MIXED-USE RESIDENTIAL AREA IN THE BRIDGEPORT ECO-TECH PARK Penelope Papanikolaou April 28, 2015 EVST 4000W University of Connecticut Spring 2015 THESIS STATEMENT A mixed-use residential area in the Bridgeport Eco- Tech Park would be most beneficial for residents and employees because it will increases their quality of life, is economical, and is a good opportunity to implement green technology. BRIDGEPORT ECO-TECH PARK AND BGREEN 2020 BGreen Sustainability plan Focus on the Bridgeport Eco-Tech Park and the surrounding area Upgrade existing buildings and areas to be greener, more energy efficient, and more climate resilient Create new green industries Create more jobs, especially low-skilled jobs Create alternatives for energy and waste disposal Create a new housing development and possibly a school MIXED-USE RESIDENTIAL AREA An urban, suburban, or village development, or even a single building that blends a combination of residential, commercial, cultural, institutional, or industrial uses, where those functions are physically and functionally integrated, and that provides pedestrian connections. ~ Dictionary.com INCREASED QUALITY OF LIFE Convenience for residents and employees everything they need nearby (Grocery stores, retail, restaurants, schools and work) Incentive to walk, bike, or use mass-transit, instead of driving Less automobile ownership Smaller parking lots Land could be used for something else/green space Less traffic and carbon dioxide emissions in the air better air quality Increase physical activity Sense of community ECONOMIC BENEFITS Job Creation Eco-Tech Park Construction Teachers Community Grocery store, retail, restaurants, etc. Low-skill jobs (Employ younger people/those who were unable to further their education) Low-Income Housing Good planning and design Cost-effective building materials (Renovating instead of tearing everything down) Reducing energy costs (Using green energy from Eco-Tech Park) Keeping lots and housing units small (promotes community, development more manageable, costs less to live in) ECONOMIC BENEFITS CONT. Retail Adds a new commercial tax base Helps offset the cost of construction and will make the rent more affordable Bring in new customers from all over Keeps the money flowing New Amenities for the area increases the value of the area GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE AND LANDSCAPING Benefits: Decreases long-term cost (energy) Helps the environment Promotes human health Change in attitude Green design features now important when it comes to buying homes and in master-planned communities Naturally manages storm-water, reduces risk of floods, captures pollution, and improves water quality (Very important to Bridgeport being on the water) GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE AND LANDSCAPING CONT. To be added to the housing development: Permeable pavement (Flexi-Pave road runoff to be absorbed instead of going into the ocean and grass) Rain gardens and green roofs (Landscape-based drainage features add green space to urban areas, help with water pollution and flooding, multiple uses as a community garden) Native plants and trees (Withstand the climate add shade in the summers, habitats for animals, add more green space) STORRS CENTER, STORRS, CT Before single-use and strictly commercial, most being take-out restaurants mostly only catered to UCONN students Now mixed-use, including commercial, residential, industrial, and open, green space caters to everyone and brings in new people PORTLAND, OREGON Study conducted on smart growth (transport and land-use integration) in the city Embraces sustainability principles Private sacrifice for public gains Personal time losses incurred when switching from cars to transit are matched by societal gains like cleaner air and fuel savings. Found supply constraints have inflated land costs (per square foot and per residence) Public gains cheaper infrastructure per mile, cleaner air) Private sacrifice higher housing and land costs Unclear if due to smart growth, or Portland just being an attractive place to live and do business Smart Growth is promising, but has major hurdles to be overcome SCHOOL AND EARLY ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION Possibility to add a school to the housing development Close proximity to housing, allows for more lower-income children to go to school, creates new jobs for teachers Should have environmental education as its main goal Teach about green technology and what the Eco-Tech Park does Green roofs and community gardens Provide fresh vegetables and fruit to students and community teaches students at young age about being green and sustainability The earlier the better change the attitudes about the environment of younger generations and will change the future (and teach their parents) CONCLUSIONS Mixed-Use Residential Area will: Increase the quality of life for residents, employees of the Eco-Tech Park, and others from around the state Can be economical good planning and design Good opportunity to use green infrastructure and landscaping Early environmental education opportunity REFERENCES: BGreen 2020: A Sustainability Plan for Bridgeport, Connecticut. (n.d.). https://learn.uconn.edu/bbcswebdav/pid dt-content-rid _1/courses/1153-UCONN-EVST-4000W-SEC /Bpt%20sustainability%20plan%20BGreen-2020.pdf https://learn.uconn.edu/bbcswebdav/pid dt-content-rid _1/courses/1153-UCONN-EVST-4000W-SEC /Bpt%20sustainability%20plan%20BGreen-2020.pdf Cervero, Robert. (1996). Mixed Land-Uses and Commuting: Evidence from the American Housing Survey. Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, 30(5), Frank, Lawrence, D. (2000). Land Use and Transportation Interaction: Implications on Public Health and Quality of Life. Journal of Planning Education and Research, 20, 6-22. REFERENCES Noiseux, K., & Hostetler, M. E. (2010). Do Homebuyers Want Green Features in Their Communities?. Environment & Behavior. 42(5) Palmer, J. (1998). Environmental Education in the 21st Century: Theory, Practice, Progress and Promise. London: Routledge. Perkins, Douglas D. et al. (2004). Community Development as a Response to Community-Level Adversity: Ecological Theory and Research and Strengths-Based Policy. Investing in children, youth, families, and communities: Strengths-based research and policy, Storrs Center: Rethink Main Street. (2014). Mansfield, CT. PPT _TownCouncilPres_FINAL.pdf0224_TownCouncilPres_FINAL.pdf REFERENCES Talen, Emily. (2010). Affordability in New Urbanist Development: Principle, Practice, and Strategy. Journal of Urban Affairs, 32(4), Wise, Steve. (2008). Green Infrastructure Rising: Best Practices in Stormwater Management. Planning Magazine, August/September Cervero, Robert. (2000). Transport and Land Use: Key Issues in Metropolitan Planning and Smart Growth. University of California Transportation Center. UC Berkeley: University of California Transporation Center. Retrieved from: