Browsing by Author "Walker, Harley"

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    Annville Institute/Jackson County Ministries campus and campground conceptual master plan
    Gilboy, Elizabeth; Browning, Lara; Davis, Brad; Walker, Harley; Gracey, Sarah; Calvert, Jared (Virginia Tech. Community Design Assistance Center, 2012-12)
    Annville Institute is located in Annville, a small town of about 1,100 residents in Jackson County, Kentucky. The Annville Institute property is located in the southern portion of the county near the intersection of highways 3630 and 290. It is located on a campus that has been designated as a historical site on the National Register and is now home to many non-profit organizations. The campus contains about 120 acres of land and occasionally is the scene for community events such as carnivals, weddings, car shows, and competitive trail rides.

    Annville Institute requested that the Community Design Assistance Center (CDAC) develop a conceptual master plan for their property that includes an outdoor classroom, amphitheater, wedding venue, primitive camping area, archery range, and walking trail to connect the various parts of the campus. They also requested a proposal for improved signage within the campus and a master planting plan for the property. The site currently houses an equestrian center and several beehives so it was requested that particular consideration be given to plants that are beneficial to bees yet non-toxic to horses. The details of these design considerations are discussed in more detail in the following pages.

    Throughout the design process, the Annville Institute Project Team, which consisted of the CDAC design team and representatives from both the Kentucky Division of Forestry and Annville Institute, worked collaboratively to develop a conceptual plan for the campus. This report documents the design process and describes the final concept that was developed.
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    Cleveland Elementary School Site Redesign + Cleveland Ball Park Redesign + Riverwalk Conceptual Designs
    Gilboy, Elizabeth; Browning, Lara; Korkuti, Arian; Jessup, Jennifer; Walker, Harley; Wan, Mingchao (Virginia Tech. Community Design Assistance Center, 2014-01)
    Cleveland is a community of approximately 130 people located in Russell County in southwest Virginia. The Town is situated on the Clinch River, one of most biodiverse rivers in North America. The Clinch has more species of endangered and rare freshwater mussels than anywhere else in the world. Cleveland recognizes the value of this unique river and hopes to utilize its natural assets to promote tourism and stimulate economic growth.
    The Community Design Assistance Center (CDAC) was tasked with developing conceptual designs for upgrading the existing ball park and reusing the former Cleveland Elementary School site as an RV park and campground. In addition, the team explored the possibility of linking the project sites, downtown, and the Barrens waterfall with a river walk. CDAC worked closely with the community and stakeholder groups to develop these concepts which are discussed in further detail in the following report.
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    Clinch River access points design guidelines
    Gilboy, Elizabeth; Browning, Lara; Jessup, Jennifer; Walker, Harley (Virginia Tech. Community Design Assistance Center, 2014-01-01)
    The CDAC was tasked with developing general design guidelines for access points along the Clinch River, creating a conceptual design for the access point at the Cleveland Ball Park as a pilot site, generating design concepts for various types of signage for access points.
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    Clinch River Valley Regional Visitor Center Conceptual Design
    Gilboy, Elizabeth; Schellhammer, Christopher; Black, Kenneth Allan; Burg, Gardner; Houck, Chris; Saeidi-Rizi, Fatemeh; Walker, Harley (Virginia Tech. Community Design Assistance Center, 2013-06)
    St. Paul is a small but vibrant town in southwestern Virginia with a rich history. Situated along the Clinch River and holding land in both Russell and Wise Counties, it is strategically located and poised to serve as a gateway to the region’s natural assets. The Clinch River is internationally renowned for its biological diversity and is a regional asset. Thus, the Clinch River and other complimentary assets (existing trail systems, Wetlands Estonoa, etc.) are a primary focus for a new creative economy dealing with tourism.

    To enrich the new plan for economic development and to communicate the ecological and tourism potential of Southwest Virginia, the region’s advocates are exploring the concept of an entry gateway. This gateway would serve four counties and the City of Norton and act as a regional visitor center.

