Project Summary
The project site is on the property of Art House, a nonprofit arts center located in the historic Brooklyn Centre neighborhood of Cleveland, Ohio. Art House was founded in 1999 by local artists and residents who were dedicated to the belief that the arts enrich lives and help to create better communities. Each year they serve some 6600 kids from urban Cleveland.
The half-acre of open space creates an opportunity for art education programming for children and adults while beautifying the neighborhood. The rain garden will capture stormwater runoff and keep it from entering the combined sewers system. This will reduce flooding and help keep the Big Creek watershed clean.
Using what’s known as a bioretention basin, the depression of earth used to collect rainwater will cover about 1000 square feet. The old asphalt drive, which drained onto the street, will be removed, and a new parking lot installed that will slope towards the garden and bioretention basin.
Project Partners
This project was proudly funded by the Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District, through their Green Infrastructure program – which is ‘committed to actively pursuing opportunities across six program areas to advocate for strategic and cost-effective implementation and maintenance of green infrastructure technologies that protect, preserve, enhance and restore the natural hydrologic function of our region’s watersheds. Further, we seek to maximize the co-benefits provided by green infrastructure projects, including opportunities to expand urban natural areas, enhance air quality, and improve quality of life in Northeast Ohio (neorsd.org).
Thank you to our partners Big Creek Connects and Art House for helping to make this project a reality.
Expected Outcomes and Benefits
The native wildflowers and grasses will help absorb rainwater and provide a natural habitat for birds and pollinators. The Art House Green Infrastructure Garden project will bring a small piece of nature back to this urban landscape, and it will be visible and accessible to the local community.
It is expected that this beautiful green space will reduce annual stormwater runoff at this site by about 75% or an estimated 237,000 gallons per year.