Water Quality Management in the Lower Rio Grande Valley

Omar Hakeem and Hugo Colón giving Mehmet Boz and David Dilks a tour of La Hacienda Casitas.

Learn more about the Colonias LID program in the LRGV.

[bc] partnered with Texas A&M Kingsville and the Local Stormwater Taskforce during the 17th Annual Water Quality Management & Planning Conference held in South Padre Island. [bc] showcased the role of stormwater management in various RGV-based projects: RAPIDO, Colonias LID and La Hacienda Casitas. 

Through the sponsorship of the Surdna Foundation, [bc] brought two stormwater management experts to speak about stormwater management strategies at different scales that could benefit the Lower Rio Grande Valley and its various colonias. 

Dr. David Dilks, Vice President of LimnoTech, an engineering firm with an international reputation for hydrological modeling, shared his knowledge on the management of floodwaters in low-gradient and rural settings. Dr. Dilks has worked on projects all over the country, but highlighted projects in the DC metro area, as well as an agricultural land management project in the Midwest. Both projects were in very flat topography, so they provided applicable lessons to the Rio Grande Valley.  

In addition, Mehmet Boz, Ph.D., P.E., M.ASCE., and civil practice leader with KCI Technologies in San Antonio, shared his knowledge of Low Impact Development and Water Management in south central Texas. Dr. Boz taught conference attendees that LID strategies can be used in Texas, where there are issues of drought that coexist with severe flooding. LID strategies have been very well explored on the East Coast, but the strategies need to be different here in Texas due to the climate. He showed ways to improve water quality, mitigate run-off and flooding, add shade and increase vegetation. 

 Mehmet Boz presenting on LID strategies, featuring a rendering done by [bc] for a right of way improvement in a colonia.

David Dilks presenting a hydrological model done to study the effects of an LID strategy.

Both Dr. Dilks and Dr. Boz will be part of [bc]'s ongoing drainage initiatives in the LRGV as technical advisors through the sponsorship of the Surdna Foundation. [bc] Planning Associate Hugo Colón participated as co-moderator during these two panels. [bc] led Dr. Dilks and Dr. Boz on tours of the area, visiting several colonias and the La Hacienda Casitas. 

La Hacienda - Final Phase

Read more about La Hacienda.

The last set of homes will wrap up at LaHacienda Casitas next month, July 2013. Contractors are working hard to keep up the pace as a waiting list for homes has already started filling up!

Alongside the residential construction, site work is underway. The Community Development Corporation Brownsville (CDCB) YouthBuild team is in full swing and landscape contractors are installing native plants, trees, and grasses as well as hardscape elements like sidewalks, pathways, and bridges.

View fullsize

Homes on Bailey Blvd getting their final touches with landscaping and utility connections.

View fullsize

Homes have been sited throughout the development to create courtyards defined by porch spaces.

View fullsize

Park spaces have been shaped and are ready for landscape and pathways. An important part of this project was its ability to manage storm water in a way that is both positive for the environment and creates an asset to the people that live here.  Swales have been shaped engage public spaces and planted with native grasses and wildflowers species to encourage water filtration and absorption.

View fullsize

In the community playground, the Youthbuild team has laid out the body of the dragon snake and is working on its head, slides, and crawl spaces. Here, Eddie Salazar, CDCB’s construction manager oversees some of the site construction.

Stay tuned for details on the grand opening celebration once construction is complete!

La Hacienda - Midway

Learn more about La Hacienda here.

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

The La Hacienda Casitas are quickly moving along with over half of the 56-units underway. Once the first eight homes were completed, work began on the remaining structures, consisting of eight different housing types, as well as on laundry facilities and other community buildings. Throughout this process care was taken to preserve existing trees across the site, providing need shade and a sense of age in the place. With construction scheduled to be complete in June 2013, the first five families have moved in, already filling this new community with life.

La Hacienda First Phase

Learn more about La Hacienda Casitas and our work in the RGV.

