Seattle Shows How to Turn a Parking Lot Into an Ideal Green Community

 

 

Thornton Creek Water Quality Channel

“Leave it to a city famous for coffee and rain to produce possibly the best example of transit-oriented urbanism, natural public space, and green stormwater infrastructure I have ever seen. This Seattle redevelopment is green in so many ways that it is hard to know where to start,” writes Kaid Benfield in an article published in The Atlantic.

Kaid benfield (100p) - natural resources defense councilHe is the director of the Sustainable Communities and Smart Growth program at the Natural Resources Defense Council, co-founder of the LEED for Neighborhood Development rating system, and co-founder of Smart Growth America.

Carved out of an abandoned parking lot, the Thornton Creek Water Quality Channel treats urban stormwater runoff from 680 acres within a necklace of channels, pools, and terraces designed to mimic the performance of a natural creek.

According to the Landscape Architecture Foundation: “Its lush plantings, overlooks, and paths have added 2.7 acres of public open space to the Northgate Urban Center and catalyzed surrounding redevelopment. The facility is a model for how multi-functional landscapes can be integrated into the dense urban fabric.”

 

To Learn More:

To read the complete article, click on How to Turn a Parking Lot Into an Ideal Green Community

 

Thornton creek water quality channel in seattle

Posted June 2011