NEWS September, 2007

Awards:

Simone Collins received four Design Awards in 2007 from the Pennsylvania / Delaware Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) in the following areas of practice:

·          Land use planning and transportation;

·          Park master planning and site design;

·          Campus planning and;

·          Greenway planning and design

President’s Award of Excellence 

PA 113 Heritage Corridor Transportation and Land Use Study, Montgomery and Bucks Counties. 

This study analyzes growth, transportation and their effects on land use, and proposes smart roadway improvements that preserve and strengthen the character-defining features of the landscapes along a 30-mile corridor through ten municipalities and two counties.

McMahon Associates, Inc. of Fort Washington, PA served as transportation engineer for the study.

More info: http://www.ricpa.org/index.html  Project sponsor - The Regional Improvement Consortium.

Special Recognition Award

Wilson Farm Park, Tredyffrin Township, Chester County, PA

The 90-acre Wilson Farm Park attracts visitors from around the region to its seven sports fields, three miles of trails, amphitheater, three playgrounds, three park buildings, gazebos, putting green, 2-acre pond and 35 acres of passive open space.   

Main Line Life newspaper noted: “Wilson Farm Park has become arguably the gold standard for recreational space on the Main Line”.  

Honor Award

Arcadia University Landscape Master Plan, Glenside, Montgomery County, PA.

The 60-acre Arcadia University campus was originally the William Welsh Harrison estate, designed by renowned architect Horace Trumbauer.  The new landscape master plan creates a series of landscape “events” across the campus by providing “people spaces” for meeting, socializing or quiet study — particularly in areas of the campus that currently lack distinction.  The landscape master plan reveals the hidden drama of Trumbauer’s iconic 1893 design of the Harrison estate, creating a campus that is sensitive to history, contemporary, and functional.

More info: http://www.arcadia.edu Arcadia University.

Merit Award

South Bethlehem Greenway Master Plan, Bethlehem, PA.

The South Bethlehem Greenway Plan was conceived by the City of Bethlehem to transform a former rail spur into an inner-city multiple user transportation route, urban green space, recreation venue, and economic catalyst.  The “Southside” neighborhood is in transition to a vibrant, mixed-use district located between the Lehigh University Campus and the former Bethlehem Steel plant.  SC assisted the City to secure funding and the project is poised for implementation.  Peter Simone presented the plan at the Urban Recreation Institute conference in Allentown, PA, in 2007

More info: http://www.bethlehem-pa.gov City of Bethlehem Planning Department.

Winterthur Peony Garden.

Winterthur Museum and Country Estate is the former home of Henry Francis du Pont and is now an internationally renowned museum of early American furniture and interiors in Wilmington, Delaware.  The museum grounds include over 300 acres of farms and Mr. du Pont’s personal pleasure garden, designed by landscape architect Marian Coffin in the 1920’s.

Simone Collins is assisting in the design of new visual screen plantings for the Peony Garden,  including redesigning a portion of the walkway through the famous azalea gardens.  This new path design will utilize wood bark mulch and include a new under drain system, to return to the original path material with modern drainage to handle stormwater, maintaining the historic character of this significant garden space.  Additionally, screen plantings will be incorporated into an existing employee parking lot, around the Children’s Garden Program area and in the peony garden to enhance this garden space.

Mt. Airy Casino Resort

SC is the landscape architect for the new Mount Airy Halo & Casino in the heart of the Pocono Mountains.  SC worked with casino architect Hemmler & Camayd of Scranton to design a dramatic waterfall  garden at the hotel main entrance. The gaming facility and hotel opens October 2007.

Greenways and Trails   

SC recently completed three trail / greenway master plans

·          The Bensalem Township Greenway Master Plan (Bucks County) is a 30-mile, $7.9 million system of trails and greenways that is planned to connect all areas of the Township. Simone Collins inventoried the natural and man-made features, assessed the existing environmental conditions, and prepared a Comprehensive Natural Areas Management Plan and Comprehensive Trails Plan for this densely developed township of 60,000 people.  The plan focuses on four watersheds; the Mill, Neshaminy, and Poquessing Creeks and the Delaware River.  The Natural Areas Management Plan recommends measures for protection of existing township-owned lands including riparian corridor protection, streambank stabilization, existing floodplain ordinance modifications, and invasive species management. 