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

Back on the La Hacienda Casitas site, the construction crews are in full swing wrapping up the first phase of homes, which are slated for completion in February 2013 and have already started the second phase, which are due in March 2013 .  By phasing the construction, the project team is able to work though details before proceeding with the remainder of the 56-unit development. As the next batch of homes are being framed, the laundry (the first of four community buildings) is also under way and the roadways have been completed. Once these initial houses are complete, the first residents of La Hacienda will be moving in to call this place their home.

Casitas Foundations 101

Learn more about La Hacienda Casitas and our work in the RGV.

By Emily Axtman

Phase 1 of La Hacienda Casitas is underway! Site work has been going on for a few months now and the streets are beginning to take shape, as seen below. Up until now, the site progress has been horizontal: dirt has been moved around and wet/dry infrastructure has been installed. Although I've seen some pretty high mounds of dirt, nothing as vertical or as exciting as a house has started...until now!

Thus far, a total of 8 foundations have been poured. So what has been involved in this process?

Standing at the northwest street corner facing the building pad of the first 10 houses.

Preparing the site:

In order to prep the site for the foundations, the Phase 1 area was first cleared 3', seen again in the photo above.

Preparing the pad:

(1) Due to soil instability in the Valley, 3' of select fill was required under each unit to ensure proper density and compaction ability. Select fill is used when native soils are not capable of adequately bearing the weight of the structure that will be built in that location.

(2) The select fill was then compacted in 6" deep increments, referred to as lifts. This process further ensures proper density and compaction.

(3) Once the fill was tested and the form-work constructed, a trencher was used to cut out the foundation lines. At this point, it looked like this:

I know what you're thinking. This photo looks the same as the last picture! If you look more closely you'll notice the built-up select fill and the beginning of the form-work.

Preparing the foundation:

The the select fill is piled high from the trenching while perimeters of the foundation are edged with form-work. After the form-work and trenching are complete, plumbing for the kitchen, bathroom, and utilities is roughed in. A plastic vapor barrier is then laid over the padding, tucked into the trenches and then stapled to the form-work. It is very important that the concrete be cast in a dry protected barrier and kept away from the soil. Continuous exposure to water and moisture can cause cracking in the concrete, leading to structural instability.

The rebar is assembled in stages onsite and set into the trenches first, then laid in a grid pattern on top of the padding. Because concrete has low tensile strength, reinforcement must be used that is high in tensile strength, such as steel rebar. Chairs, the dots in yellow above, are used to raise the rebar 2-3" above the padding. This ensures that the concrete will adhere to the rebar properly and surround it evenly. Once the rebar is inspected, it's time for the fun part... CONCRETE!

The concrete is spread evenly over the padding and into the trenches, then vibrated at the form-work edges to help the aggregate settle and release any air pockets.

Concrete is a composite material made up of an aggregate (such as stone), cement and water. When water is mixed with the dry aggregate and cement, a chemical process called hydration occurs, enabling the mixture to be molded and formed before hardening.

The timing and craft of pouring the foundation is key to the accuracy of the houses. Speaking to one of the foremen on-site, he said, "Pouring the foundations is the most stressful part of the process. Once we pour, it's final; so everything has to be right."

Once the concrete has been distributed evenly, it's roughly smoothed using a screed. As the larger aggregate begins to settle, a bull float is used to smooth the top layer of the finer aggregate. To complete the process, edge and finish trowels are used to refine the concrete surfaces.

As I learned at 5:30am in the morning, pouring concrete is an early event. In order for the concrete to set, the air temperature can't be too hot or too cold. If the temperature is below 50 degrees, the hydration process slows down; if too hot, hydration occurs too fast, causing differential temperatures in the concrete that can lead to cracking, as well as compromising the final strength of the concrete. Due to the Valley's high temperatures, it's important to start as early as possible to beat the heat.

Prior to any foundation pours, a sample is taken from the concrete trucks and tested later to verify the strength and composition of the mixture. According to the tester, the foundations will cure enough in about 3 days to start framing. Fully cured concrete takes about 21 days.

A Designer's Paradise?

