Photo Credit: SALT Landscape Architects

Avalon Green Valleys
Los Angeles, CA

The project consists of improving two alleys within the planned South Park/Avalon Green Alley Network between Avalon Blvd., Main St., 51st St. and 54th St., in the City of Los Angeles. The existing alleys consist of paving in very poor condition and portions of the alleys have local low spots and provide poor drainage. Due to their unsightly nature, the alleys are a blight to the neighborhood. Improvements will include “green”  enhancements such as permeable paving, dry wells, tree planting and other stormwater mitigation measures. The stormwater improvements will help reduce runoff for the two project blocks, alleviating flooding problems while providing educational opportunities for the community regarding the importance of stormwater management. The project will also include planting espaliered fruit trees along existing fences and walls, encouraging the community to treat the alleys as a valued part of the neighborhood.

The two proposed green alleys, in total, consist of approximately a ½-mile
stretch of public right of way and will provide up to 18,000 CF of underground stormwater storage, helping to mitigate the runoff from approximately 9 acres of urban neighborhood. The restrictive nature of the narrow 15-foot wide alleys provides an exciting challenge to find creative solutions that would fit within the limited space available. Constructing the project within the City’s right of way necessitates providing a finished product that will require very little regular maintenance.

Awards:

 Winner of a 2015 Top Storm Water & Erosion Control Project