11/12/2011

Potential Future Development at the Rivage Site in East Falls

Onion Flats has designed a unique mixed used residential/retail project named THE RIDGE, for the corner site adjacent to the Falls Bridge and Kelly Drive, located at 4300-4326 Ridge Ave.  With a focus on high quality design, manufacturing and sustainability, their proposal intends to not only meet but exceed the development goals of the RFP by providing a unique and ground-breaking model of sustainable development.  The company intends to create a pedestrian oriented and landscaped residential community that reconnects this currently blighted site back to its adjacent Fairmount Park and Schuylkill River neighbors.




The 128,440 sf, 5 story building will contain 126 one and two bedroom residential units, 8700 sf of new retail along Ridge Avenue and Calumet Street, and 138 new parking spaces.



The designers will attempt to construct Philadelphia's first Passive House Certified and Net-Zero-Energy mixed-use residential/retail community as well as the country's largest. THE RIDGE Intends, therefore , to achieve net zero energy consumption and net zero carbon emissions annually, with all energy required for heating, cooling, lighting and domestic hot water generated on-site.  This "sustainable garden community" takes its planning, architectural and sustainable design strategy from six basic principles:

1. Provide sufficient parking at grade, but eliminate the car from sight and create a pedestrian experience
2. Activate the street with appropriate retail uses
3. Create a "new ground", or garden landscape, at the second level across the entire site
4. Shape the landscape of this new ground with "ridges" of residential units that have no interior hallways, but a circulation system which doubles as outdoor community space, viewing platforms and opportunities of encounter between neighbors, ie, creating a community rather than an apartment building.
5. Create a 100% pervious site with 100% Green Roof coverage, so that storm water is managed naturally
6. Generate all power necessary for the community on site with significant Solar PV array

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