Due to inadequate and aging infrastructure, land redevelopment is booming in cities like Tampa, Fla. Because of this, Tampa implemented a strategy to reduce the urban flooding associated with the redevelopment process. This strategy played an integral role in the Havana Square project, which transformed a previously unoccupied city block into two large apartment complexes with a centralized parking garage.
Drafted by King Eng., the initial storm water management design included 36 small StormTank systems around the perimeter of the complex and one large system beneath the courtyard of the western apartment building. The perimeter systems were designed to mitigate existing regional flooding, while the courtyard system would mitigate the development-generated runoff.
R.H. Moore & Associates, the local StormTank distributor, partnered with King Eng. and Brentwood to update the design for added efficiency, flexibility and cost savings. Brentwood’s design team assisted King Eng. by recommending that the perimeter systems be consolidated beneath the entrance ramp of the parking garage. This design resulted in a system of segmented Module basins with stone separation rows between them. The segmented structure combined different Module unit heights into a large singular basin with equalization connections. The system also integrated an impermeable liner to prevent infiltration into the subsurface structures and saturation of the foundational soils.
Brentwood assisted King Eng. with the design of the courtyard system and provided regulatory review modifications. What started as a simple rectangular basin evolved to include multiple structures, yard drains, and cutouts for landscaping features and trees.
By working together, the team was able to develop a design that fit within the complex design of the site itself, while also meeting the regulatory requirements for flood mitigation and storm water treatment. The success of this project spurred another redevelopment project in Tampa, providing additional housing opportunities and revitalizing the neighborhood.
