December 2023 - Issue 2 - The Source by Jones Petrie Rafinski

THE SOURCE

RIVERFRONT PHASE IIA, FORT WAYNE, IN

ISSUE 2 - DECEMBER 2023

JPR IS A FULL-SERVICE ARCHITECTURE AND ENGINEERING FIRM OFFERING COMPREHENSIVE PROJECT LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT FROM START TO FINISH.

“

JPR’s dedication shows in their construction administration. They were on site during construction and designed several different details on the spot to adjust the design to fit the various unforeseen conditions. I couldn’t be happier with the end result of the park!

- Stacy Haviland, PLA, ASLA

”

Project Manager - Stormwater Management & Sustainability City Utilities Engineering Department Regarding the Riverfront Phase IIA project on page 4.

RIVERFRONT PHASE IIA, FORT WAYNE, IN

South Bend Office 325 S. Lafayette Blvd. South Bend, IN 46601 P: 574.232.4388

BLENDING HISTORIC & MODERN DESIGN

A NEW CHAPTER

Fort Wayne Office 222 Pearl Street Fort Wayne, IN 46802 P: 260.422.2522

BALANCING GROWTH & SUSTAINABILITY

A LETTER FROM THE LEADERSHIP TEAM As the holiday season approaches, we take a moment to reflect on the incredible journey we’ve shared throughout the year. It has been a year filled with challenges, triumphs, and unwavering dedication from each and every one of you. To our dedicated employees: Your hard work, resilience, and commitment have been the driving force behind our success. In the face of challenges, you’ve shown remarkable adaptability and determination, embodying the spirit of teamwork that defines our JPR family. As the year comes to a close, we extend our deepest gratitude for your tireless efforts and extend our heartfelt appreciation for the sacrifices both you and your family make.

DAVE RAFINSKI PRINCIPAL

To our valued clients: Your trust and partnership have been the cornerstone of our accomplishments. We appreciate the confidence you’ve placed in us and the collaborative spirit that has allowed us to achieve shared goals. It’s been a pleasure serving you, and we look forward to continuing to exceed your expectations in the coming year. This season is a time to celebrate the bonds we’ve forged and the milestones we’ve reached together. May the warmth of the holidays fill your homes with joy, and may you find peace and happiness in the company of loved ones. As we approach the New Year, let’s carry the spirit of unity and collaboration forward. Together, we can overcome any challenges that lie ahead and achieve even greater success. Wishing you and your loved ones a joyous holiday season and a prosperous New Year!

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RIVERFRONT PHASE IIA SERVES AS A VITAL CONNECTION LINKING TWO DISTINCT PARKS IN DOWNTOWN FORT WAYNE, INDIANA

DECORATIVE, REMOVABLE BOLLARDS LOCATED AT THE ENTRANCE TO THE PARK

ocated along the St. Marys River, and less than a quarter mile apart, Headwaters Park and Promenade Park are two very different and unique Fort Wayne destinations.

Headwaters Park, completed in 1999, was designed as a means for flood control in the City. With the first set of plans drawn by an architect in 1912, it boasted a long history before it was even built. Today, it features wide meandering walkways and open greenspaces with room for festivals and other large-scale events. To the west, Promenade Park was built in 2019 and features a modern and innovative design. It showcases the natural environment alongside multiple entertainment venues, offering open playscapes and water features with a focus on accessibility. What separated the two parks was a fenced-off and windowless industrial facility and a parking lot with trees and brush that interrupted the views of the river. Ultimately, there was a lack of quality connection between the two parks. Upon closer inspection, it revealed an insufficient pedestrian connection and a need to better engage visitors with the St. Marys River.

HEADWATERS PARK

RIVERFRONT PHASE IIA

PROMENADE PARK

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CLIMBABLE, INTERACTIVE BOULDERS

In 2020, as part of a riverfront redevelopment effort, JPR was hired by the City of Fort Wayne to develop a public space referred to as Riverfront Phase IIA – located between Headwaters Park and Promenade Park. During this time, the Riverfront at Promenade Park Apartments was also being constructed. This 6-story, mixed-use development includes approximately 30,000 square feet of office space, 200 apartments, 7 townhomes, and a 900-space parking garage. The Riverfront Phase IIA project serves as an extension of the development’s amenity space while also providing a stunning riverside frontage and dramatic views from the infinity pool and apartment units. The design team collaborated with the City and stakeholders to develop a concept that blended the historical and modern aesthetics of Headwaters and Promenade Parks into one space, covering approximately 1-acre of land. To create a cohesive design, the team studied the neighboring parks and pulled materials and site furnishings into the Riverfront Phase IIA project. For instance, the traditional style of the light poles at Headwaters Park were juxtaposed with the modern style of the Promenade Park chairs and guard railing. The design team also went a step further by integrating the distinctive wall detailing from Headwaters Park onto the reconstructed wall bordering Riverfront at Promenade Park Apartments, effectively extending the Headwaters Park style to Harrison Street. During the project, developing an inclusive design was especially important. The team worked closely with The League-Fort Wayne to ensure this was achieved.

