Green Infrastructure at Encore's Core

The Encore district is pedestrian-and bicyclist-friendly. The site includes mass transit stops and adjoins an Amtrak station. Photo Courtesy of Tampa Housing Authority

New green infrastructure will be a foundation for a neighborhood's comeback at the edge of downtown Tampa, Florida. America Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds administered by HUD were part of an effort led by the Tampa Housing Authority to revitalize an area that included vacant land and the former Central Park Village Public Housing property. Additionally, HUD continues to support the housing authority's transformation effort by recently awarding a $30 million Choice Neighborhoods Initiative implementation grant.

The Encore district was designed to achieve LEED Neighborhood Development (http://new.usgbc.org/leed/rating-systems/neighborhoods), Gold status. The first new green building, the Ella (named for Ella Fitzgerald), had its grand opening in December 2012 and provides affordable housing for seniors. It and subsequent buildings will be in keeping with Encore's musical theme, also reflected in highlights such as bicycle racks shaped like musical clefs. The theme links the district to the area's deeper musical past when notable musicians like Fitzgerald were making their mark.

Green infrastructure in Encore includes 2,000 square feet of solar panels and a 16,000 square-foot Garden Park above a 35,000 cubic-foot storm water vault. Proceeds from selling solar-generated electricity will help defray street lighting costs in the neighborhood. Storm water from 28 acres will be collected in the vault, cleaned, and then used for landscaping irrigation. Storm water use and drought-tolerant native plants mean that no potable water will be used for irrigation.

A District Chiller Plant will distribute chilled water to buildings for cooling, 40 percent more efficient than traditional residential HVAC. The system employs an ice storage system with chillers which run at night, reducing energy costs and greenhouse gas emissions. Condensate water from buildings in Encore is returned to the plant, further conserving water. The plant was designed for phased expansion as infill occurs.

Other features of note include permeable brick pavers in the Town Green linear park to permit groundwater recharge. The Encore site is pedestrian-and bicyclist-friendly. The site includes mass transit stops and adjoins an Amtrak station. The St. James Episcopal Church building is being refurbished and will be an African-American History museum. With the neighborhood's past linked to its present, and with green infrastructure at its core, Encore looks to have a bright future.

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