How Citygreen’s Stratavault™ system nurtured the healthy growth of trees outside the Minneapolis Metro Transit Police Department
The Minneapolis Metro Transit Police facility – 560 N 6th Avenue, Minneapolis – was awarded the Finance and Commerce Top Project of 2019.
This 30-month construction project consisted of a four-level addition and a partial renovation of the existing police facility. It also involved developing a welcoming plaza space surrounded by a planned tree canopy.
Donlar Construction, COEN+PARTNERS and Metro Transit all collaborated with Citygreen to enable the healthy growth of trees along the sidewalk and entrance of the police station. The Stratavault™ system was selected as the ideal solution to promote healthy tree root growth, breathing all new life to the once lacklustre location.
Here’s how.
Project Goals
The main objective of the Metro Transit Police Department’s tree planting project was to showcase a thriving canopy of trees that would provide aesthetic appeal, as well as shade, especially during the hotter months of summer.
COEN+PARTNERS, the project’s architect team, also placed a high priority on sustainability.
“One of the project’s goals was to be sustainable. We aimed to optimise the best tree planting practises like using porous paving and soil cells to ensure the trees would grow healthily despite the challenging environment,” said Britton Jones, Senior Associate, PLA.
Metro Transit Police Department also recognised that the urban canopy is a tangible asset with a propensity to deliver valuable ROI (Return On Investment) if correctly managed. As a result, the project also had a goal of creating a high ROI in the long run by planting more trees outside their facility.
Project Challenges
When it came to tree planning, Donlar Construction found the project challenging due to various site and location restrictions. To solve these, they utilised off-site staging, strict scheduling of site deliveries and the removal of contaminated soil.
Britton Jones of COEN+PARTNERS said, “we also recognised that the hardscape area outside the facility presented an additional challenge to overcome to guarantee the healthy growth of trees.”
With its innovative design, proven strength, sustainable material and lower installation cost, Citygreen’s Stratavault™ system was chosen as an ideal solution for this project.
Project Methodology
Citygreen’s Stratavault™ system was utilised to reduce impervious coverage, improve stormwater management and nurture the healthy growth of trees at the entrance of the facility.
Made from 100% polymers, the open matrix design of Stratavault™ provided a healthy architecture of the soil, allowing the tree roots to grow well and absorb essential nutrients. Stratavault™ was also installed with minimal effort and costs due to its modules that easily snap together. There were no messy zip ties, screws or ground spikes required to assemble the product on site.
Furthermore, the design of this system paved the way for the trees to obtain the right amount of irrigation. All rainwater is properly absorbed and redirected towards the trees to provide sufficient water. Stratavault™ also offers stormwater management advantages which, in an urban environment, may help reduce flood risks and lessen pollution carried to local bodies of water.
“With Citygreen’s Stratavault™ system, we saw diminished compaction and excellent soil conditions were maintained for growing trees outside the Metro Transit Police Department.”
Project Outcome
The use of Citygreen’s Stratavault™ system resulted in the fast growth of healthy Honey Locust trees around the facility. In fact, some of the trees even outperformed those planted at the same time on the grass verge (as shown in the picture above).
As reflected in the Top Project of 2019 award, the thriving trees outside the police station have contributed to making the overall addition and remodel project such a success. The thriving urban trees enhanced the visual outlook by making everything look more vibrant and refreshing.
In just a few years from now, the Metro Transit Police Department will have a thick, green canopy of healthy adult trees that will deliver environmental, health and economic benefits – all thanks to Citygreen’s Stratavault™ system.
At Citygreen, we offer a wide range of cutting-edge urban landscape products like the Stratavault™ system.
Speak to us today. Our team can discuss how we can enhance your urban space into a greener and more thriving place, just like the Metro Transit Police Department in Minneapolis.