BIOSWALE WITH NATIVE PLANTINGS

PEDESTRIAN-ORIENTED LIGHTING

“The goal was to get their feedback on certain elements and incorporate as many as we could into the design of the park, making it as universally functional as possible,” said JPR Project Engineer Claire Eltzroth, PE. Key elements included a guide that ran the length of the main walkway, contrasting horizontal banding at specific intervals, and a tactile guide for the visually impaired. It also included intimate seating locations for areas of respite, a sensory garden along the walkway, and a stabilized soil mixture in the lawn area along with tables and benches throughout the site to accommodate wheelchairs. www.jpr1source.com | 7

SEATING AREA, OVERLOOKING THE ST. MARYS RIVER

The design process resulted in a beautiful park with native plantings, meandering walkways, and a bioswale for stormwater management. It also features an area full of social spaces with lookout points to the river, interactive boulders for play and seating, and open lawn for passive activities. A plaza with ample seating opportunities, and the anticipation of future outdoor dining, is also located off the apartment complex. This project did not come without its challenges. Since the park space was vastly located within the floodplain of the St. Marys River, the overall design and grading of the site was critical for success. After performing a quick analysis early in the design process, the team knew that having a balanced site would be challenging given the conditions provided by the City’s sewer outfall infrastructure and the desire for an accessible site. Knowing this early allowed the team to make informed design decisions that would promote the goals of the project while also ensuring that the required permits could be successfully secured. During the design process, the team closely monitored the balance of cut and fill volumes to ensure that the flood stor8 | www.jpr1source.com

age capacity was not decreased. Utilizing this knowledge, the design team was able to incorporate unique, sustainable elements into the plan – such as a bioswale to aid in the cut/fill balance and to incorporate stormwater storage. The bioswale meanders through the park and crosses beneath several of the walking paths. Large boulders were also strategically placed within it to create playful pathways for the more adventurous park user. Filled with native plantings, the bioswale not only stores and filters stormwater from the park, but also from the plaza and amenity space of the adjacent development. “JPR’s team is extremely talented and dedicated,” said Stacy Haviland, PLA, ASLA, Program Manager for Stormwater Management and Sustainability for the City Utilities Engineering Department. “They seamlessly incorporated all the park and stormwater treatment features we requested on a site with a multitude of constraints. Their attention to detail allowed us to build a bioswale in a floodplain that meets all permitting requirements including the meticulous balance of cut and fill quantities.”

Due to its location and the existing site uses, effective coordination between many groups was vital. In fact, the success of this project is a testament to the collaborative efforts of numerous stakeholders. The design team worked closely with the City of Fort Wayne Community Development Department, which led the project in conjunction with the Fort Wayne Parks and Recreation Department. Further enhancement of the overall design and its particulars was achieved through direct coordination with the Parks Department staff, who currently oversee Riverfront Phase IIA’s maintenance. Fort Wayne City Utilities, having recently installed extensive utility infrastructure on the property including an electrical power feed to service the needs of the park, provided valuable insights into their access and ongoing maintenance needs. Additionally, beneath the property lies a section of Fort Wayne’s deep rock tunnel project, with an outfall located in Riverfront Phase IIA. The design team coordinated extensively with City Utilities regarding the design and as-built conditions of this utility infrastructure.

Effective coordination was also required with the Riverfront at Promenade Park Apartments development to manage the stormwater from their amenity spaces within the park’s bioswale. Along with that, the design team developed creative details for a wall that was reconstructed along the south side of the park to protect the adjacent development’s rammed aggregate pier (RAP) system using shallow footings and a grade beam. Furthermore, the main pathway within the park was designed to provide the fire truck access that was required for proper protection of the development. This coordination extended beyond the design phase and continued throughout construction, as both projects were constructed concurrently and utilized the park site for access and laydown space. Other important stakeholders were the permitting agencies who reviewed the project for compliance – DNR, IDEM, ACOE, local floodplain management, and local jurisdictions. Services Provided Landscape Architecture Civil Engineering

“The JPR team was absolutely great to work with,” said Chad Shaw, PLA, ASLA, Superintendent of Landscape and Horticulture for Fort Wayne Parks and Recreation. “They were able to not only recognize and deal with all of the various challenges of the site … but all the while calmly approaching each challenge and confidently integrating each design solution into a user-friendly, functional, and beautiful site that seamlessly connected two distinctly different parks.”

