Ferrous Foundry Park was built on the vacant 4.5-acre Ferrous Site in Lawrence’s North Canal National Historic District between the Merrimack River and the North Canal. In collaboration with Groundwork Lawrence, the project team designed a park that would help revitalize and transform the mixed-use neighborhood. The park includes an overlook with a pavilion that welcomes community gatherings, an arboretum, accessible pathways for recreational use, and green infrastructure features to infiltrate stormwater running off from the adjacent industrial property.
The project required permitting through the Lawrence Conservation Commission due to its close proximity to numerous wetland resource areas. Nitsch prepared the Notice of Intent which described the impacts and improvements to each resource area and presented the project to the Commission. The hearing was successfully closed in one meeting.
The park utilizes low impact development design and improves the water quality of runoff from the site. This is especially important because the surrounding water bodies were considered impaired, containing E. Coli, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and phosphorus. Nitsch implemented stormwater best management practices including an infiltration trench and a bioretention area with sediment forebay.
Key Collaborators
Owner: Groundwork Lawrence
Landscape Architect: Stimson
