Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
This is the new "companion" thread to one that is still active here (Which waterless skyline could rank up there with the watery ones?)
This one addresses the so called "waterless downtowns" that could benefit from having a body of water located in such a way as to highlight the skyline from across the water (Bay Bridge into SF, Brooklyn Bridge into Manhattan) or to go through downtown and enhance the surrounding parts of the core with its presence (Chicago River, arguably the Inner Harbor in Baltimore)
Yes, this would be exceedingly (maybe prohibitively) expensive. And, yes, the ability to gather land for such a project in the density of a core area would be problematic at least.
But strictly brainstorming and just thinking of possibilities, what are the suggestions you have for various cities in ways to make the high rise downtown core have the positive relationship with water listed above?
Wide open question. And, of course, piggybacking on near-or-in downtown waters already being developed (four come to mind: Dallas/Trinity River, Houston/Buffalo Bayou, Denver/Cherry Creek, Los Angeles/LA River) by extending the foot print of the water.
To serve as an example: Detroit currently is seeing the type of development that the city hasn't seen for years. But virtually all of it seems to be downtown. Since downtown is obviously a money maker, could the city considering building a "man made river" in the shape of half of the circumference of a circle that would set off the downtown area from the rest of the city in an arch shaved waterway with both ends emptying into the Detroit River. This would give DT Detroit an added bonus and encourage more development. I don't think the rest of the city would suffer from this (it's not like it is being developed now), but more growth downtown, more making downtown a destination again, should begin to pay off for the neighborhoods as well.
Status:
"Pickleball-Free American"
(set 18 days ago)
Location: St Simons Island, GA
23,507 posts, read 44,177,623 times
Reputation: 16920
Atlanta recently completed a water diversion project to fill an abandoned quarry and create a water feature that will be the centerpiece of the city's newest (and largest) park space.
"Meanwhile, six months after Driller Mike—a Goliath tunnel-boring machine named in honor of homegrown rapper Killer Mike—completed its five-mile journey between the Chattahoochee River, Hemphill Water Treatment Plant, and the quarry, work continues at the pit’s base and deeper underground.
The $300 million investment will eventually create 2.4 billion gallons of reserve drinking water for Atlantans.
Department of Watershed officials said this week that crews are still busy lining the tunnel bore by Driller Mile with concrete—about 500 feet per week—as work on a new pump station at the quarry’s rim continues."
Houston would have to expand its fabric linearly towards the east. That's where the Buffalo Bayou shifts from a small creek to a significant waterway capable of ocean-going shipping traffic.
Location: northern Vermont - previously NM, WA, & MA
10,762 posts, read 23,872,801 times
Reputation: 14691
Quote:
Originally Posted by Iconographer
Atlanta recently completed a water diversion project to fill an abandoned quarry and create a water feature that will be the centerpiece of the city's newest (and largest) park space.
"Meanwhile, six months after Driller Mike—a Goliath tunnel-boring machine named in honor of homegrown rapper Killer Mike—completed its five-mile journey between the Chattahoochee River, Hemphill Water Treatment Plant, and the quarry, work continues at the pit’s base and deeper underground.
The $300 million investment will eventually create 2.4 billion gallons of reserve drinking water for Atlantans.
Department of Watershed officials said this week that crews are still busy lining the tunnel bore by Driller Mile with concrete—about 500 feet per week—as work on a new pump station at the quarry’s rim continues."
Couldn't rep you, my wand needed recharging. This is a really cool project. I haven't spent quality time in Atlanta in too many years, need to get back again. I like the blend of beautification and parkland blended with the critical infrastructure need.
Atlanta recently completed a water diversion project to fill an abandoned quarry and create a water feature that will be the centerpiece of the city's newest (and largest) park space.
Places like San Antonio, Austin, and Waco invented a water feature where there used to be a semi fluid waterway. Visitors and casual observers think they are natural rivers or lakes because the dam or other infrastructure is cleverly situated and mostly out of view. I suspect there are other examples in other cities. People seem to like being near an urban water feature but that's a lot of tax money for a photo-op.