    The Town and Russell County received permission from the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) to develop an entry gateway along US 58 on a piece of property bound by US 58, St. Paul Road, and County Road 640 (Frosty Road) and recently conveyed the site to Russell County. Elements envisioned for the space include a LEED certified regional visitor center that highlights the four counties along the Clinch River in Southwest Virginia, enhanced plantings, signage, parking, an informational kiosk, and possibly a small covered shelter. Vehicular entry to the site will be provided from County Road 640. The site and structure would highlight and respond to the Clinch River, offering views to the nearby river as well as educational and recreational information about the Clinch.The Town and Russell County received permission from the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) to develop an entry gateway along US 58 on a piece of property bound by US 58, St. Paul Road, and County Road 640 (Frosty Road) and recently conveyed the site to Russell County. Elements envisioned for the space include a LEED certified regional visitor center that highlights the four counties along the Clinch River in Southwest Virginia, enhanced plantings, signage, parking, an informational kiosk, and possibly a small covered shelter. Vehicular entry to the site will be provided from County Road 640. The site and structure would highlight and respond to the Clinch River, offering views to the nearby river as well as educational and recreational information about the Clinch.

    Funding for this project has been provided by a USDA Forest Service (Region 8) Competitive Grant through the Southern Group of State Foresters in partnership with the Virginia Department of Forestry. In the spirit of this partnership, the project will build awareness of regional forestry-related industries through the thoughtful design, specification and implementation of landscape architecture material, architectural material and construction practices. The Community Design Assistance Center (CDAC) was asked to assist the Town of St. Paul and St. Paul Tomorrow, Inc. with a conceptual master plan for this entry gateway. CDAC worked with St. Paul Tomorrow, Inc., Town Council, VDOT, and the local community to refine the program and develop a concept for the visitor center. This report is a compilation of these design concepts.
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    Deep Run bike and pedestrian trail design and alignment study
    Gilboy, Elizabeth; Browning, Lara; Burg, Gardner; Walker, Harley (Virginia Tech. Community Design Assistance Center, 2012-11)
    The Community Design Assistance Center (CDAC), approached by Spotsylvania County and the Spotsylvania Greenway Initiative (SGI), was tasked to lead a collection of regional stakeholders in a project to highlight the cultural heritage of the area and re-engage the local community through opportunities for recreation and alternative transportation. The purpose of this project was to create a conceptual layout for a trail system that would connect Fredericksburg to these cultural and historic assets related to its involvement in the Civil War. This trail would also provide opportunities to connect to existing trail networks, as well as, a number of developing economic resources and outdoor recreational opportunities. The details of these design considerations will be discussed in more detail in the following pages.

    Throughout the design process, the CDAC team and community stakeholders worked collaboratively to develop design goals and strategies for achieving those goals. After presenting a preliminary concept to a number of Spotsylvania County representatives at a community meeting, suggestions received were used to develop the concept and create final route options. The final concept, as presented in this document, is meant to provide a number of route choices. While some routes are presented as more ideal than others, the flexibility of the final proposal will aid in its adaptive implementation. With this in mind, the success of this project relies not only on presenting a desirable trail routing concept, but ensuring that the final concept is firmly rooted in community interest and practical understandings of the limits of the project.
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    Devil John Wright Trail linkage & enhancement master plan
    Gilboy, Elizabeth; Browning, Lara; Dunne, Peter; Jessup, Jennifer; Walker, Harley (Virginia Tech. Community Design Assistance Center, 2014-03-01)
    Jenkins, KY began as a railroad town; however, it has a history of moonshining and the legendary Devil John Wright. Devil John became known for gunslinging and ruthlessness. It was the desire of Jenkins to incorporate this history in the future master plan for the city.
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    Elkhorn City trail town master plan
    Gilboy, Elizabeth; Browning, Lara; Jessup, Jennifer; Pieri, Gray; Walker, Harley (Virginia Tech. Community Design Assistance Center, 2014-03)
    Elkhorn City is a community of approximately 1,000 people located in Pike County on the Kentucky-Virginia border. It is nestled in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains and has many geographic wonders that could make it a major tourist destination in Kentucky. First and foremost of these natural wonders is the Russell Fork River, a tributary of the Big Sandy River, which flows through the center of the city. It is well known for its whitewater rafting, featuring Class II-VI rapids. Elkhorn City is also geographically located in proximity to the Pine Mountain Trail and Breaks Interstate Park.1 Elkhorn City recognizes the value of its natural assets and hopes to utilize them to promote tourism and stimulate economic growth.

