terrain

landscape architecture · urbanism · planning

The Commons, Beaumont, Texas

IDEA: RENEWAL THROUGH LANDSCAPE URBANISM

Description:
In 2005 Hurricane Rita’s devastation included an historic residential and commercial area on the western fringe of downtown Beaumont as well as the City’s circa 1900 Events Center. The Commons, a new Central Park and Urban Waterway, was master planned to be a catalyst for renewal, center for civic events and home for a new Events Center. The park and waterway generate value in the void left by Hurricane Rita incentivizing re-investment and the re-purposing of historic structures. The Park and Waterway are activated by the 25,000 square foot Events Center, future children’s museum, library, assisted care facility, 16-acre downtown park, performance lawn, infrastructure for festivals and a one-mile long urban waterway threading through downtown restoring the city’s historic ties to the Neches River. Phase One of The Commons includes the Performance Lawn and waterfront Events Center.

Credit:
SWA Group, Scott Slaney, FASLA, Design Principal, Principal-in-Charge

Role:
Prime Consultant, Conceptual Design, Schematic Design, Design Development, Construction Documents, Permitting, Cost Estimation, Bidding and Negotiations, Construction Observation

Client: City of Beaumont Texas

Consultants:
Studio Red Architects, Civil Engineers, Structural Engineers, Electrical Engineers, Geotechnical Engineers, Hydrology, Water Feature Engineers, Irrigation Design, Lighting Design, Environmental Signage, Artists

Stakeholders:
City of Beaumont City Manager’s Office, City of Beaumont Public Works, Transportation and Parks Departments, Corps of Engineers, Beaumont Children’s Museum Committee, Adjacent Private Property Owners, Public Interest Groups, Diocese of Beaumont

Date Complete: 2012

Area: Phase One 16 acres (6.4 hectares)

Sustainability:
Historic Tree Preservation, Public Transit Connectivity, Storm Water Management, Water Quality, Water Harvesting and Re-use, Cultural and Historic Preservation, Walk and Bike-ability