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Rodney Reservoir Demolition
The Rodney Street Reservoir is a City-owned structure that occupies a large block in the Hilltop area of Wilmington. The reservoir was constructed in the early 1900s and consisted of a large, covered concrete tank with earthen berms on four sides.
Historically, the reservoir did not function well hydraulically. Consequently, it was removed from service decades ago.
Hinge Collective, a landscape architecture firm, was selected by the Rodney Reservoir Advisory Committee to create a conceptual design, including community engagement. Visit Hinge Collective's website to explore more about the firm and its past projects. For more information on the redevelopment efforts, read below.
- 1 Rodney Street Rervoir - General Construction New
- 2 Rodney Street Rervoir - Showing Band Stand and Shelter House
- 3 Aerial View of Rodney Street Rervoir Lot
- 4 Rodney Street Reservoir and Water Tower
- 5 Schematic of Rodney Street Rervoir Facility
- 6 Rodney Street Rervoir - Showing Slab and Beam Forms with Reinforcement
The original Rodney Reservoir was constructed in 1863 as an open-air finished water reservoir.
- This reservoir remained in service until 1908 when it was abandoned.
- In December 1915 work began on the current Rodney Reservoir, a 7.5 MG covered finished water tank.
- This reservoir remained in service until the 1990s when it was abandoned due to water quality issues.
The demolition is expected to occur over the next four months with demolition activities planned to take place on weekdays between 8 am to 5 pm. The active construction area will be the City-owned property between N Rodney Street and N Clayton Street and from W 8th Street to W 9th Street. Completion of the project as quickly as possible is the goal of all parties involved.
Visit the City of Wilmington website to read the full community notification.
Demolition of the reservoir must take place to eliminate the safety issue with the property. The City understands that this property is important to the residents in the vicinity of the reservoir. This property is also important to the City as a whole. Consequently, the City endeavors to complete the project with minimal disruption and in a sustainable manner. To achieve this outcome, the following project goals have been established:
- Eliminate current safety hazards: The structural integrity of the concrete roof of the Rodney Street Reservoir has deteriorated over the years and has begun to fail. The roof covers more than 40% of the property and poses a potential safety risk to the public. To eliminate this risk, the concrete reservoir will be demolished. This provides an opportunity to regrade the property for beneficial use.
- Minimize the volume of material moving in and out of the site during demolition: The City understands the public's concern with construction vehicles impacting local traffic, deteriorating road conditions and creating noise pollution. To minimize the amount of material being removed from site, the majority of the demolition material processed and utilized on site to backfill the reservoir volume and help create the proposed final grading.
- Maximize the amount of usable greenspace for the final condition: The top of the reservoir is at a higher elevation than the rest of the property with dirt slopes around the structure that tie into the surrounding grade. The final grading for the site will eliminate those dirt slopes and provide a relatively flat, open terrain between Eighth Street and the public garden space on the north (Ninth Street) side of the property.
- Generally maintain the appearance of the property: The outside border of the property contains mature trees, sidewalks and wrought iron fencing with brick columns. These will remain in the final condition. The property also contains the public garden space between the access stairs located off Clayton and Rodney Streets. The public garden will also be maintained.
- Recycle as much material as possible: Demolition activities at the reservoir will create numerous opportunities for the City to be sustainable. Concrete, brick and masonry demolition materials will be used onsite wherever possible. Where materials cannot be used onsite they will be taken to local material recycling facilities.
- Minimize noise generation: The property is located near residential areas as well as the Saint Francis Hospital and the Padua Academy. To minimize noise pollution, truck entry and exit will be restricted to Eight Street. The earthen berms along Clayton, Rodney and Ninth Street will be left in place as long as possible to act as noise barriers. The contractor will also be required to select methods and equipment that are best suited for a residential location.
- Manage stormwater effectively: The proposed regrading of the property will not impact stormwater in the area. Existing stormwater inlets and piping will be maintained. If stormwater improvements need to be made, there may be an opportunity to incorporate improvements into the scope of the demolition project.