    The Community Design Assistance Center (CDAC) was tasked with developing conceptual designs for greenspaces, streetscapes, and wayfinding that would strengthen Elkhorn City as a Trail Town. Areas that were designed included the existing caboose site, a community garden site, a park along the river, and the downtown streetscape. In addition, the team developed designs for wayfinding signage throughout downtown and at gateways to the city. The CDAC team also explored creating an overall master plan or potential tourist pamphlet for the community to market themselves as a Trail Town. CDAC worked closely with the community and stakeholder groups to develop these concepts which are discussed in further detail in the following report.
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    Hazard conceptual design : coal miners memorial, pathfinders greenway, and various parks
    Gilboy, Elizabeth; Browning, Lara; Davis, Brad; Walker, Harley; Gracey, Sarah (Virginia Tech. Community Design Assistance Center, 2013-10)
    The Community Design Assistance Center (CDAC) was asked to develop conceptual designs for five sites and a greenway in Hazard. The sites varied in both size and function and included City Hall Park, a coal miners memorial, and parks on Liberty Street, Highland Avenue, and Gorman Hollow Road. The conceptual design improvements for City Hall Park creates a gathering space for both small scale and large events and includes the renovation of an amphitheater and the creation of a performance stage. The design for a coal miners memorial at the triangle by the Gorman Bridge transforms an empty grass lot into a town square with symbolic features paying tribute to Hazard’s coal mining past. The designs for improved basketball courts and playgrounds on Liberty Street and Highland Avenue improve existing and introduce new outdoor recreation opportunities for the neighborhoods. Finally, the conceptual design for Gorman Hollow improves the overall quality of the housing development by providing new outdoor recreation opportunities for its residents and improving the aesthetics of its outdoor spaces.
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    Paintsville Main Street planting and parking lot design
    Gilboy, Elizabeth; Browning, Lara; Walker, Harley; Gracey, Sarah (Virginia Tech. Community Design Assistance Center, 2013-10)
    To help with the overall improvements for downtown, the City of Paintsville requested that the Community Design Assistance Center (CDAC) undertake a conceptual re-design for a parking lot along the main entrance into downtown. The purpose would be to utilize stormwater remediation within the design to demonstrate environmentally sensitive development near Paints Creek and to create an aesthetic entry to the downtown area. In addition, the City of Paintsville requested that the CDAC analyze Main Street for the possibility of street tree plantings to help create a more pedestrian friendly and inviting downtown. CDAC would determine if space along the street allowed for trees and develop a conceptual design accordingly. Final products for the project would include a conceptual design for an environmentally-friendly parking lot, supporting sketches, and a planting plan for Main Street and the parking lot.
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    Patrick Robert Sydnor Civil War Era Historic Site + Log Cabin
    Gilboy, Elizabeth; Browning, Lara; Korkuti, Arian; Im, JooWon; Rollins, Michael; Smith, Liam; Young, Colby; Walker, Harley (Virginia Tech. Community Design Assistance Center, 2013-08)
    The Patrick Robert Sydnor Civil War Era Historic Site and Log Cabin are located in Mecklenburg County, Virginia near routes 15 and 58. Surrounded by wooded lots and farmland, the rural setting complements the historic nature of the site. Located on a wooded area of 4.41 acres, the cabin is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and the Virginia Landmarks Register. Built during the antebellum era, the cabin was used to house the enslaved workers of the nearby Prestwould Plantation.
    The log cabin site is named after Patrick Robert "Parker" Sydnor (1854-1950), a locally well-known Virginia tombstone carver, who lived in the cabin during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Parker Sydnor was born into slavery in Halifax County. He worked for forty years at his craft and there is evidence that he began making gravestones before 1900.
    The log cabin has undergone structural transformation because it was continuously occupied by African American families and maintained to the best of their abilities up until the 1970s. Most of those occupants were immediate descendants of enslaved African Americans at the Prestwould and Sydnor plantations in Mecklenburg and Halifax counties.
    Thus the Sydnor log cabin shifted in physical appearance and function throughout various historical periods after slavery when African American families struggled to survive and succeed. The home place was a foundation for freedom, autonomy, self-reliance, faith and the legacy of endurance. The Sydnor log cabin was characterized by an enslaved workforce, freedwomen and freedmen, sharecroppers, and unconditional poverty.
    Literacy lnterActives, Inc. requested that the Community Design Assistance Center (CDAC) develop plans to rehabilitate the Patrick Robert Sydnor Log Cabin and design a new visitors center. These two features are strengthened with the design of a conceptual master plan that includes a nature trail, amphitheater, natural play area, various gardens and caretaker's house.
    Throughout the design process, the CDAC team worked collaboratively with Literacy lnterActives, Inc. and members of the Mecklenburg County community to develop conceptual plans for the historic site. This report documents the design process and describes the final concepts that were developed.
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    Reynolds Homestead : Community Enrichment Center, Critz, VA
    Gilboy, Elizabeth; Korkuti, Arian; Houck, Chris; Sergeyev, Ivan; Walker, Harley (Virginia Tech. Community Design Assistance Center, 2012-12)
    As a Commonwealth Campus Center of Virginia Tech, the Reynolds Homestead Community Enrichment Center provides educational and cultural programs for the residents of Patrick County and the surrounding communities in Virginia and North Carolina. A wide variety of classes are offered such as music, art, lectures, children’s activities, fitness programs & movies. Located in Critz, Virginia, the current facility (constructed in the 1980s) does not meet current program demands. Consequently, the Reynolds Homestead asked the Community Design Assistance Center to conduct a design feasibility study to determine a program plan of space needed and develop conceptual drawings for a renovation/addition to the current facility.
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    Wayland, Kentucky community park
    Gilboy, Elizabeth; Browning, Lara; Davis, Brad; Walker, Harley; Gracey, Sarah (Virginia Tech. Community Design Assistance Center, 2012-12)
    This project began when the Town of Wayland applied to the KY Division of Forestry for Southern Group of State Foresters grant funding. The Community Design Assistance Center (CDAC) was asked to lead a project team to design a park that would re-engage the community through recreational opportunities for both young and old while also highlighting the cultural heritage of the area. In particular, the Town stressed the desire for a little league baseball field as a means to bring more people to the area. The purpose of this project was to create a conceptual master plan and planting plan to provide the Town a basis in which to move forward with applying for grants and funding.