Places like San Antonio, Austin, and Waco invented a water feature where there used to be a semi fluid waterway. Visitors and casual observers think they are natural rivers or lakes because the dam or other infrastructure is cleverly situated and mostly out of view. I suspect there are other examples in other cities. People seem to like being near an urban water feature but that's a lot of tax money for a photo-op.
Wasn't the reason San Antonio was able to build the River Walk is the work of the WPA during the Great Depression? I might be wrong, but I thought that way back, it had as little (or no) water in it as the LA River
I dont know how to attach Youtube videos: So just adding the links of LA River plans
Frank Gehry is one of the main architects brought in to create a nice river look.
But the process of changing the LA River first starts with getting the OK from the Army Corp of Engineers who created the channelization of the river to solve the problems of flooding in the past that cost money and lives. But then the money to change it is the next issue. Here are videos telling the story and some of the changes that can happen.
The LA River may not have lots of water, but it does have water year round, mainly due to the discharge of treated wastewater from the plants upriver. Millions of gallons a day from the nearly hundreds of millions of gallons used daily in the area from showers, to sinks and toilets but treated and safe. Most of it goes down river, not a lot but a series of weirs and dams could be used to create the illusion of a full river much like how a beaver will create a dam, and make a small stream look like a large pond.
Currently, the more advanced revitalization parts of the River and riverside usage are at the Sepulveda Dam and Griffith Park areas. Here the parts are more wild and bottom opened. It has allowed trees to grow, birds to nest. the sides are still encased in concrete and wont likely changed unless lots of money is involved to make staircases. But in the summer, kayaking tours are allowed on these portions (advised you get your shots). But fish, ducks, coyotes, raccoons, and other wildlife come to the river. Also the homeless have taken refuge hidden in the trees/thick brush of the river, where they live/bathe but when major storms come, they are in danger.
Lots of little parks are being built near the river with a bike path along a long stretch of the river to connect all the communities. But I dont see the river reaching anywhere near the skyscrapers of Downtown. The river is about less than 2 miles east of there.
The idea of physically cutting off downtown Detroit from the rest of the city/region sends the exact opposite message about the way things need to go in this area.
For decades, downtown Detroit really was an island unto itself. There is still a lot of animosity and division in the older generations regarding the city of Detroit and the suburbs/state.
A lot of people would be horrified at the mere mention of the idea of downtown Detroit being separated from the rest of the city/region. Charges of racism would fly almost instantly. It's just a bad idea for various cultural reasons. I would feel bad for whoever decided to put themselves out there as spokesperson for this idea because they'd be entering an instant firestorm.
Building I-75 destroyed a lot of neighborhoods and residents who stayed in the area are still extremely upset and bitter about that.
A lot of abandoned buildings and houses have been razed in recent years in many Detroit neighborhoods to make these areas attractive again. It's a slow process because it costs a lot of money to do this. Also a lot of individual houses have been or are being renovated.
Detroit was built on the Detroit River and Belle Isle/the Riverfront are top destinations in the area. One of the best events that we do are the international fireworks around the fourth of July/Canada Day (July 1st) along the Detroit River (in downtown Detroit). The Detroit River is part of the downtown skyline. So this idea that we don't have water is just weird.
A lot of runs/races/events take place on Belle Isle throughout the year. (BTW, Belle Isle is next to the Detroit Yacht Club!)
Carving out a river to feed into the Detroit River (at this time) would lead to a lot more problems than it would solve. Maybe in 20-30 years, another generation can revisit the idea, but now......no. It really makes no cultural sense to do this and create more division than unity in our region/city.
On paper (or the internet), this sounds like a cool idea. However, in real life....Detroit would be torn apart by this and that's the last thing that the city needs or the people want/need. The last thing we need is another boondoggle that wastes taxpayer money. That would easily flip a lot of suburbanites back to their hate-filled rhetoric about city management and leadership. Especially given the poverty levels in the city. And the bad roads all over Michigan. And the fact that we are "the Great Lake State" and have lakes and rivers everywhere. It's really not that hard to find a body of water in Michigan or the Detroit area. Whether or not you have lake privileges or public access - that's the real question.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
