GMCC Arts and Science Plaza
Minneapolis, Minnesota
“Greater Minneapolis Council of Churches (GMCC) is an entrepreneurial organization that partners with communities most impacted by current challenges, providing an opportunity to co-design and craft responses with local stakeholders. We bring forth an equitable structure for collaboration and power sharing, particularly in the areas of food, youth, and well-being.”
— GMCC Organization
Aligned with GMCC’s mission, the Arts and Science Plaza project located at the heart of Lake Street in Minneapolis, envisions a vibrant space connecting social and environmental benefits. A place where place identity, environmental stewardship, and community well-being collectively come together for the greater good. This transformative process will integrate green infrastructure measures and act as a community hub welcoming diversity, advocating for urban farming and food access while promoting a purposeful learning environment for the youth.
As part of an insightful community engagement from youth groups, donors, stakeholders, and community members, the design emphasizes connecting space, nature, and people. Their hope is to inspire other groups, businesses, and organizations to follow suit and join efforts on becoming a network of urban ecological gems for our most vulnerable populations.
Project Recommendations:
Design elements include stormwater planting areas, permeable paving, universal access design strategies, rainwater collection, community/edible gardens, flexible performing, event, and social gathering spaces, vertical herb gardens, insect and pollinator habitats, and outdoor learning spaces. The proposed design reduces outflow rates and volumes resulting in cleaner runoff entering the watershed.
Specific stormwater management improvements include:
Replacing 78% of impervious pavement with permeable materials and stormwater gardens, which results in a 52% reduction of impervious area across the site
Much lower stormwater runoff CN value is expected to be achieved in addition to stormwater gardens providing approximately 7,500 gallons of storage capacity
Peak flows exiting the property are drastically reduced
25-Year rainfall event and smaller, the outflow volume is reduced by half or more. For the 50-Year event, it is reduced by 41%, and for the 100-Year event it is reduced by 35%
Phosphorous loading is reduced by 50%
Services:
Strategic vision and grant funding guidance
Place programming strategies
Design conceptualization
Community, stakeholder, and consultant engagement
Construction documentation
Stormwater management practices