Learn more about La Hacienda and our work in the RGV.

By Emily Axtman

So what is bcWORKSHOP working on in the Valley besides La Hacienda Casitas?

The short answer: a lot.

To give some perspective about architecture practices in the Valley:

The city of Dallas, at a population of about 1.2 million, has 301 professional architecture practices according to the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB) 2011 data. The city of Brownsville, at a population of 178,500, has 5 professional architecture practices.

Dallas averages 1 architecture firm for every 3,300 people. Brownsville averages 1 architect firm for every 35,600 people. So what's the big deal? Dallas has 10 times the capacity of people working towards providing better housing, public spaces and development within the city. Brownsville is in need of a greater design capacity and this is where bcWORKSHOP comes in.

Maggie Winter, a bcWORKSHOP designer, has been working toward implementing improvements for the quality of life in the LRGV since September 2011. Her projects have ranged from city-wide planning to housing and broader community development.

Justin Tirsun, a former VISTA at bcW, has been a part of the LRGV team since July 2012. Justin's main focus in the Valley has been policy research and development in the Colonias, as well as the Belden Trail. Among all of the projects, I have had the opportunity to work on the Alegria House.

Alegria House, front elevation.

bcWORKSHOP has been working with Ms. Alegria to design a new home for her and her 3 children. The Alegrias currently live in a mobile home without running water or electricity. Recently, Ms. Alegria's son was paralyzed in an accident, making accessibility part of their housing needs. Working within CDCB's Colonia Redevelopment Program, bcWORKSHOP has designed a home that will meet their needs and provide a healthy living environment. Construction is slated to begin in November!

The Colonia Redevelopment Program is a reconstruction & rehabilitation service for homeowners in Colonias currently living in homes that are not meeting their basic needs. Based on the sustainABLEhouse model,  bcW is teaming up with CDCB to offer a custom design service to the program. This opportunity directly involves the homeowners in the design and construction of their new home while remaining within the parameters of the Colonia Redevelopment Program. The bcW LRGV office is currently working with 4 families to design homes that will accommodate their needs, be energy efficient, and provide healthy living environments. We are thrilled to be working so closely with all of these families!

So now back to that OTHER housing project. What's going on with La Hacienda?! I'm excited to bring the news that the La Hacienda site has been under construction for 4 weeks now. With the infrastructural work underway (eg: water, sewer and fire lines; site-drainage and street layout) the first 8 homes will be under construction in the next couple weeks. The foundations have been staked and completion of these units is scheduled for mid-January. Stay tuned over these next few weeks: the houses are on their way!

La Hacienda site on 10/1/2012 facing east from Paloma Ln. 

La Hacienda Casitas

Learn more about La Hacienda Casitas and our work in the RGV.

By Emily Axtman

Founded on the need for safe, clean and affordable housing for families in the Lower Rio Grande Valley, the Community Development Corporation of Brownsville (CDCB) has been working with the residents of Cameron County since 1974. Their mission is to "assist low income families in attaining home ownership" and they've achieved this over the past five decades by providing more than 2,500 built homes. CDCB additionally provides home-buyer education and credit counseling, youth and job training, and colonia redevelopment, among other programs. They are the largest non-profit producer of single family affordable housing for home-ownership in the State of Texas.

bcWORKSHOP's Lower Rio Grande Valley (LRGV) team works alongside CDCB staff in their office in downtown Brownsville at 901 E. Levee Street. Current projects include:

• Colonias Planning Project (Sept. 2011-present) - Grassroots efforts to build a planning framework and platform for rural communities to self-organize and address both localized and regional community development issues including insufficient infrastructure, home repairs, safety, and public health concerns.
• Belden Trail (July 2012-present) - Community engagement and design for an urban 1-mile hike and bike trail that will run through West Brownsville.
• Alegria House (August 2012-present) - Consultation and design of a small home that, in partnership with CDCB, will provide a family of 3 with a much needed fully-accessible house.
• Self-Help and Colonia Home Design (July 2012-present) - Design services are now being offered for families that qualify with CDCB for a new home and who wish to participate in the design choices available for their new home.
• Better Block Brownsville (May 2012-present) - A monthly Saturday event that demonstrates what a "better block" can be in Brownsville including bike/pedestrian-friendly streets, outdoor cafes and shade, local vendors and music.
• La Hacienda Casitas (Feb. 2011-present) - The largest collaboration between CDCB and bcW to design CDCB's first multi-family housing development.

