Apiary Studio was hired by the NY State Water Resources Institute at Cornell University to explore opportunities for developing publicly accessible open spaces and green infrastructure measures within the Poestenkill Creek watershed in the City of Troy, NY. During the Summer of 2018, Apiary Studio led a consultant team, including Cornell researcher and Assistant Professor of Landscape Architecture, Brian Davis, and George Fowler of Princeton Hydro, to organize a design and planning charrette for Troy stakeholders to identify sites along the Poestenkill that could be redesigned to achieve four primary goals: 1) improve local water quality, 2) reduce flooding impacts, 3) restore ecological systems and 4) improve public access to open space along the Poestenkill waterfront.

The charrette resulted in a report that identifies sites and design solutions along the Poestenkill at five primary sites: 1) The Hudson Riverfront focuses on creating mixed use development, multifamily housing and connecting to the greater Hudson River greenway where the Poestenkill and Hudson River meet, 2) The Industrial Zone created new sports fishing opportunities for regional use as well as a publicly accessible “Poestenkill Beach”, 3) The Canal Banks zone included more bicycle and pedestrian friendly spaces on Canal Avenue and extended an existing neighborhood playground to step down into the creek for an outdoor performance space, 4) Prospect & Poestenkill Gorge Parks included universally accessible nature trails and a public swimming hole at the base of Mount Ida Falls, and 5) Mt Ida Lake, which explored modifying the Ida Lake dam, extending boardwalks through wetlands and enhanced boat launches into the upper reaches of the Poestenkill.

SIZE: 160 Acres

YEAR: 2018

LOCATION: Troy, NY