Awards Honor Urban Redevelopment Projects

The Wisconsin Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects recently honored two groundbreaking urban redevelopment projects prepared by the former SAA Design Group, a firm Ayres Associates recently acquired. The Rock Renaissance Area Redevelopment in Janesville (pictured above) received an Award of Merit in the category of Analysis and Planning. The Westlawn Gardens development in Milwaukee (pictured below) received an Award of Honor in the category of General Design.

Janesville Rock Renaissance Area Redevelopment
The Rock Renaissance Area Redevelopment and Implementation Strategy, also known as ARISE, is aimed at breathing new life into Janesville’s downtown riverfront and adjoining neighborhoods, many of which are plagued with brownfields and their subsequent health impacts. This project advanced strategic thinking and community engagement toward realizing the potential for a 240-acre area and six high-priority redevelopment sites.

The planning effort interpreted existing site environmental information, incorporated downtown planning efforts, and assessed market opportunities to maximize green and healthy design, facilitate future private development, improve river access, and spur job creation. The resulting draft plan is a vision and implementation strategy for the area, including improved connectivity, cohesive land use patterns, enhanced public space, and redevelopment recommendations and implementation strategies. For more about this project, click here.

Milwaukee Westlawn Gardens Redevelopment
Westlawn Gardens is a national model of neighborhood sustainability and healthy living. The mixed-income, mixed-use development is on the eastern half of the former Westlawn public housing site, formerly the largest such site in Wisconsin. The project team conducted an extensive community design process that directly impacted the landscape architecture developed with the Torti Gallas Partners team.

The 35-acre redevelopment includes a variety of housing types with more than 600 residents, public and retail space, a community garden initiative for healthy food production, cutting-edge environmental and sustainable design, interconnectivity for pedestrians, and an innovative “healthy” homes block. Designed with the input of residents and neighbors, Westlawn Gardens is a new foundation for the revitalization of Milwaukee’s northwest side.

The project has been certified as one of the world’s highest-rated LEED Neighborhood Developments and includes Milwaukee’s first LEED Platinum-certified home. For more about this project, click here.

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