Sustainable Beaver

Business District

May 2, 2012

Gabriela Luongo

Rosa Rendon

Elia Sorice

The importance of third places

As alternatives to the social environments of home and work,

Third Places are essential to public life,

local democracy & community vitality

2

www.playborhood.comhttp://www.pps.org

Agenda

Introduction

Sustainable Toolkit

Toolkit Implementation

Final Thoughts

3

40 miles NW from Pittsburgh

Population: 5,144

Town Amenities:

• Fort McIntosh

• Beaver Area Heritage

Museum

• Farmer’s Market

National Register of Historic

Places (1997)

Beaver in a Snapshot

4

Beaver Business District Model of

Sustainability

20%

1%

36%

34%

9%

Business District Profile

Food service Municipal Service

Retail Business Service Business

Vacant

5

With 75 businesses, the Beaver Business District has taken several steps towards a sustainable future

Downtown First Certification

Duquesne Light Grant

Street furniture maintenance

Stakeholders Analysis

6

Sustainable Beaver Business

DistrictVisitors

Residents

Town Center Associates

Business District Authority

Beaver Borough

Duquesne Light

Carnegie Mellon

Supporters

Active Stakeholders

Beneficiaries

Agenda

Introduction

Sustainable Toolkit

Toolkit Implementation

Final Thoughts

7

Sustainable Toolkit

8

Energy Efficiency

Street Furniture

StormwaterManagement

Recycling Community Engagement

Energy Efficiency

9

Light Emitting Diode

(LED) benefits:

Energy efficiency

Safety

LED Uses:

Traffic lights

Building outdoor up-lighting

Gardens and trees

Information purposes

Street Furniture

10

Bike Racks Promotes walkability and

different mean of transportation

Planters & Hanging Flowers

Manages stormwaterrunoff

Improves the public realm

Awnings Reduce energy demands

Community Identifiers Create civic pride

Stormwater Management

Bioswales / Silva Cell Provides onsite storm

water treatment

Allows growth for large trees

Rain Barrels Decreases runoff to

stormwater sewers

Captures water for landscaping & irrigation

Serves as example for homeowners

11http://www.deeproot.com/blog/blog-entries/using-pervious-pavers-with-the-silva-cell-system

Beaver Trees

Stormwater Management

Pervious Pavement

Manages stormwater

runoff

Prevents soil erosion

Filters contaminants

12http://www.morrisbeacon.com/blog/?p=185

Non-Pervious

Pervioushttp://electricalandplumbingsystems.wordpress.com/storm-water-system/

Existing Alley Conditions

Water, sediments, and pollutants are directed towards storm sewers through downspouts.

13

Impervious pavement collects

water and prevents

groundwater recharge.

Rain Barrels Implementation

14

Rain barrels help reduce the

quantity of water that enters

stormwater drainage systems

Pervious pavement reduces

quantity and improves quality

of stormwater runoff, allowing

for groundwater recharge.

Recycling

Currently there is no system of

Recycling in Beaver Borough

Solar Compact Trash Bins

Reduces trash collection by 80%

Saves money by reducing fuel costs

and improving recycling

opportunities.

15

Beaver Trash Cans

Solar Compact Trash Bins

http://bostinno.com/2011/02/02/bigbelly-doubles-revenueshttp://www.phillydesignblog.com/2009/05/big-belly/

Community Engagement

Educate Through Events

Engage residents to reduce negative impact on the

environment

Experience Downtown by integrating new sustainable

practices

Educate through events & create Downtown as central community

location.

Experience

EducateEngage

Community Engagement

17

Bike Lanes and Bike Racks

Create a community competition for original bike racks

Involve the whole community (not only downtown)

Organize Bike to Work and School Day

Implement programs for young population to encourage walkability

Community Engagement

Suggested Events:

Earth Day Festivities

Rain Barrels Art Exposition

Raffle Rain Barrels

First Friday in Downtown

18

Agenda

Introduction

Sustainable Toolkit

Toolkit Implementation

Final Thoughts

19

Toolkit Implementation

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Phase I (0 – 1 year)

- Rain barrels

- Bike racks

- Community Identifiers

- LED retrofitting

- Awnings & Planters

- Education programs

- Recycling bins

Phase II (2 – 3 years)

- LED outdoor up-lighting

- LED crosswalks

- Bike racks

- Retractable awnings

- Bioswales / Silva cells

- Median

Phase III (3 – 5 years)

- Parallel parking

- Bike signage

Existing Conditions

21

40’ Beaver Clock Tower

Phase I

22

LED Retrofit Bicycle Racks

Awnings & Planters

Community Identifiers

Rain Barrels Solar Compacting Trash Bin

Education Programs

Phase II

23

LED Uplighting

LED Crosswalks

Awnings & Planters

Bicycle Racks

Bioswales/ Rain Gardens

Pervious Pavement

Solar Compacting

Trash Bin

Suggested Community

Events

Phase III

24

LED Uplighting

LED Crosswalks

Awnings & Planters

Bicycle Racks

Bioswales/ Rain Gardens

Parallel Parking

Solar Compacting

Trash Bin

Annual Community

Events

Existing Conditions

25

Phase I

26

LED retrofitting has significant cost saving benefits

Retractable awnings reduce energy demands

Planters improve the quality of the public realm

Phase II

27

Bioswales and rain gardens reduce stormwater runoff and allows for groundwater recharge

LED uplighting

improves energy

efficiency and

illuminate downtown

businesses

Phase III

28

Parallel parking

Bike racks encourage alternative modes of transportation

Next steps

29

1. Organize a task force

• Include all Stakeholders

2. Adopt a guiding principle or framework

• Implement “sustainable toolkit”

3. Appoint a Director of Sustainable Development

• Create accountability for success

4. Secure sources of funding and consultation

• Pennsylvania’s Main Street Program

• Coordinate with local waste management

5. Promote sustainable vision

• Encourage civic engagement and education municipality-wide

• Share best practices with surrounding communities

Sustainable Beaver

Business District

May 2, 2012

Gabriela Luongo

Rosa Rendon

Elia Sorice