The following are some of the anticipated approaches that may be used by the Contractor to complete the demolition project in accordance with the goals presented above:
- Demolition will include the removal of the top slab, columns, walls and gate house. Trees, sidewalks, fencing, columns, the public garden space, the radio tower and the stairs on Rodney and Clayton Streets will remain.
- Contractors will enter and exit the site from Eighth Street. A portion of the fencing will be removed and stored for reinstallation. Brick columns will remain and be protected.
- Erosion and sediment control best management practices will be employed during the demolition activities. The work area will be protected by temporary fencing for safety reasons.
- Existing water piping that is no longer required will be decommissioned, disconnected or removed.
- Demolition will start from Eighth Street and work towards Ninth Street. As demolition is performed, to the extent possible the berms around the site will be maintained to minimize noise generation.
- The majority of the work is anticipated to be completed by excavators with processing attachments ("munchers"). This equipment would reduce concrete materials to a reasonable size and allow for separation of recyclable material.
- Crushed demolition materials will be spread across the reservoir foundation. Existing soils will then be spread over the area to create a finished grade of approximately 1% across the site moving from Eighth Street towards Ninth Street. Topsoil will be added if required.
- At the conclusion of the project, the site will be a fully graded and seeded grass area.
- Materials will be reused or recycled where possible.
- Damaged sidewalks and pavement will be replaced.
- It is anticipated that the work will take approximately 4 months to complete.
Find environmental testing documents below:
- Soil Sampling Testing Scenario Guidelines (PDF)
- DNREC-RS Approval of Environmental Monitoring Work Plan - December 21, 2023 (PDF)
- Verdantas Environmental Monitoring Work Plan for Rodney Reservoir Site - Revised December 19, 2023 (PDF)
- DNREC-RS Approval of Supplemental Soil Sampling Report - October 24, 2023 (PDF)
- Rodney Reservoir Supplemental Soil Sampling Report prepared by Verdantas - October 10, 2023 (PDF)
- Rodney Reservoir Demolition Environmental Considerations Memorandum (DEI Project Number 718018) - October 9, 2023 (PDF)
- Rodney Reservoir Supplemental Soil Sampling Report prepared by Verdantas - September 13, 2023 (PDF)
- Rodney Reservoir Soil Report prepared by Verdantas - February 7, 2023 (PDF)
- Rodney Reservoir Gatehouse Additional Sampling for Asbestos prepared by Harvard Environmental, Inc. - December 9, 2022 (PDF)
- State of Delaware Rodney Reservoir Asbestos Report - October 18, 2022 (PDF)
The plan provided below in Figure 1 shows the existing reservoir with various section cuts indicated (blue lines with arrows). Views of these cross-sections are shown on the attached Figure 2. On Figure 2, existing grade is shown in green with the new proposed grade shown in blue.
- Rodney Reservoir Demolition Project Overview submitted by D'Huy Engineering, Incorporated (DEI) (PDF)
- Rodney Reservoir Structural Condition Assessment prepared by Gredell and Associates Structural Engineers (PDF)
- Rodney Reservoir Demolition Drawings (PDF)
- Attachment C - Rodney Street Reservoir Design Drawings (PDF)
- Who Owns and Maintains the Space?
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The City of Wilmington Water Department owns the Rodney Reservoir site.
- Are There Safety Concerns Because of Underground Water?
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There are no safety concerns due to underground water. Safety concerns center around the roof of the tank. The beams are in fairly good shape, but areas of the roof are not (4 inches thick). The structural evaluation is available on the City of Wilmington website here. The last structural evaluation completed by an engineering firm of the condition of the underground covered water tank was completed in 2006. The evaluation identified structural issues with a portion of the roof of the water tank. The 2006 engineers' report recommended repairs and provided an estimate for the cost of repairs. There has been no structural evaluation of the condition of the underground water tank since 2006.
It is a community priority to address overall safety issues at the future site, for example, through design features that support stewardship and programmatic measures.
- Why Was the Fence Put In?