·          The Lower Paxton Greenway Master Plan (Dauphin County) is designed for this rapidly growing municipality just outside of the City of Harrisburg.  Lower Paxton Township faces intense development pressure on its remaining rural landscapes.  This plan recommends additional ordinance protection for undeveloped lands, and identifies proposed on-road bike routes, sidewalks, intersection improvements, and off-road trails that will provide safe bicycle and pedestrian connections to the Township’s many schools, parks, and commercial centers.  The plan calls for 25 miles of off-road trails and 45 miles of on-road bike routes, with estimated improvements totaling $14 million.

·          The Bedford Trail Master Plan (Bedford County) is for a short, but complex 1.8-mile trail that will connect the Old Bedford Village to the historic Fort Bedford in the Borough Center.  Funded by the Bedford County Development Association and the PA First Industries program, this $1.63 million trail will provide a unique attraction to foster Bedford’s heritage tourism development efforts as well as a needed recreational amenity for local residents.  Simone Collins also prepared a successful DCNR Development Grant application on behalf of the Borough of Bedford to implement the first phase of trail development at Fort Bedford Riverfront Park. 

SC is also preparing construction documents for four other trails/greenways

·          The Liberty Bell Trail in East Norriton Township, Montgomery County will be one of the first segments constructed of this county-wide trail on the former Liberty Bell trolley grade.  SC is documenting the trail segment from Norristown Farm Park to Germantown Pike.

·          The Scottdale Road Trail in Lansdowne Borough parallels the Darby Creek between Baltimore Pike and Hoffman Park, in Delaware County and will be a model for longer, future segments of trails along the creek.  SC is collaborating with the Louis Berger Group Engineers and Petralia Surveyors on both the Liberty Bell and Scottsdale Road Trails.

·          The Schuylkill River Trail at DuPont Crescent in Philadelphia is a SC project for the Schuylkill River Development Corporation to create pedestrian linkages along the lower Schuylkill River.  SC is assisting Urban Engineers with trail design and landscape development for this intensely industrial 1-mile trail segment and linear park located near the Grays Ferry Avenue Bridge.

·          SC is assisting Smithfield Township in Monroe County, PA to design and build the first segment of the Minisink Greenway from the Delaware Water Gap Borough line to the Township’s Minisink Park.  The improvements include sidewalk, trail, and beautification within the public rights of way that will re-establish a pedestrian passage between the historic Borough and the Delaware River for the first time since I-80 construction in the 1950s created a barrier preventing walkers from reaching the river.   SC assisted the Township to secure a partnership with the Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission to fund the project.  Simone Collins is collaborating with municipal engineer Boucher & James to document the protect.

Under Construction

·          The Forty Foot Road Pedestrian Bridge near Lansdale, PA will be completed in 2007.  SC conceived of depressing the state highway and constructing the new bridge in 1994.  The $1.2 million PennDOT project now spans a newly widened four-lane roadway to connect pedestrians and cyclists to commercial and residential areas within a new village center.  SC collaborated with McMahon Associates engineers and QBS engineers to design a modern Art Deco motif into the superstructure.

·          The Kings Covered Bridge Rehabilitation is scheduled to be completed fall 2007.  SC began service to the Southern Alleghenies Conservancy in 1997 by assisting with the bridge stabilization and preparing a funding strategy for full historic repairs of the multiple kingpost truss timber bridge.  SC served as design team leader, assisted by Gannett Fleming structural engineers and Arnold M. Graton Associates timber bridgewrights, to prepare the rehabilitation plan and construction documents.  The project was funded by the Federal Highway Administration though PennDOT.  The bridge will be the centerpiece of the new Middlecreek Township Park in Somerset County, PA.

