This project was developed, and selected as a finalist for the Pruitt Igoe Now Competition.
Post-Proposal North Side Analysis:
178,852,325 gallons of stormwater removed from sewer system
[per 2 year 24 hour design storm; redeveloping all vacant lots]
Partner: Cari Alcombright
Throughout time St. Louis’ water systems have changed from a natural spring system to a combined sewer system. Although the combined system was seen as a technological advancement when designed in the 1860s, it has caused recent flooding, sewage overflow into the Mississippi and people’s homes, and numerous public safety hazards. Recently, the Metropolitan Sewer Department has been sued under violation of the Clean Water Act. The MSD has developed a 20-year plan to begin to split the sewer system and build larger underground storage tanks to prevent overflow. In addition, this plan provides up to $100 million dollars to increase green infrastructure.
Our proposal is to use these funds to begin to develop the Pruitt Igoe site as a pilot for introducing a new type of “stream” to the St. Louis landscape. This stream, instead of channelling water, becomes a permeable skin covering the entire site. This skin will increase water quality and reduce the amount of water that goes into the combined sewer system.
Partner: Cari Alcombright
One of the challenges with any proposal is that the Pruitt Igoe site is a brown field. The issues of “healthy” soil and water retention are related and dependent on each other. To remediate the site, we will use plants specifically targeted to clean toxins on the footprints of former junkyards, factories, and other pollutants. These “cleaning gardens” will be connected to each other and the outside community by a permeable pathway. Rubble and trash will be consolidated throughout the site onto one region, which is too toxic to be remediated by plantings. This “capped” soil is located on the site of a former chemical and die casting companies.
Partner: Cari Alcombright
When looking at a survey of the site, we realized that most of the pollutants found there are not typically associated with former construction sites. Instead, these pollutants were related to the programs found on the site before the construction of the Pruitt Igoe Housing Project. Therefore, we examined Sanborn* maps and discovered the locations of polluting programs. We then researched the specific chemicals created by these uses and chose plants which are particularly suited to address and remove those toxins.
*Sanborn maps date back to the 1860s and were created as a detailed building record by the Sanborn Fire Insurance Company.
Partner: Cari Alcombright
Post-Proposal Pruitt Igoe Site Analysis:
1,645,550 gallons of stormwater removed from sewer system
[per 2 year 24 hour design storm]
Partner: Cari Alcombright
Through this process, we will draw attention the history of the site, will clean the soil, and will significantly increase water retention on the landscape. In addition, the area will be a public amenity to the surrounding community.
Partner: Cari Alcombright