On June 4, Lisa Yunker of City Roots took me on a tour of the green roof she designed and planted at Cincinnati City Hall.
Unfortunately, the public is unlikely to get a chance to see it due to access and safety issues. It can only be accessed by climbing through a window.
The project was funded through energy savings, rebates from Duke Energy, and state and federal grants.
Urban Sites Properties built the wooden planters. Ben Haggerty's company Green Streets installed the watering system, the extensive green roof tray system, and the rain barrels.
These 32 photos have been added to a new gallery called "City Hall green roof". This gallery, and galleries for dozens of Greater Cincinnati communities, can be found in a drop-down menu in the right-hand column.
To get a better view, click on each image to enlarge to 800 x 600. Photos will open in a new browser window.
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Previous reading on BC:
City Hall's green roof will stay closed to the public (6/10/10)
Cincinnati working on green roof incentive (9/11/08)
Bortz proposes green roof incentive (7/3/08)
Cincinnati names two additional green roof sites (5/20/08)
17 comments:
WTF? This is not a green roof, it is landscaping project wasting taxpayers' money (yes, grants and funds from utility companies are ultimately taxpayers' money). From a city that is going bankrupt. No wonder!
It will cost City taxpayers a fortune when it comes time to replace the rubber roof. All the planting structures will have to be temporarily removed and then replaced.
WHAT A WASTE! BIG JOKE on the taxpayers...stupid us!
Why weren't vegetables planted instead? It appears as though there is access to water to maintain them. The harvest could then be donated to help feed homeless citizens. They would still provide a pleasant view from the windows and benefit more than just those looking through the windows.....
Looks like a NKY troll is having some fun here. Not sure what this has to do with the taxpayers, but some whiny conservative German always thinks they are smarter than everyone else. Cincinnati needs to clense itself of all these uptight white people and get in some fresh, open-minded people.
Looks like a NKY troll is having some fun here. Not sure what this has to do with the taxpayers, but some whiny conservative German always thinks they are smarter than everyone else. Cincinnati needs to clense itself of all these uptight black people and get in some fresh, open-minded people.
WOW, I feel stupider now reading the comments. You guys have anything intelligent that's backed up with facts and not anecdotal to add?
Explain how this will cost the taxpayers.
I think the project is a great concept idea for the rest of Cincinnati's rooftops. Would love to see this implemented city wide and tweaked for the various urban areas.
I think for some reason this post attracted some of the commenters from the regular paper. interesting that they are anon and the posts are close together in time span
Lisa was kind enough to sub contract my company, Green Streets, to do the watering system, the extensive green roof tray system as well as the rain barrel. We are very proud to have been a part of the educational push Mayor Mallory is trying to get out there about Greening our community.
Now as for the "opponents" of such projects:The values far out weigh the costs, in lengthening the life span of the rubber roof two to three times, reduction in heat island affect, reduction in utilities, storm water mitigation, and even natural habitat creation. If you take even just the increase in roof life span its paid for itself and saved the tax payers money. Take some time, learn all you can, have questions, ask. Then and only then, share your opinion.
^ My apologies for the omission, Ben!
I'll have to stop by the B-List soon and make it up to you by giving you some business!
^^ Also, I went ahead and added a mention for the story. I couldn't find a link for Green Streets, but will be happy to add it if you have one.
Wow, really rain water harvesting on city hall, thought disconnecting your downspout was against city ordinance! Is this some break everyone else is going to have the privilege of doing? And who is this Green Streets I can't find them on Google. Are they a certified city contractor? Sounds like an underhanded plan to use taxpayers dollars secretly and get around the rules the rest of us play by.
If disconnecting is truly still against city ordinance (Sec. 1105-03) possibly they get around this since the rain barrel and vegetation is on a roof that drains to the sewer. The barrel and vegetation is just a middle man on the way down the drain.
You know Anonymous is correct and brings up a good point, it IS presently against city code to cut your down spout. But that issue is being addressed by MSD and the City on a case by case basis. A very old code from a by gone era that did not understand water pollution very well. In fact The City did not go against its own code as these downspouts drain onto yet another roof and out downspouts from that roof. The idea was to utilize as much of the water thus minimizing how much does end up in the COMBINED STORM AND SEWER drain to water treatment. Reducing what need be treated, saving energy and.......wait for it......tax dollars. I do love the down the drain line however, nice, really I'm serious.
As for our company Green Streets, we are a new start up here in Cincinnati by long term residents and native citizens. We are still working on the web site but I will be sure to post it as soon as its up.
Nice photos. Here's Dayton Ohio's green roof on their city hall. It's pretty big!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0pHQ0B1xrOA
^^ Thanks, Ben, for providing facts and not resorting to conspiracy theories. Best of luck as you build your business.
Web site is finally up - green-streets.net, so check it out, send us what you want to see and learn! And I would love to link all of your great pictures Kevin.
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