On April 15th, the Washington State Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects (WASLA) held its annual awards ceremony to recognize exceptional achievements by landscape architects in Washington. The Edmonds Waterfront Redevelopment project, led by landscape architect: Environmental Works, received an Award of Merit for superior professional accomplishment in the General Design, Public Ownership category. Herrera is proud of our involvement in this award-winning project.
Originally proposed in 2017 by the City of Edmonds Parks, Recreation, and Cultural Services Department (City) and the Edmonds Senior Center (Senior Center), this redevelopment project began by renaming the property to the Edmonds Waterfront Center. The project sought to preserve parking and improve beach access. Herrera assisted Environmental Works at the earliest stages by supporting the permitting process, preparing environmental documentation for federal, state, and local permitting, as well as support for a Land Use Permit that included a Shoreline Substantial Development Permit and Critical Areas review from the City of Edmonds.
As the project progressed, bulkhead removal remained an essential component in Environmental Works’ creation of a more accessible beachfront. With this, the project team, along with Herrera, removed the creosote-soaked bulkhead and associated fill on which the 55-year-old Edmonds Senior Center parking lot was located. This site also served as the foundation for a geodesic dome designed by Buckminster Fuller, from the 1962 Seattle World’s Fair. Once removed, Environmental Works collaborated with Herrera and other team members to design the parking lot, incorporating green stormwater infrastructure for water quality treatment. This involved installing four bioretention planters to treat stormwater runoff, in addition to an existing outfall maintained for auxiliary drainage. 230 pounds of boulders were used to conceal robust shoreline infrastructure on the site, further integrating natural components into the site’s design.
At the bulkhead removal site, sand, gravel, native plants, and logs were added, restoring the shoreline to natural conditions. The design also improved nearshore habitats, as shallow areas created by replacing deeper water with shallow intertidal and upper tidal habitat to increase survival rates of migrating juvenile salmon and provide forage fish spawning habitat. To allow the facility to plan for and adapt to sea level rise, Herrera helped Environmental Works develop guidance for future weather events.
With its completion in 2020, the Edmonds Waterfront Redevelopment project serves as an inclusive and sustainable beachfront for the community, while also promoting restoration and habitat protection for years to come.
Herrera congratulates the Environmental Works Team on this much deserved honor.