A TEXTURED GUIDE AND CONTRASTING COLORED CONCRETE PROVIDES AID FOR THE VISUALLY IMPAIRED

Designed to provide a vital connection between Promenade Park and Headwaters Park, Riverfront Phase IIA filled a missing piece of park space on the south side of the St. Marys River. The investment was approximately $2.5 million, and a ribbon cutting ceremony for the completion of Riverfront Phase IIA was held on June 27, 2023.

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READING WI-FI GARDEN, LA PORTE, IN

LA PORTE COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY INDIANA AVE. ENTRANCE, AFTER REMODEL

he roots of the La Porte County Library extend back nearly two centuries, beginning when the McClure’s Workingman’s Institute (also known as the McClure’s Library) was established with a grant in 1856. What followed was 60 years of relocations, expansions, and new associations being formed. In 1916 the School Board of Education, which oversaw the facility at that time, won a $27,500 appropriation from the Carnegie Corporation for a new library. Utilizing that allotment, a former YWCA building and tennis court were transformed into what we now know as the main La Porte County Library building. Construction was completed in 1921, and in 1939 the La Porte County Public Library was officially established. Since then, the library has experienced a lengthy list of changes, renovations, and the establishment of new branches and services. Today, it consists of 7 buildings and one mobile library.

JPR’s partnership with the La Porte County Public Library (LPCPL) began in 2021, with the design of a new parking lot at its main branch in downtown La Porte, Indiana. Since then, our team designed and provided construction administration for a remodel of both the exterior windows and monumental stairs, as well as a Reading Wi-Fi Garden and a new storage and maintenance building.

PARKING LOT DESIGN As part of their Strategic Plan, the LPCPL wanted to add off-street parking at their main library campus. They wanted to provide a better experience for their patrons, as most of them had to find parking along the street. In preparation for the parking lot, the library purchased and demolished several homes. Once the project began, JPR was involved in every aspect from conceptual layout design to construction document development to construction administration services. As part of the design, all stormwater is captured and retained under the parking lot in a french drain system. Native plants were used for landscaping, which is intrinsically low-maintenance, quicker to establish, and resilient to local weather conditions.

The library now features 56 new parking spaces, providing patrons with only a short walk to the library entrance. EXTERIOR WINDOW REMODEL JPR was hired to provide design for the replacement of exterior windows at the main branch. The historic arched windows remained, while all others were replaced. One of the biggest challenges was to develop a design to repair rotted substructure in certain areas where the new windows were installed. The new windows are thermally broken storefront windows with tinted low-E insulating glass. They are highly efficient for heating and cooling load within the building, and easier to maintain than the wood single-pane windows that were removed. www.jpr1source.com | 11

MONUMENTAL STAIRCASE REMODEL At over 100 years old, the existing granite stairs were starting to deteriorate and quickly becoming a safety concern for both staff and visitors. This deterioration at the main entrance was due, in part, to years of salt-use during the winter months. Ensuring that the appearance and character of the original entrance remained consistent was a top priority; as was designing it to meet current regulatory compliance. To achieve this, JPR crafted a staircase that closely resembled the existing one while integrating modern railing elements into the design. Electrical heat was also incorporated. This heat source was installed underneath the stairs to melt ice and snow during winter. Ultimately, this innovation has eliminated the need to salt the stairs during bad weather – providing safety for all visitors and preserving the staircase for generations to come. Completed in March 2023, the remodeled staircase invites the public to step inside and explore the library.

READING WI-FI GARDEN DESIGN LPCPL wanted to provide its patrons with a comfortable outdoor experience. It needed to be both multi-functional and aesthetically pleasing. This is how the Reading Wi-Fi Garden came to life. The space was designed to provide an outdoor park for the library and its patrons. It contains a looped walking path with pedestrian-scale lighting. Seating nodes are spaced throughout the park, and an area of flat, open lawn can be used for passive play or to host library events with tents and chairs. A steady Wi-Fi connection is also available to the public, as are places to charge electronic devices. Additionally, the landscaping around the perimeter of the park and the walking path is irrigated for ease of maintenance. Two sculptural nodes were incorporated into the space, and at the southeast corner of the site, a captivating sculptural installation took shape. Crafted from the granite stair treads extracted during the main entrance remodel, JPR worked with LPCPL to design a sculpture piece inspired by the work of Isamu Noguchi.

