Copyright© 2016 Citygreen
CASE STUDY
SOIL CELLS FOR HEALTHY TREES IN
NEW YORK CITY
by Kristyn M. Levis
The Citygreen® modular Stratacell™ system has taken “The client wanted to create a central gathering
on Manhattan, New York with smashing success.
space that was flexible in programming withseasonal interest and a more contemporary design
The One Pace Plaza project for Pace Universi- in keeping with year round school programming, and
ty required the total removal and replacement also matching raised standards in other campus’
of all planting, paving, seating, lighting, decora- and lower Manhattan neighborhood renovations
tive fountain, and related site appurtenances. The that are lifting the overall aesthetic character of the
revitalised courtyard is now more functional and neighbourhood,” says Adrianne Weremchuk, ASLA,
welcoming, and new trees are located within the paving ISA, GRP, Landscape Designer, Green Roof Professionsystem where the Stratacell system was installed.
al & Certified Arborist from AECOM.
AECOM designed the complete renovation of the Pace
University courtyard, which started in June 2012 and
was completed in October 2012, with a total budget of
US$900,000.
Anthony Scorcia, president of the project’s general
contractor Scorcia & Associates Inc, says the Citygreen
Stratacell system replaced a previously specified
competing product.
One Pace Plaza is the flagship building complex of
Pace University. Located directly across from City Hall
and adjacent to the Brooklyn Bridge, the building was
designed specifically for the university and completed
in 1969. It houses most of the university’s classrooms,
administrative offices, student union, community
theatre and an 18 floor high rise known as Maria’s Tower.
Two tiers of Stratacells were used together with
the RootStop® barriers. The Stratacells structural soil cells, manufactured from 100 per cent recycled polymer, can be assembled to form a skeletal
matrix that supports pavement and traffic loads.
This features almost five times more available growing
media compared to the traditional rock/soil method,
therefore facilitating healthy root growth. Because of
its high structural integrity, these matrices can be used
beneath trafficked areas.
The RootStop root management barriers are
continuous, non ribbed root barriers designed for
the larger application of protecting infrastructure and
services. Because of its market leading
puncture resistance and strength, the RootStop
has become the root barrier of choice for
specifiers and utility companies requiring root free
service corridors. Aside from being easy to install, its
flexible design also allows the barrier to curve around
obstacles. Like the Stratacells, it is environmentally
friendly as it’s made of 100 per cent recycled polymer.
Although this is the first time that Scorcia &
Associates Inc used the Citygreen system, they were
very impressed with the ease of installing the product
and found that it all went together very easily.
“The Citygreen system was easier to install than I
thought it would be once the area was prepped,”
Anthony says. Adrianne from AECOM also said the
system provided a solution to the design intent to
completely pave the courtyard while providing trees allowed water to drain through to a subsurface
throughout.
drainage system that required the installation of
18 inch gravel. They filled the entire site with the drain“It enabled us to provide for three pairs of trees age gravel then excavated the areas to receive the Strato be installed within the paving system. The tacells.
Stratacell is intended to sustain the trees with a
larger soil bed that would allow for more extensive root Anthony said the system fits very well with the overall
establishment, while structurally supporting the paver design and has had no issues since the project was
system above,” Adrianne said.
completed. Because of his experience, he says he will
use it again if future projects specifies for such a sysAECOM found that the Stratacell’s modular tem. AECOM agrees with Anthony’s experience and
octagonal
design
allows
for
a
more adds that the client is very happy and satisfied with the
flexible layout. “We found this system to be a more courtyard.
cost-effective option for our client than others
that we reviewed,” she added.
“As of today, the University has not experienced
any issues with the installation, including no setThe issues the project faced were more related to- tling of pavement or drainage issues, and the trees
wards the delay of the product’s arrival from customs are doing well,” Adrianne says.
in the Canadian border rather than the product itself.
Both AECOM and Scorcia & Associaties Inc had no With their experience using the Stratacell system in One
difficulty installing the system even when they were Pace Place, Adrianne says AECOM will certainly conforced to work out of sequence.
sider Citygreen systems in future projects.
By the time the Stratacell was delivered to the site, the Contact us
paving system, including its drainage subbase was
already installed. The contractor was very careful to GreenBlue
shore up the surrounding paving/subbase installations
while installing the system, and then backfilling in and 71 Bysham Park Drive
around the cells to complete the installation.
Woodstock, ON N4T 1P1
Canada
The original design had called for surface drains Phone: 1 866 282 2743
but was changed to a permeable system that Email: [email protected]
Citygreen
821 Pacific Highway,
Sydney, NSW 2067
Phone: (+61) 1300 066 949
Email: [email protected]