Landscape Architect & Specifier News

MAR 2018

LASN is a photographically oriented, professional journal featuring topics of concern and state-of-the-art projects designed or influenced by registered Landscape Architects.

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Project Purpose, Scope, Philosophy, and Intent Create a riverfront park overlooking the Oostanaula River which facilitates pedestrian access to the historic downtown district and other community facilities. Project demonstrates a range of landscape architecture professional services: concept planning, site engineering, permitting and full-time construction administration services. The project involves the creation of a downtown urban gathering space with access to the riverfront. Improve the Heritage Riverways Trail by building an underpass at Fifth Avenue that separates pedestrian and vehicular traffic. Provide boat access to the Oostanaula River. Incorporate an interactive water feature representing the three rivers that meet in downtown Rome. Include passive park amenities: swing benches, bike repair stations, pedestrian lighting, seating and game tables. In collaboration with the client, native leaf patterns were incorporated into the paving, including the rare endemic Hawthorn (Crataegus tristis), only found in Rome, Ga. Rain garden handles stormwater from parking deck to reduce direct runoff into the river. Role of the Landscape Architect The landscape architect as the prime consultant prepared the master plan, establish phasing, develop construction documents, permit plans, performed daily construction observation, and coordinated the subcontracted disciplines for environmental permitting, civil, structural, electrical engineering, surveying and construction administration. Special factors, Unusual Factors Site was built on landfill material used to raise the topography of the downtown area in the 19th century. Various areas of unsuitable material required adjustments to the footing design and other contingencies. The park (and the downtown) is in the floodplain of the Oostanaula River, which has a 15 foot variation in flood elevations at the sheet piling along the riverbank. This required coordination with FEMA. Significance of the Project This project created downtown Rome's first designed public space not occupied by public buildings. The Town Green has become the local identifier in promotional materials, high school graduations, weddings, concerts, conventions and events. The space now connects the historic downtown to ongoing redevelopment across the river (spurred by the Town Green project) and serves as the center of the city's Heritage Trail system. 68 Landscape Architect and Specifier News The Town Green is surrounded with swing benches, provided by Wabash Valley and customized with rough carpentry. Oostanaula River, an access was designed to enhance views and to serve as a major gateway. This gateway symbolically linked historic Broad Street to the river through a pedestrian-scaled greenspace, complete with an esplanade of benches, native landscaping and ornamental lighting. In addition, a pedestrian boardwalk was designed to pass under the Fifth Avenue Bridge. This trail link connected pedestrians to Rome's Heritage Trail system without requiring a crossing of a vehicular roadway. By celebrating the meeting place of Rome's three historic rivers, the Rome Town Green and Riverfront bring the people of Rome closer to their history. The site is a center for recreation, events and community activities that add to the quality of life for Rome's citizens and the citizens of northwest Georgia.

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