The following information was provided by Building Cleveland by Design (BCbD), a project of Cleveland Public Art and Parkworks that is leading the public space design process in the Flats District (along with stakeholder groups like the city of Cleveland, which is leading the Canal Basin Park District Plan and Cuyahoga County which is leading the public space design at Wendy Park on Whiskey Island, including connections from the West Bank of the Flats).

An important consideration is how to improve connections between anchor developments like Flats East Bank and Stonebridge to beautiful and functional public spaces. This document sets goals for public space design in waterfront districts such as the Flats. For specific BCbD public space and connector design projects, see this page.

Neighborhood Overview

Cleveland’s riverfront, long dominated by industry and a source of shame after the Cuyahoga River caught fire in the 1950s and 1960s, is now being refashioned as a place for residents and visitors to see and touch the water. The upper Flats neighborhood, in particular, is one of the most compelling places in Northeast Ohio—the place where the Cuyahoga River meets Lake Erie. With its historic buildings, bridges, barge traffic and steep hills, it has long captured the imagination of locals and visitors. The area now has a chance to achieve its full potential as a 24-hour neighborhood, with multiple private and public developments planned or underway.

Public Space Considerations

Well-designed public spaces will play a pivotal role in reclaiming the Flats and connecting proposed new developments. As the first major development likely to break ground in the neighborhood, the Flats East Bank will set the standards by which future projects are judged.

Designers should be sensitive to the project’s waterfront location and its downtown context. Public spaces should help the Flats East Bank both embrace the river and integrate with existing downtown neighborhoods, particularly the adjacent Warehouse District, already a successful mixed-use area.

In addition:

• People with special needs should be able to access and use all plazas, squares and parks.
• Roads and paths through the space should take people where they want to go.
• There should be plenty of places to sit (ledges, chairs, benches), with some seats located in the sun and some in the shade.
• There should be usable space for activities and events, planned or impromptu.
• Spaces should be appealing to people from a range of ages and ethnicities.

LEED for Neighborhood Development requirements

The Flats East Bank development is seeking certification under the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED pilot program for Neighborhood Development (LEED-ND), which emphasizes green infrastructure and sustainability. The project must meet the following criteria pertaining to landscape design and public space:

Sidewalks and Streets

• Streets and sidewalks must be open for general public use and not gated.
• Continuous sidewalks will be provided along both sides of all streets within the project.
• Streets will have bike lanes connecting the neighborhood to diverse uses within and outside the neighborhood.

Plantings

Native plants must be used for 90% of vegetation, and no invasive plants are permitted on any part of the site. Native species grow well in urban settings because they need little water and can withstand seasonal changes and high traffic.

Stormwater Management

A comprehensive stormwater management plan must infiltrate, reuse, or evapotranspirate 0.225 inches of rainfall from the project’s development footprint and any adjacent areas graded so as to be effectively impervious. Landscaping elements that could contribute to this requirement include:

• Maintaining existing vegetation
• Bioswales
• Pervious pavement
• Stormwater planters
• Rain gardens
• Conveyance furrows

Heat Island Abatement

At least 50% of non-roof impervious site area (streets, parking lots, sidewalks etc.) must use one or more of the following landscaping strategies to prevent urban “heat island” effects:

• Plant shade trees or install trellises or other landscape features so that impervious area is shaded within 5 years of building occupancy (shade from awnings and buildings does not qualify)
• Use paving materials with a Solar Reflective Index (SRI) of at least 29; these include grey or white concrete. Asphalt must have micro surfaces and coatings to attain the necessary SRI.
• Use an open grid pavement system (paving that is less than 50% pervious).

Shade trees should be planted particularly near the southern and western exposures of buildings, to reduce direct sunlight and the need for artificial cooling. This placement of trees also allows for interior solar heat gain in the winter.

Lighting

To prevent light pollution, lighting must be limited to what is required for safety and comfort. Lighting must not exceed 80% of lighting power densities for exterior areas and 50% for building facades and landscape features as defined by ASHRAE. Both exterior and interior lighting contribute to lighting power density.

Other green themes to consider:

• The development calls for a public boardwalk and several public spaces along the river. In these places, landscaping should be used to contribute to a balanced, multispecies living environment.
• Recycled materials (plastic, rubber tires) can be used for paving and walkways instead of traditional materials such as concrete and asphalt.
• The greatest opportunity for water conservation and cost savings is in the landscape and irrigation design of public spaces, including arterial and collector streetscapes, parkways, parks, and residual open spaces. There are a variety of practices that can be put into place, including low-water or xeriscape planting techniques; on-site weather stations; centralized irrigation control; soil moisture sensors; drip irrigation; and low-water maintenance procedures. Rainwater can be harvested for landscape irrigation and outdoor fountains.