Noguchi, an internationally known artist of the 20th century, spent much of his adolescent years in La Porte. As part of the overarching design, stormwater management was a crucial component. The park was designed to collect all stormwater on-site using two drywells and a gravel trench drain system. This system will help control the flow of stormwater during heavy rainfall, reducing the risk of flooding in the Reading Wi-Fi Garden and its surrounding areas. Drywells, by design, also allow for the infiltration of stormwater into the ground helping to maintain the balance of groundwater resources. The Reading Wi-Fi- Garden opened to the public in September 2022. And today, it not only serves as a place for reading and respite but also a place to hold outdoor events such as concerts, festivals, and picnics. We look forward to witnessing the many events that will be held in the garden over the coming years.

AERIAL VIEW OF WI-FI GARDEN

NOGUCHI-INSPIRED SCULPTURE, CRAFTED FROM THE EXISTING STAIR TREADS

INDIANA AVE. ENTRANCE

STORAGE & MAINTENANCE BUILDING

STORAGE & MAINTENANCE BUILDING DESIGN Working with LPCPL and their maintenance team, JPR designed a new storage and maintenance building. Although located at the main library in La Porte, this new facility will be utilized by all LPCPL branches. The building was designed to have two offices for library maintenance staff. The garage, which consists of four-bays, also doubles as a workshop. As part of the design, the building features a covered

porch with picnic table seating and a large front yard for hosting programs and activities. Additionally, new sidewalks and trees were installed to liven up the site. Completed in September 2022, the new building provides the library with more storage for their work vans and utility vehicles, as well as lawn mowers, snow blowers, and other necessary equipment. As most of the vehicles had to previously park along the street, less on-street parking is utilized by maintenance staff since its construction.

COVERED PORCH WITH PICNIC SEATING

Services Provided Across All Projects Architecture Landscape Architecture Civil Engineering

Structural Engineering Permitting Construction Administration

The mission of the La Porte County Public Library is to be “the center of community life with a focus on reading, lifelong learning, and public involvement.” JPR is privileged to have been able to positively impact the quality of life for La Porte County, helping enhance and support LPCPL’s mission. We look forward to continuing our relationship with LPCPL, and seeing the impact the library will continue to have over the next 100 years. THE GARAGE DOUBLES AS A WORKSHOP

BALANCING

GROWTH SUSTAINABILITY THE BOONE GROVE HIGH SCHOOL WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT

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WWTP & STORAGE BUILDING, BOONE GROVE HIGH SCHOOL CAMPUS, VALPARAISO, IN

A prefabricated wastewater treatment plant is a modular and self-contained system designed for the treatment of wastewater. Unlike traditional wastewater treatment plants, which are typically constructed on-site and involve significant construction, prefabricated treatment plants are built in a factory or an off-site location and then transported to their intended location for installation. These plants are typically compact in design, adaptable to the needs of a specific facility, have a quick installation process, and are cost-effective. The average life expectancy of a prefabricated plant is 20 to 30 years, while the equipment typically lasts 10 to 15 years.

he existing prefabricated wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) at Boone Grove High School, a public school in Valparaiso, Indiana, was constructed in 1992 and rehabilitated in 2005. The plant is a private system and only serves the needs of the high school. As the WWTP was approaching its 30th year in service and Boone Grove was looking toward future campus expansions, the Porter Township School Corporation engaged JPR to prepare a Preliminary Investigation Report (PIR). At this time, a new stadium project was anticipated on campus and the existing WWTP was in the footprint of the proposed field. Knowing that the plant would need to be relocated prior to building the stadium, the PIR served as a crucial step in the development 16 | www.jpr1source.com

process and helped stakeholders and decision-makers make informed choices regarding the feasibility and viability of the project. Through the PIR, it was determined that the existing WWTP needed to be replaced. The age of the equipment would pose significant maintenance or replacement requirements in the near future and the majority of the steel that comprised the plant was rusted and in poor condition, especially the steel angles that supported the grating. Additionally, a critical finding was that the existing plant was close to capacity and would not accommodate increased student and staff populations or the additional flow that would come from a new stadium with concessions and restrooms.

