How Citygreen’s Stratavault™ system helped the Hill East Building G redevelopment project transform into a thriving green space
Key Facts
LOCATION:
Washington DC, USA
YEAR:
October 2020
PARTNERS:
Brightview, Bradley Site Design, Donatelli Development, GTM Architects
About the Project
Hill East Building G is a mixed-use low-rise project in Washington D.C. that has been serving as temporary housing for displaced families for many years.
In a bid to put an end to homelessness, the City’s Mayor commissioned a redevelopment project on Hill East Building G. Part of the project involved transforming the area around the building, located on C Street Southeast, from a dull, grey area into a more vibrant green space by integrating numerous healthy trees.
The goal was to provide a more comfortable and sustainable environment for both residents and visitors.
BrightView Landscape Development worked together with urban greenery specialists, Citygreen, to facilitate the optimal growth of healthy trees along the sidewalk of Hill East Building G. Jeremy Clayton, Senior Project Manager, identified the Stratavault™ system as the best solution to support the health of these trees within the paved pedestrian and vehicular environment.
Project Goals
One of the main objectives of the Hill East Building G redevelopment project was to showcase a thriving canopy of trees that would provide an aesthetic appeal, as well as shade, especially during the hotter months of summer.
“It was our goal to provide sustainable solutions and advice around the planting of healthy trees in a new, trafficable concrete pavement. We also aimed to increase the number of street trees within the area,” said Jeremy Clayton of BrightView Landscape Development.
The district administration also recognised that adding an urban canopy would turn the once-dull Hill East campus into a greener environment, giving families a more dignified place to stay until they could get back to a place they could call home.
Project Challenges
As a neighbourhood that was dense with paved roads and large buildings, BrightView Landscape Development found several challenges and restrictions with incorporating a green canopy into Hill East.
The selected greenery to be planted, Platanus Acerifolia (or Exclamation London Planetrees), also posed its own challenges, including its potential to damage sidewalks and infrastructure with root growth if sufficient soil was not available.
“We deemed this project to be a very complicated undertaking. The area had to be excavated very close to the building, and the spoils had to be removed from the site,” Jeremy Clayton stated.
Fortunately, through our innovative solution, both teams at BrightView Landscape Development and Citygreen were able to overcome these challenges and deliver the transformational results that the City Government was seeking.
Project Methodology
BrightView Landscape Development had to find a system that could allow the growth of sustainable green canopies while also protecting the structural integrity of the surrounding streetscape.
After some thorough product reviews and consultation with the Citygreen team, it was determined that the Citygreen Stratavault™ system was the most suitable solution to ensure that selected Exclamation London Planetrees would thrive in the harsh urban environment of the Hill East neighbourhood.
With its highly engineered large soil cell feature, designed to be easily installed under sidewalks, Stratavault™ enables tree roots to grow, absorb and store essential nutrients. Its open matrix design also works to prevent sidewalks, roads and buildings from being damaged by root growth.
“With Citygreen’s Stratavault™ system, we were able to plant Exclamation London Planetrees along Hill East’s streetscape, as well as navigate multiple underground utilities and install strong concrete on top as part of the overall redevelopment project of the community.”
Project Outcome
Citygreen’s Stratavault™ system has been seeing positive results since the project’s completion. The Hill East community, particularly Building G, is now decorated with healthy Exclamation London Planetrees that will soon provide vibrant visual aesthetics and cool shade relief for all residents and visitors.
Not only does this community provide a safe environment for displaced families, but the Hill East neighbourhood now offers a fresher, greener and cleaner space within the urbanised area.
“The installation of Citygreen’s Stratavault™ system progressed slightly faster than we estimated. On top of that, there was no rework necessary, and we were highly satisfied with the overall results,” Jeremy Clayton said.
Thanks to Citygreen’s Stratavault™ system, the Hill East community will soon have a thick canopy of healthy, lush trees that will deliver many environmental and health benefits, making the area more liveable and pleasing for its residents.
At Citygreen, our wide range of innovative urban landscape products like the Stratavault™ system can transform communities just like yours. Speak to our team today to discuss how we can enhance your urban area to make it a greener and more thriving space, just like the Hill East neighbourhood in Washington D.C.