·          Sweet Arrow Lake County Park in Schuylkill County, PA is the first County Park, and features a serene 80-acre lake.  The first phase of construction is to improve access, parking, storm water management, utilities, renovate the clubhouse porch, and add a new playground. Alfred Benesch Engineers was sub-consultant to SC.  The $1 million project will be completed in fall 2007.

·          The Pocono Environmental Education Center (PEEC) is beginning construction of campus improvements at its facility in Lehman Township, Pike County, PA. SC designed the aesthetic and environmental features as well as assisting PEEC with funding procurement.  Horstman Associates provided engineering assistance to SC.

·          The first phase of improvements to the Arcadia University President’s Residence in Glenside, PA  were recently completed, and work is underway on the University’s dramatic new main entry on Easton Road.  Work will begin in spring 2008 on the new woodland pond designed by SC to provide a tranquil setting for a new café in Arcadia’s Brubaker Hall.

Park Planning – in progress

§          As a follow-up to its 2001 Master Plan, SC is preparing construction documents for the northern section of Clark Park, in West Philadelphia.  Improvements will include new walkways, lighting & other site amenities, removal of invasive tree species and collaboration with the City Water Department Watershed Office to dramatically increase storm water infiltration.  University City District is the client.

·          Bloomsburg Town Park is a 46-acre existing park on the banks of the Susquehanna River in Columbia County, PA.  The SC master plan includes traffic calming; vehicular and pedestrian circulation improvements; creation of a new veteran’s memorial; improvements to the 3-acre lagoon; day-lighting of a buried creek; and renovation of many recreation facilities.    More info:  http://www.bloomsburgpa.org

·          SC is preparing a master plan for Trappe Borough Main Street Park in Montgomery County, PA.  The 7-acre park was acquired with DCNR and County funds.  The SC master plan includes a new baseball field, pedestrian loop trail, multipurpose courts, parking, and restrooms.

·          Reading’s City Park is a historic, stately green oasis at the base of “the mountain” below Reading’s iconic pagoda.  City Park, also known as Penn’s Commons, is home to some of the city’s most beautiful statuary and memorials.   A stately Art Deco period band shell constructed by the WPA in 1939 also graces the park.  The SC master plan recommends vehicular circulation improvements; new seating areas for the band shell; improved pedestrian circulation; and horticultural improvements.   More info: http://www.readingpa.gov

·          The site of Squire Cheyney Park was the home of Revolutionary War-era settler Squire Cheyney. This 28-acre passive park will preserve the agrarian landscape and provide trail access to the idyllic site.  The SC master plan for the park is being completed in tandem with the master plan for the 12-acre Waln Run Park, both in Thornbury Township, Chester County, PA. 

SC is engaged on three park projects in Solebury Township, Bucks County, PA

·          SC is preparing construction documents for the 24-acre Laurel Road Park at the site of the renovated township building.  New facilities will include a baseball field, amphitheater, access and parking improvements, new playground and a new restroom / concession building. Van Cleef Engineers is providing engineering services to SC.

·          SC is preparing a Master Plan for Pat Livezy Memorial Park, an 18-acre recreation site including; circulation improvements, new parking, athletic field improvements and storm water management facilities.

·          The formerly unimproved Canal Park – Solebury Township will be the location of a new soccer field, trail, and canoe launch into the Delaware Canal.  The park will also feature a pedestrian bridge over the canal to allow access to the canal towpath trail.  SC prepared construction documents for these improvements in collaboration with Robert Wynn Engineers, who is also working with SC on the Pat Livezy Park Master Plan.

·          Patience is a virtue…   As part of its 1991 Master Plan for Boathouse Row, SC proposed access and garden improvements to the small silt “island” located between Philadelphia’s famed Boathouse Row and the Philadelphia Museum of Art.  Sixteen years later, the Fairmount Park Commission has received funding to implement those SC-conceived improvements.