Once the decision was made to decommission and remove the existing WWTP, JPR partnered with Tanner Consulting, LLC and Prodecomm Engineering, Inc. to design and permit a new prefabricated wastewater treatment plant –approximately 465 feet from the existing site. This new plant would not only replace the existing one in terms of service, but it would also account for a 42% increase in campus population and accommodate the 1,500-person football stadium. Once the permits and submittals were in place, on-site construction began in September 2022. Completion of the WWTP was critical for the construction of the football stadium to begin. However, several delivery chain issues posed challenges to the project

The WWTP at Boone Grove is a complete, factory built, prefabricated system manufactured by DPI Water Solutions. The basins are constructed out of painted carbon steel. There are two rectangular units and each unit was transported, mostly assembled, to the site on flatbed trucks. The equalization basin, aeration basin, secondary clarifier, and sludge holding tanks are all contained as one unit, while the tertiary sand filter and ultraviolet disinfection system are both contained in the second. The processes are divided by steel walls. The system contains four blowers and 8 pumps, with stainless steel process piping. The prefabricated plant is buried in a 6,900 square-foot building, at an approximate depth of 12-feet. One side of the building hosts the WWTP, while the other contains much needed storage space for the school. The plant was buried to keep it insulated from cold winter temperatures; it is also equipped with insulated grating for the same purpose. Having warmer temperatures will assist with ammonia removal during cold weather.

THE WWTP IS BURIED IN A 6,900 SF BUILDING

WWTP DELIVERY TOOK PLACE NOVEMBER 2022

timeline. A delay in delivery of an electric transformer that would serve both the WWTP and football stadium would have paused the project for several months. To solve this, a smaller unit was purchased that would serve the needs of the treatment plant only. Additionally, because some equipment delivery lagged behind the delivery of the main plant, such as the ultraviolet disinfection unit, several adjustments to equipment and controls were needed to obtain the desirable discharge limits. Ultimately, equipment delivery was expedited and installed by the manufacturer’s personnel. They worked around the clock during the unit’s start-up to ensure that everything functioned properly. The liquid material from the existing WWTP, known as mixed liquor, was used to seed the new plant for start-up. Because of the close proximity of the plants and the biological matter being reintroduced to the same waste stream at the new WWTP, utilizing the existing mixed liquor both simplified start-up and established it quickly.

THE UNITS WERE DELIVERED VIA SEMI

The new plant achieved substantial completion on May 10 and was finalized on October 27, 2023. Since completion, the new prefabricated WWTP at the Boone Grove High School campus can handle greater loading to serve increased enrollment, staffing, and sporting events. The new system also utilizes current technology and best practices, and the building contains additional storage space for school maintenance and grounds equipment. Throughout the project, JPR provided project management, topographic and boundary surveys, site design, and permitting, along with bidding, part-time inspection, construction administration, and post-construction services. Services Provided Civil Engineering Survey Architecture Permitting Inspection Construction Administration

THE PLANT CONSISTS OF TWO UNITS

IT TAKES A TEAM At JPR, our mission is to provide superior client service. Our goal is to complete your project on time and within budget, while exceeding your expectations. This commitment to service stems from a culture of collaboration and willingness to go beyond what is typically required. We owe our success to JPR’s exceptional team of experts, and we’d like to showcase a few of these professionals who played a role in completing the projects highlighted on the previous pages.

CLAIRE ELTZROTH, PE Project Engineer Claire joined JPR in 2018, and has since become a Project Engineer focusing on site design projects ranging from stadium and athletic complexes to community revitalization. In addition to managing site design projects, Claire’s versatile experience includes analyzing, master planning, and engineering complex utility systems. Possessing great communication skills and a high level of attention to detail, Claire ensures that every project exceeds client expectations. Some of her recent projects include Riverfront Phase IIA in Fort Wayne (IN), the College Park Development Stormwater Study in Goshen (IN), and downtown and streetscape revitalization in Van Wert (OH).

EDWARD KOWALCZYK, AIA, NCARB Senior Architect Since joining JPR in 2014, Ed has worked on a variety of projects ranging from restaurant remodels to the development of large baseball stadiums. Having an extensive background in construction administration, he works with both the client and contractor to cultivate a smooth working environment during the construction process. Ed’s vast knowledge encompasses conceptual and schematic floor plan development, exterior design, cost estimating, and threedimensional modeling and massing. Recent projects include the maintenance building design and exterior window and staircase remodels at LPCPL in La Porte (IN), Monger Elementary School renovation in Elkhart (IN), and a new fire station design in Macy (IN).

AUSTIN BLOMEKE, PLA Landscape Architect Austin joined JPR in 2014. Since then, he has played an integral role on a wide variety of projects including design development, construction document development, and project management. He also has a strong background in general site design covering grading, drainage, and pedestrian and vehicular movement. Austin enjoys collaborating with clients, and is passionate about transforming ideas into engaging and inviting spaces for everyone to enjoy. Some of his recent projects include the LPCPL parking lot and Reading Wi-Fi Garden in La Porte (IN), a Downtown Streetscape Master Plan in St. Joseph (MI), and development of the Town Green and Riverpoint West Amenity Space in Elkhart (IN). www.jpr1source.com | 19