Scott's Addition Green Space Plan: Small Changes Making a Big Impact

Scott’s Addition is a fast growing, postindustrial neighborhood situated on the north side of West Broad street and bordering Henrico county to the west. The current building stock in Scott’s Addition consists of industrial and manufacturing buildings, and warehouses, much of which have been converted into multi-family residential buildings, commercial businesses, office and restaurant space (Neighborhood History, 2018). As a consequence of its original land use and zoning most of Scott’s Addition is dominated by concrete surface area and sprawling, one to two story building structures. Adaptive reuse of existing buildings has brought new investment and residents into the neighborhood however, the landscape has largely stayed the same. Most of Scott’s Addition is dominated by impervious surfaces including flat roofs, parking lots, and wide streets that directly contribute to increased urban heat. There is a direct correlation between a reduced latent heat production and green infrastructure or urban tree canopy coverage. This design plan provides the framework for implementation of small scale green space projects by businesses on private property and can be the catalyst for a neighborhood-wide green transformation in the Scott’s Addition neighborhood.