CDCB's office in downtown Brownsville

So how did La Hacienda Casitas get started?

I sat down with Mark Moseley, Manager of Special Programs and Initiatives at CDCB to ask him this question along with a few others. But first, let's get to know Mark!

View fullsize

La Hacienda Site Plan - The site design is focused on using a high-density housing model integrated with low-impact design. Covering just under 6 acres, the site design was informed by preserving as many existing trees as possible and centers around a long spine of central green space that provides community amenities including a meeting hall, barbeque pavilion and laundry facility. Through the integration of storm-water management (bio-swales and bio-retentions ponds) with native landscaping (native grasses, wildflowers and site-informed walking paths) a more cohesive and self-sustaining environment will be created for all residents and users.

Mark Moseley, Manager of  Multifamily Programs, has over 20 years of experience working in the community development field. Prior to joining CDCB, Mark was the Executive Director of Tri-County HDC in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Mark has completed nearly $45 million in multi-family projects utilizing Low Income Housing Tax Credits, USDA 514/516 (farmworker housing), HUD 202/811 (housing for the elderly and people with disabilities), Neighborhood Stabilization Program, CDBG (Community Development Block Grant Program), Housing Trust Fund, and PA Homeownership Choice. Mark has overseen asset management for over $55 million worth of multi-family assets. Mark also served as the Senior Housing Developer for Rural Opportunities (PathStone) in Harrisburg, PA and Housing Director with the Pélathé Indian Center in Lawrence, KS.

Mark currently oversees CDCB’s REO (Real Estate Owned) projects and is leading CDCB’s newest venture into the multi-family rental market.

Emily Axtman: CDCB typically does single-family residences as individual projects. Why did CDCB choose to do their first multi-family housing project now and in Harlingen?

Mark Mosely: With the downfall of the single-family market, a multi-family housing project made sense financially for CDCB and also will provide more families with more housing in less amount of time and space.

La Hacienda view south down "Center Street". The porches were designed to encourage more interaction among La Hacienda residents and xeroscaping will allow for low site-maintenance and require less water; both contributing to the project's focus on the importance of community and sustainability.

EA: Why did CDCB choose the property in Harlingen over other sites?

MM: The location was originally supposed to be on the outskirts of Cameron Park [one of the Cameron County colonias], however it was known that the site in Harlingen would receive one additional point on the tax credit application, [this was necessary in order to do the project] so CDCB went ahead with the Harlingen site. Securing the site in Harlingen essentially meant a better chance at receiving the tax credit and the project actually going through. CDCB will be leasing the land from the Cameron County Housing Authority for 75 years.

EA: How did bcWORKSHOP become involved and why?

MM: CDCB interviewed several architecture firms to take on CDCB's first multi-family housing project; most were qualified, however bcWORKSHOP stood out in that CDCB felt they shared the same philosophy and over-arching values.

EA: What has been the biggest challenge of the project so far?

[This is where Mark paused. I could tell he had a list...]

MM: Taxing laws, the platting process, it's been very political — the most political project I've worked on actually, working with architects...

And then Mark paused and asked, "Are you going to publish this?"  When I told him yes, he stopped his list at that.

Planning for La Hacienda has been a complex process since its inception. Many entities are involved — the CDC, funders, banks, designers, contractors — not to mention this is CDCB's first time taking on a project at this scale. After tying up loose ends over the past 2 months, the project has finally broken ground and is quickly moving along!

But La Hacienda isn't the ONLY project going on here in the Valley. I have been working with Maggie and Justin, the other team members of the LRGV crew, on several other exciting projects. Find out more about these projects in the next post!