Oral Abstract Details

Author(s):
Daniel Ballard

Affiliation:
Auburn University College of Architecture, Design, and Construction

Presentation Type:
Oral

Topic Area:
Human influences on ecosystems (direct and indirect stressors)

Abstract Text:
My planning/design proposal attempts to repair not only the underlying cultural manifestation that is built upon a history of centralization and technocratic neglect and misuse of our water resources, but also to provide an opportunity for diversification of Mobile’s working waterfront district. Its primary objective is to simply put forth the question as to whether or not implementation of a “Green Streets Initiative”, without first addressing existing issues with limited accessibility and use of the Mobile River, is an appropriate response to address the current impairment of the receiving waters of the City of Mobile. Numerous researchers and thousands of studies have concluded that there is little question regarding the potential for adverse acute and chronic impacts urban stormwater poses to receiving waters. While contemporary “green” and/or “alternative” best management practices (BMP’s) offer hope for better stormwater treatability, infiltration, and attenuation, they do not address the physical, cultural, and social disconnect that currently exist between urban communities and their surrounding water resources. The City of Mobile, Alabama is no exception to this rule, having almost fully severed any and all reasonable public access to the Mobile River with automobile, rail, port, and civic infrastructure. Central to the project is the reclamation, reformation, restructuring, and reprogramming of a portion of the Alabama State Docks downtown container terminal. The proposed plan attempts to support growing evidence that the City of Mobile’s working waterfront community can and should embrace additional recreational and functional uses that provide an unimpeded connection to the Mobile River. The renewed “connection” between the citizens of Mobile and the Mobile River would provide a tangible reality to the detriment caused by conventional stormwater infrastructure. Therewith, it would serve as a daily reminder of the ecological connectivity and complexity presented by the urban waterfront interface. Only then would it be possible for local cultural, social, economic, and political values to be reassigned to generate the support necessary to further implement additional retrofitting of Mobile’s stormwater infrastructure (as currently proposed in Mobile’s “Green Streets Initiative”). Elements of this proposal include 1) reclamation and redesign of a portion of the Alabama State Docks, 2) lane reduction and crosswalk enhancement of South Waters Street (I-165) as it fronts the Alabama State Docks and the Outlaw Civic Center, and 3) implementation of contemporary “green streets” retrofit of existing stormwater infrastructure of downtown Mobile. The theoretical framework for such elements is tested using existing condition assessments (via geographic information system data provided by the City of Mobile), case study evaluation, historical reference, and alternative design utilizing plan, section, and perspective.