Due to an undersized and aging infrastructure, land redevelopment is booming in cities such as Tampa, Fla. For this reason, Tampa has implemented a strategy to reduce urban flooding associated with the redevelopment process. This strategy played an integral role in the Havana Square project, which transformed a previously unoccupied city block into two large apartment complexes with a centralized parking garage.
The initial storm water management design, drafted by King Eng., included 36 small StormTank systems around the perimeter of the complex and one large system beneath the courtyard of the western apartment building. The perimeter systems were designed to mitigate existing regional flooding, while the courtyard system would mitigate the development-generated runoff.
R.H. Moore & Associates, the local StormTank distributor, partnered with King Eng. and Brentwood to update the design for added efficiency, flexibility and cost savings. Brentwood’s design team assisted King Eng. by recommending that the perimeter systems could be consolidated beneath the entrance ramp of the parking garage. This unique design resulted in a system of segmented Module basins, with stone separation rows between them, to combine different Module unit heights into a singular large basin with equalization connections. The system also integrated an impermeable liner to prevent infiltration into the subsurface structures and saturation of the foundational soils.
Additionally, Brentwood assisted King Eng. with the design of the courtyard system and provided regulatory review modifications. What started as a simple rectangular basin ultimately evolved to include multiple structures, yard drains, and cutouts for landscaping features and trees.
By working together, Brentwood and King Eng. were able to develop a design that fit within the complex design of the site, while also meeting the regulatory requirements for flood mitigation and storm water treatment. The success of this project spurred another redevelopment project in Tampa, providing additional housing opportunities and revitalizing the neighborhood.