    Throughout the design process, the Wayland Project Team, which consisted of the CDAC design team, representatives from Wayland, the Kentucky Division of Forestry, and Big Sandy Development District worked collaboratively to develop a conceptual plan for the Town of Wayland. This report documents the design process and describes the final concept that was developed.
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    Waynesboro Ridgeview Park, greenway, and trailhead conceptual design
    Gilboy, Elizabeth; Browning, Lara; Browning, Matthew; Dunn, Matthew; Walker, Harley (Virginia Tech. Community Design Assistance Center, 2014-01)
    Waynesboro, located three miles from the junction of Skyline Drive, Shenandoah National Park, the Blue Ridge Parkway, and the Appalachian Trail, is a hub for outdoor recreation. In recent years, the City has made efforts to expand its outdoor appeal by creating a greenway connecting all of its major parks. The first phase of this multi-year project has been completed and is already a popular destination for residents and visitors. The second phase of design work is underway which will connect downtown to North Park.

    The Community Design Assistance Center (CDAC) was tasked with exploring the potential for another phase of the greenway, which would connect the first phase to Ridgeview Park, a popular destination for local residents. In addition, CDAC was asked to redesign the ball fields and parking lot at Ridgeview Park and pay particular attention to stormwater mitigation, pedestrian circulation, and tree evaluation and protection. Lastly, it was requested that CDAC explore ways of addressing a potentially dangerous intersection for greenway users at Lyndhurst Road and Arch Avenue.