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Project Title: Interstate 4 Urban Design through Ybor City Project Introduction: The Urban Design program for the Interstate-4 reconstruction project was developed to reconnect and return dignity to a mixed ethnic community bisected by the non-sympathetic imposition of the original interstate, constructed in the early 1960s. The urban design, bridge architecture and landscape architecture were conceived to mitigate the effects of this highway system while complementing the fabric of the Ybor City National Historic Landmark District. The primarily goal of the project design was to blend the urban roadway into the architectural fabric of the Ybor City community. We also wanted to provide a sustainable project that would still look appropriate throughout its entire 50 year life cycle, and well past the first phase of the I-4 corridor widening project. The challenge however was to integrate appropriate architectural characteristics to the modern roadway construction materials and techniques Project Narrative: The impetuous for this urban design effort was a direct result of the Environmental Impact Study (EIS), which demanded a mitigation of the Interstate through the National Historic Landmark District of Ybor City. The aging infrastructure of I-4 was over capacity and in poor aesthetic condition. A new solution was desperately required. The Ybor City section of the I-4 corridor was designed in the 1950s, constructed in the early 1960's and divided the commercial/retail section in the south from the residential in the north. It was constructed in typical fashion of the time, without landscaping or aesthetic considerations. The underpasses were dark during the daytime, barely lit at night, and anything not paved quickly became sand and littered with broken glass and trash. Unattractive, unfriendly rusted galvanized chain link fence bordered the entire highway corridor. The specific project limits include the area between the Tampa Downtown Interchange and 50th street, approximately 3.5 miles in length. In 1992 the Florida Department of Transportation began a design makeover on this expanded highway section and brought on board a design team of engineers including our prime design engineer: Parsons Brinkerhoff, for the roadway and bridge design and Terra Tectonics was selected as the urban design landscape architects to handle the aesthetic considerations of this project. For DOT District 7 managing office, the aesthetic scope of the work extended beyond just plantings. The DOT developed Interstate Urban Design Guidelines, which identified a Design Review Committee, to help facilitate the new elements for consideration and to assimilate the recommendations within the Department. Terra Tectonics' recommendations for several key design elements became the cornerstone for the aesthetic decisions to be made on the entire interstate corridor widening within the City of Tampa including the Tampa Downtown Interchange, I-275 Links 1, 2 and 3 and SR60 at Courtney Campbell Parkway. The themes and treatments were established by the Terra Tectonics for the urban design and bridge structures, based on the surrounding historic Italianate architecture of the area. The faces of the bridges also provided an opportunity for public artwork. The City of Tampa was consulted with to bring in an artist to develop themed panels based on historic Ybor City community activities. The artwork panels depict food and Cuban bread baking, the social dance scene in another, the lectors at the cigar factories and bungalow family life in the fourth panel. These panels were later incorporated into the bridges. Decorative lighting selections, colors of signage support structures and on-line lighting were developed as part of the urban design. Additional work included the selection of structural wall colors, beam and girder colors, reinforced wall panel treatments, paving and decorative wall designs, and fountain design. One of the unique features of the Ybor City section of I-4 is the extensive use of brick walls, iron picket fencing and brick paving. Picket fencing and decorative wire fencing were used as part of the compatible design palette. Historic street bricks were recycled back into some of the intersections within the project at 14 & 15th street and 26th St., while hexagonal paving sidewalks and crosswalks were installed, to match area sidewalks. Two design systems of RE (reinforced earth) wall panels were directly produced by Terra Tectonics, one showing a cross hatch brick pattern and the other mimicking local native limestone patterns. The later was physically produced by the LA office, full size on the conference room table, and shipped to the manufacturer. These wall patterns and colors are also being used throughout the entire interstate city area corridor widening program. The structural bridge piers at 21st & 22nd streets were wrapped in brick and precast concrete. This style was repeated in the noise walls and decorative fencing. The unique custom lighting sconces on the brick towers were conceived of, and detailed by, the landscape architects. The lighting in the plazas, and around the ponds, was designed to match the historic Ybor City five-globe lighting. Remainder parcels were utilized to create open space areas in an effort to give usage back to the community. One of these was a dog park created near 12th street south of the corridor. One of the most visually striking features within the project is the large fountain beneath the roadway between 21st and 22nd streets. The multi-tiered cascading fountain was designed as a response to a need for this space to be decorative and secure. Since completion it has become the aesthetic center of the project, and a visual bellwether for urban redevelopment in Ybor City. The planting design utilized drought tolerant and Florida native species to minimize maintenance, and allow for sustainability in this difficult urban environment. The retention ponds were planted with native species to bring a sense of the native natural back into the community. Selections were chosen to provide year round interest, and to be compatible with the urban environment. Drip irrigation was recommended by the LA for this project for all plant beds and trees, due to seasonal drought and poor soils on such typical roadway construction. Turf areas were not irrigated. Concepts were presented at public workshops to elicit feedback, technical reviews were coordinated to fine tune the design concepts. Numerous neighborhood and small group meetings assisted in the iterative process of design refinement. The duration of the project from its conception to final walkthrough was over 15 years. As the project Landscape Architects, we had the privilege of working with various top notch engineering teams to produce the type of hardscape which is typically not associated with landscape architecture. We were able to work side-by-side with structural engineers to create bridge façades, work with roadway engineers and City staff to create extensive planting plans, work with City Tampa Parks staff to coordinate the irrigation materials with their unique central control systems and created custom decorative lighting designs never previously undertaken by the Department of Transportation. This new streetscape and urban design again reconnects pedestrians within Ybor City. One of our project goals was to create an urban design that complements the historic district without competing with it. Plantings, streetscapes, bridge architecture and fountains blend the necessary elements of the roadway into the urban fabric of the City. This project brought a visual asset to the area and returned dignity to its community by application of urban design and landscape architectural principals. We are proud of this project and its contribution to the community. |