102.06.2015

resilience non-buildings

CHALLENGE STATEMENT

How to purpose systems and elements within the space between buildings as sacrificial or protective to improve resiliency of Red Hook while helping it thrive.

Why?2 years ago Red Hook was shattered by Hurricane SandyExpectation is that the seas might rise in the futureFeedback from Red Hook residents : want near term action to prevent floodingFlood Premiums keep rising (2014: +$250/resident)

Red Hook‘s Flooding Threat

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Storm Protection Options Wait for large scale Federal program (e.g. entire mid-Atlantic Coast)

Expensive, no control over whether it will happen

Make each house a fortress

Costly, lose sense of community

Devise a community solution for Red Hook utilizing buildings and/or space between buildings

Moderate cost

More community control over planning

Proposed Long Term Solution

1. Long term hybrid barrier combines: Permanent wall with recreational features

– Includes bike path over water and

– Polder forming shallow embayment

Deployable sections– Sensitive to neighborhood “open feel”

– Deployed from above highline type section

– Or raised from below

Permanent Solution bike path / playground on flood protection

community sharedprotection to gateGowanus Canal

recreational water areas + access

Possible Solutions

Neighborhood Enhancement

Cost / BenefitsSandy cost Red Hook $50M in damages that insurance companies paid out.

The perimeter of Red Hook is ~2.5 miles (or ~13.2K feet)• $10-15M for bulkhead• $10-15M for landscaping• $10-15M for fill

Immediate term solution Rapid deployable flood barriers

Temporary

Commercially available (e.g. Water-gate)

Fabric and frame type barrier

Possibility of leak and water level sensors

Likely need 5000 linear feet of temporary deployable barriers

@$200/ft this is Cost of $1M and could be in place <1 year.

Temporary Solutions

Cost / Benefit

Element$ Cost Implementation time

Deployable wall $1 M < 1 year

Polder / Wall $30 - $50 M 10 years

Funding Plan

$1M can be raised by $20/mo per protected resident

$30-50M partner w/insurance companies (ounce of prevention)

Turns RH into non flood-plain area

Other potential sources

Possible HUD grants?

Benefits Immediate and longer term protection provided

Longer term can improve Red Hook recreational brand

Nuanced solution: sensitive to community character

Could reduce flood insurance rates

Next Steps

Pieces of deployable sections exist, but a commercial system needsdeveloping

Improve deployable fabric system with sensors allowing dataharvesting; increases trust, decreases response time

Explore idea with flood insurance companies

Explore idea with NYCEDC

Explore idea with community

Develop implementation plan

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Sources

All sources Creative Commons

Slide 3: All: Michael Fleshman

Slide 7: Small photo upper left: Les Chatfield

Slide 8: Small photo, left: Ronny MehneBig photo, right: User Gryffindor

Slide 9: Constanza López

Slide 12: left: User Dontworry right: Bob Embleton