Sustainable Merit

High Point redevelopment phase 1

Location: Seattle

Owner: Seattle Public Utilities

Developer: Seattle Housing Authority

Project team: Absher Construction Co., general contractor; Gary Merlino Construction Co., concrete contractor; SvR Design Co., architect; Stoneway Concrete, ready-mix supplier

The High Point redevelopment project provides 750 housing units and several community facilities on 67 acres in West Seattle. The development has 60 percent pervious area, of which 10 percent is porous concrete.

The project incorporated sustainable building methods, including the integration of natural drainage swales, porous concrete sidewalks, cast-in-place concrete, asphalt and a porous concrete roadway.

About 6,200 feet of vegetated and grass-lined swales were built between the cast-in-place curb and gutter and the porous sidewalk. Curbs and gutters have curb cuts to allow stormwater to flow into the natural drainage areas.

The street was built on an 18-inch aggregate discharge subbase encapsulated by geotextile fabric.

The project included more than two miles of porous concrete sidewalks. They were constructed on a 6-inch aggregate discharge subbase encapsulated by geotextile fabric.

The porous concrete sidewalks and street, in conjunction with the natural drainage swales, provide water quality treatment, water flow control and a reduced temperature effect to streams. They also benefit the natural landscape.

The project reportedly was the first public application of porous concrete pavement within the city’s roadways.