In September of this year, Sheridan Station won a $5.8 million competitive Recovery Act grant from the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The Recovery Act grant is for utilizing green materials and technology to create public housing that conserves energy and encourages more healthy lifestyles.
HUD Director Shaun Donovan has stated that this grant is a "perfect example of using the Recovery Act to rebuild the economy stronger and wiser by investing in new and emerging sustainable industries." What has been called a "premier green, transit-oriented mixed-income housing development," Sheridan Station will have solar power array, a vegatative green roof which will double as a stormwater management facility and place for resident relaxation, bio-retention facilities, Energy Star appliances and sustainable building materials.
From what I understand a guiding principal of the development is to create a green, holistic model of redevelopment starting from the ground up. Let me geek out for a minute and state how excited and slightly surprised I am to hear HUD talk about new urbanist concepts, such as reduced parking ratios and dedicated bicycle spaces. Apparently the name "Sheridan Station" was given to the project to reflect its future as a transit oriented development near the Anacostia Metro Station. The project summary suggests that numerous pedestrian connections have been made to bring residents from the site down to the public sidewalks onto Sheridan Road and towards the Metro station.
And one can only hope that this is indeed the case. I wonder if DDOT is involved in the greater masterplan, because even if the private development caters to the pedestrian, it is imperative that the human scale is honored at street level as well. If you're familiar with the site then you know of the wall and the steep inclines spawning from it. How they tackle the transition and the walking experience along Sheridan Road will be interesting as well as difficult, but I really do believe a street that currently caters more to cars than people would improve if the pedestrian experience were truly considered in this "holistic development" even as you step from private to public space. Drivers tend to be more courteous and vigilant on streets that provide a unique character or personality, are sensitive to their neighborhood or main street environments and are green or well landscaped. Ground cover and trees help define the edges of the street and are a vital ingredient to placemaking. As people find streets more pleasing to travel or walk along they tend to come to these streets for greater social interaction. More people walking and driving through a place creates more surveillance, and hence dampen the potential for crime--something the old Sheridan Terrace was once a haven for.
Before and after of a "complete street"
- Street vendors - help make streets destinations
- Pedestrian street lamps - people need lighting at least as much as cars
- Curb extensions or bulb-outs - narrows the street at crosswalks
- Dedicated bus lanes - allows buses to be as efficient as light rail
- Dedicated bike lanes - allows bikes to be as efficient as well
- Raised, textured sidewalks - huge aesthetic difference, and clear distinction as a pedestrian-first zone
- Traffic lights with a leading pedestrian interval - gives pedestrians a headstart before cars start turning into their lane
- Bollards - Non-obtrusive pedestrian protectors
- Street trees and plantings - arguably the biggest aesthetic enhancer for any street
- Speed bump - classic traffic calming
Here's to hoping someone is listening....
