Case Study Overview
As 2009 opens, the Noisette Company, LLC is set to implement the first phase of major infrastructure development at its 340-acre Navy Yard at Noisette.

The Navy Yard consists of the northern end of the former U.S. Naval Base in North Charleston, S.C., which was closed in 1996 as part of the Clinton Administration’s Base Realignment and Closure Commission process. Implementation of major infrastructure at the Navy Yard—including storm water management systems, new roads, power grids and urban design features—will have a sweeping impact on an economically depressed area which has witnessed a renaissance since the Noisette redevelopment was first announced in 2001.

Ultimately, the Navy Yard redevelopment will transform the existing brownfields from its century-long military industrial uses into a mixed-use, sustainable urban district which heralds new office, commercial, academic, retail and residential buildings. Over a projected build-out of more than 20 years, the Noisette Company will directly develop the Navy Yard into the “New American City,” a model for sustainable urban revitalization in the United States with up to 6 million square feet of commercial space, and 5,000-plus new residential units.

Overall, the focal point of the first phase of infrastructure is the Powerhouse Basin, a regional storm water management facility that includes piping and support structures, part of a 10.5 acre reflecting pond that is a centerpiece of the Noisette redevelopment. Like much of the flat coastal plain encompassing the South Carolina Lowcountry, the Navy Yard is prone to flooding and ground water pollutants during summer months. The basin will alleviate recurring flooding and provide water quality improvements to storm water run-off at the Navy Yard with adjacent neighborhoods.

In addition to the Powerhouse Basin, new infrastructure, including road realignment, demolition, removal or relocation of existing utilities and structures within the projects’ footprint remain a top priority. Overall, storm water mitigation is part of a sustainable infrastructure plan outlined in the overall North Charleston Noisette Community Master Plan that includes the Navy Yard.

Upon completion, the storm water management facility will allow construction of new roads around the basins, coupled with installation of new water, sanitary and sewer services, becoming a catalyst for first-phase redevelopment of the entire 340 acres.

LEED-ND Pilot
As the Navy Yard reflects sustainable design, the redevelopment effort is recognized as a pilot project for the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design for Neighborhood Development (LEED-ND). LEED-ND practices have been incorporated into the design and construction specifications of the basin. Other public utility structures at the basin will extensively use recycled and reclaimed materials in the construction process, employing waste minimization procedures throughout the project.

Currently, the first phase of redevelopment is expected to require between 18 to 24 months for completion. Construction of the storm water management basins will involve the excavation of 180,000 cubic yards of material, in addition to the installation of 45,000 square feet of a perimeter concrete retaining wall. The placement of approximately 2,500 cubic yards of cast-in place concrete for a basin partition, wall, and inlet and outlet structures, is at the heart of the basin’s construction. The construction of the new roads with some 5,500 lineal feet of roadways, water lines, in addition to sanitary and storm water sewer piping, represent the first steps in building new infrastructure that will spur the evolution of North Charleston into a sustainable city.

Infrastructure is pivotal to the redevelopment of the historic neighborhoods that encircle the Navy Yard. In 2005, The Noisette redevelopment received the prestigious American Society of Landscape Architects Award for Excellence for the Master Plan, which envisions a fully sustainable community within a generation.

Today, a new “green” entrepreneurial spirit has blossomed in the redevelopment of North Charleston Noisette Community which surrounds the Navy Yard. The Noisette Community boasts the first LEED Platinum building in South Carolina, which was developed for Half-Moon Outfitters. North Charleston Elementary School became the first LEED certified school in the state. Oak Terrace Preserve, a fully green 55-acre urban infill residential neighborhood, received a number of “top” listings in 2008.

In addition to housing 65 local businesses, government agencies, architecture design firms, and over 20 non-profit agencies, the Navy Yard boasts a burgeoning business community of sustainable enterprises. The Navy Yard includes a major regional recycling company, a green headquarters for a southeastern U.S. construction engineering firm, and a bio-diesel plant. A private developer is currently renovating a 40,000 square-foot building into a technology industry incubator.

In addition, the Noisette Company has renovated a 1930s WPA building at the Navy Yard into 10 Storehouse Row, a Building Arts and Designer Center, which includes 14 artist studios, architect’s offices, and a restaurant. 10 Storehouse Row is anchored by the American College of Building Arts, the nation’s first four-year undergraduate program for traditional building arts.

Clemson University is master planning an 82-acre branch campus adjacent to the Navy Yard, the Clemson University Restoration Institute (CURI). The Institute will research new restoration technologies, such as the development of non-corrosive sustainable metals and building materials. CURI currently is restoring the Civil War submarine H.L. Hunley, the first submarine to sink a warship in battle.

The Navy Yard is now listed as part of the National Register of Historic Places. Many of the Navy Yard are eligible for state and federal historic tax credits. In addition, new market tax credits are available to qualifying commercial projects.

Along with its role as master developer of the Navy Yard, The Noisette Company provides property management and leasing services. The company’s headquarters at 7 Storehouse Row was built as part of a LEED Commercial Interiors pilot program.

Recently, the Navy Yard has been the focus of news stories on FOX Business News, along with national newspapers like the Wall Street Journal, and the New York Times, as the project is increasingly viewed as a global model of sustainable urban revitalization. With the Obama Administration touting the promise of creating green collar jobs in a recessionary economy, The Noisette Community stands at the forefront of sustainability, with green schools, homes, commercial projects and building renovations.

The vision for the Navy Yard at Noisette and surrounding North Charleston Noisette Community, is to create a sustainable, socially durable, economically diverse community that will serve as a model for urban redevelopment.

For more information, go online to www.navyyardsc.com, for a link to Our Journey to Sustainability 2001-2007, which provides a comprehensive overview of the project.

Lessons Learned
The Noisette Company, a company based on Triple Bottom Line principles, adhered to a strategy for the Navy Yard at Noisette that sustainability is more than just green buildings. Revitalization means considering both the current and long-term impact of every decision based on social needs, environmental health, and economic vitality. The project partners strove to:

• Develop a community-driven master plan. More than 2,000 residents were involved in neighborhood planning for the Noisette Community, providing input in the master plan for their future. Sustainability will thrive only as a product of the community.
• Promote revitalization of the regional eco-system. As part of its agreement with the City of North Charleston, The Noisette Company is restoring the Noisette Creek Preserve, and its associated wetlands via the Noisette Foundation and its environmental and non-profit programs, Michaux Conservancy. The project is part of a $30 million project encompassing 135 acres. The Powerhouse Basin is ecologically sensitive, designed to filter storm water pollutants out of wetlands.
• Develop an institutional framework of non-profits to foster a sustainable culture. With the demands of redeveloping a brownfield in an economically depressed area, The Noisette Company was instrumental in setting up the community-oriented 501 (c) 3 organization, The Noisette Foundation. Spawned within the institutional framework of the foundation are the Sustainability Institute, which works with Noisette Community, assisting in residential energy savings programs, the Lowcountry Civic Justice Corps, a program developed to combat recidivism and prisoner re-entry, and the Lowcountry HUB Academy (Historically Underutilized Businesses), which works with existing minority business owners in developing business management skills.

Keith F. West is a writer and corporate communications consultant who lives in Charleston, S.C. He can be reached at keithfwest@comcast.net.