Our Reservoir Sketchup!

The Jersey City Reservoir Preservation Alliance is working with an architectual firm to develop plans for the future usage of the site.  The rendering to the left is the official working "map" used by the Alliance.  Key Design Principles of the new Reservoir site include:
  1. A Formal Site Plan, with incremental phases of development.
  2. Preserve the feeling of a secluded, quiet natural retreat from the surrounding city and the feeling of being “out in nature” in an un-manicured environment.
  3. Preserve and enhance existing flora and fauna including trees and meadows
    1. but remove selected invasive noxious species such as poison ivy, ailanthus, etc.
    2. favor sustainable native plantings.
  4. Establish a wildlife sanctuary with enhanced habitats, including along the Eastern shore, and entire Reservoir site is to be nature-friendly.
  5. Preserve and highlight historical structures, fabric, and material described in the Historic Structure Report on the Reservoir.
  6. Preserve and adaptively re-use Gatehouses for environmental education, historic education, art gallery space, and Reservoir volunteer meetings. Preserve Tower as Reservoir icon with future access as a lookout point.
  7. New construction would be minimally visually intrusive in size, color, design, and material. Improvements would be built with sustainable materials, using materials already on site if possible.
  8. Preserve open waters and wetlands and enhance still and running water, (adding waterfalls, a stream descending from the gatehouse etc.) Running waters/waterfalls would filter, aerate, and promote the heath of, the lake. Devise a way to maintain a more constant water level. Design a variety of natural shorelines.
  9. Recreational access to water for boating and fishing. A safe way for children to play in water
  10. Perimeter trail with bridge over Jefferson Ave. entrance, interior trails and boardwalk with benches and scenic overlooks. Safe, level areas for seniors and handicapped.
  11. Boathouse and dock.
  12. Grassy field/beach for picnicking/relaxation. Keep the island, and hilly terrain and bluff rocks on the North-Western shoreline.
  13. Security. A perimeter fence on the walls, aesthetically consistent with the site, and where necessary at street level, to secure site when the Reservoir is closed. Also explore CCTV security.
  14. Minimal artificial lighting.
  15. Restrooms/water fountains, vandal resistant.
  16. Maintain the Reservoir’s current function/ability to absorb water runoff during rainstorms so it does not contribute to flooding the city sewer system during heavy rains.
Project Reservoir students researched the Reservoir Alliance's proposed plan for the future design of the reservoir site and expressed interest in wanting to contribute to the design.  After a few internet searches they discovered a program called Google SketchUp that allowed them to create a three dimensional architectural model of their "ideal" reservoir.  They immediately self-educated themselves through online tutorials and learned principles of architecture and engineering to help achieve their objective of providing the community with a 3D view of the proposed usage of the reservoir property while incorporating new features created by the Project Reservoir team.