The corner of Santiam Road and Main Street on Dec. 10, 2024.
Bike rides through the east end of old Albany occasionally take me past the corner of Main Street and Santiam Road, the former site of the historic Cumberland Church. Now the corner has a new look.
Before Yohn Baldwin, owner of Baldwin General Contracting, bought the former church lot from the city of Albany in 2022, he had envisioned a little pocket park at the corner. But the city required a stormwater retention facility instead.
Will this facility ever be needed to manage runoff from the nine-space parking lot behind it? Probably not.
Baldwin says that after two days of heavy rain a couple of weeks ago, there was “zero water accumulation.”
He told me, “The site work contractor that built it said it’s probably four or five times bigger than it needs to be. But it’s an interesting feature for the corner.”
Similar rainwater swales elsewhere in Albany are surrounded with chain link fences. This one, as you can see, has a handsome border of wooden posts and rails.
The feature also has been planted with trees. Imagine what the place will look like once the trees and other plantings are grown. It might take on the appearance of a little park after all.
The swale cost about $85,000 to put in, Baldwin said. There might have been a way to make it less expensive. But the way it was done makes it qualify as the spiffiest street corner in town. (hh)
I think it’s great that Mr. Baldwin took a city requirement a step further and made it actually attractive. Baldwin General Contracting has done a great job with making their building and parking area look inviting.
I hope the street life doesn’t vandalize it
Not clear to me; who paid the $85,000 since the City required it.
Wow, why have these swales become all the rage in the last 10 years or so? Has it only started raining in these parts since then? And I’m sorry, but how did it cost $85k for that?!
Look at the drain system that’s hooked to the City storm sewer in the very unlikely case the swale fills up. There’s a lot of underground work to connect it to the storm water sewer. Can you imagine the fees the City charges because they can?
I love your articles. You have made my algorithm. Keep it up!