomingdale`s next low-impact development (LID) project to complement the DDOT Surface Water Management project will take the form of permeable surface for two private parking spaces adjacent to Windows Cafe and Mt. Bethel Baptist Church. This pilot project will demonstrate the performance and aesthetics of the PaveDrain system from local manufacturer, Ernest Maier Inc.
The Ernest Maier company has agreed to self-fund the design and installation of the two LID green parking spaces (approximately 100 square-feet total) to help build confidence in their solution`s ability to collect and store storm water during Bloomingdale`s most severe rain storms. Once we develop a maintenance agreement for the project, DDOT engineers have agreed to help facilitate the required permits.
If the PaveDrain system performs as promised, demonstrates ease of maintenance, and meets the community`s aesthetic requirements during the Green Parking pilot project, we hope to deploy this product in upcoming local iterations of the Green Alley program in partnership with the DDOE RiverSmart Communities program.
Please let me know if you have any questions.
Thank you,
Hugh
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Hugh Youngblood
ANC, SMD 5C03
202.630.2262
@ANC5C03
Awesome...great job Hugh. I went to the PaveDrain website...i see these come in colors. In my opinion the brick red looks nicer than the cement color... I guess this decision will be made by the owners? a group of folks in Bloomingdale have long been trying to get the city to resurface the sidewalks with brick... for a long time i rolled my eyes when the community was facing high crime rates and open air drug markets. However, in reality, one has to admit that the areas of the city that have brick paved sidewalks have a more harmonious architechtural overall look/feel. So while it may not be not our neighborhood's #1 priority, it could greatly enhance the overall visual coherence of the hood, marrying the streets with the old row houses. In the end this has an impact on property values. While this pavedrain stuff isn't exactly brick, it looks a heck of alot better than the crumbling cement slabs we have on w street sidewalks... I would put forward the notion that if the city is considering repaving sections of the parking, alleys and sidewalks of bloomingdale/ledroit, they might try to make it look as much like brick (and not the cement sidewalks) as possible.... well it's something to keep in mind anyway. Kills two birds with one stone.
ReplyDeleteTodd,
DeleteGreat idea about repaving the concrete sidewalks. We'll keep this in mind going forward.
Thank you,
Hugh
It would be even better if that parking lot were turned into housing, with a green roof.
ReplyDelete