Stormwater management

Green infrastructure has emerged as a viable solution for addressing stormwater issues in urban areas. However, municipalities have voiced concern regarding the costs of implementing green infrastructure and ensuring a beneficial outcome. This creative project explores a range of green infrastructure strategies and the potential to integrate practices with broader urban design goals for the Cole Noble mixed-use district in the city of Indianapolis. The project is informed by a review of literature and three case studies. The review of sources provides analysis of conventional stormwater management systems, stormwater retrofit design strategies, and partnership acquisition to advance innovative stormwater management techniques. An analysis of three Midwestern cities facing issues of combined sewer overflows informs the methodology for selecting particular green infrastructure practices and integrating urban design concepts. This creative project demonstrates the practicality of implementing a network of green infrastructure practices in urban redevelopments. Utilizing green infrastructure practices, the project enhances the public realm and thereby attains broader design goals and environmental objectives within the Cole Noble District. By integrating green infrastructure into district redevelopment, the creative project illustrates the benefits of investing in stormwater management policies and standards.Department of Urban PlanningThesis (M.U.R.P.