Green Campus Phase I Breaks Ground

The Mississippi Watershed Management Organization (MWMO) has committed nearly $1 million for major water sustainability projects in the Green Campus, the area comprised of Edison High School, Jackson Square Park and the Holland Basin. Phase I of this initiative launches this month, with a significant redesign of the Edison parking lot at 22nd Avenue and Quincy Street NE.

The plan for the parking lot will incorporate a number of innovations to reduce heat island effect and capture stormwater run-off before it reaches the storm sewer and Mississippi River. These features include Swedish Tree Trenches, permeable pavers and raingardens. The end result will be a parking lot that is not only beautifully landscaped, but also capable of recapturing stormwater run-off from both the parking lot and the entire adjoining alley during a 4” rain event.

Stantec, an international design and engineering firm, will implement this work in conjunction with MWMO and Minneapolis Public Schools (MPS). Stantec will also be incorporating water monitoring equipment, which will allow Edison students to monitor the water recapture as part of the school’s science and sustainability curriculum.