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The site perimeter fence was installed during the period 2003-2004. At that time, the City announced plans to revitalize the site and open it for public events, but those improvements were never implemented. It was at this time that the music pavilion and the viewing tower were removed as well. In 2010 residents launched a successful effort to create a community garden on the lower portion of the site, restoring some access to the site by members of the public. The interior chain link fence was put in place in 2010-2012 after the City was made aware the roof was unsafe and a threat to public safety.
Additional information about the community's efforts to restore public access to the Rodney Reservoir site can be found on the Green for the Greater Good website.
- What Is the Stabilization Plan That Engineers Are Using?
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Vincent Carroccia, Department of Public Works Deputy Commissioner:
That's why it was fenced off. They were envisioning putting it back in service. Our (City of Wilmington's) plan was to demo, munch concrete, and grade the site.
The Mayor's perspective and Public Works Department's perspective is that we are moving forward, and with estimated demolition to start in January. The selected Landscape Architect firm will work closely with the City of Wilmington and their demolition plans. The preliminary design requested as a deliverable of this RFP should integrate existing and/or include solutions to address the safety concerns associated with the buried water tank. Some members of the community have advocated for the preliminary design process to be completed before the City proceeds with demolition at the Rodney Reservoir site. It is also the desire of the Rodney Reservoir Advisory Committee that the preliminary design inform all future actions the City takes at the site.
- Does Contract Award for This Project Preclude the Selected Team From Participating in Later Phases of the Rodney Reservoir Park Project?
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The PSA for the design phase will not preclude you in engaging in later phases of the project. The selected team should have the capacity to continue through later phases of the Rodney Reservoir Park project. Contracts for additional design work for later phases of the project will be independent of the current RFP process for the development of a preliminary design and budget.
- Under the Proposal Submissions Requirements, It Asks for a Timeline, Deliverables, and Budget. Could You Elaborate on What You Are Looking For in Terms of Fee? Is a Lump Sum Amount Acceptable?
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A lump sum is preferable for the RFP. Costs should be itemized to give details about the proposed activities and workflow. The RFP will be reviewed by the 13-member Advisory Committee and pricing will be one component of the evaluation criteria.
- Can You Please Identify the Target Budget for Professional Design Services for This Project?
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Not at this time. The RFP will be reviewed by the 13-member Advisory Committee and pricing will be one component of the evaluation criteria.
- Is D’Huy Permitted to Serve as a Structural Consultant to Design Teams, or Do They Remain a Consultant to the City?
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D'Huy will be able to work with the design team. Any work the engineering firm will do on behalf of the selected firm will be handled as a sub-consultant to the Landscape Architect.
- For the Submission, Are Download Links to the Proposal an Acceptable Form of Submission or Must the Document Be Attached to an Email and, If So, Is There a Size Limit?
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Downloadable links are acceptable. The size limit is 30 gigabytes.
- Will the City Provide Any Survey Information and/or Will AutoCAD Files of the Site Be Available for the Selected Consultants’ Use?
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View Attachment C - Rodney Street Reservoir Design Drawings (PDF) of the 2022 Rodney Reservoir Survey 2022.
- During the Site Evaluation Phase, Is the Selected Firm Expected to Provide Any Assessment Within the Safety Fence at the Top of the Site Beyond What Is Visible from the Exterior of the Fence?
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The fence is in place because the roof of the structure is not safe. No one is permitted to cross the fence line.
- Is Access to All the University Documents Prepared for the Community Charrettes Available to the Consultant for Reference?
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The summary information from the Community Park Design Charette Information was included as an attachment in the RFP (PDF).
At the Community Design Charrette in June residents began to think through the need to balance access, safety, usable space and elevation in the final design. There is strong community support for creating a strong sense of place in the design of the future park. Find more information about the Community Park Design Charrette on the Green for the Greater Good website.
Once the firm is selected and launches the design process, all other documents from the Community Park Design Charrette will be made available to the consultant for reference. It is recommended that the firm will also meet with the organizers of the charrette for more background on and materials resulting from that process.
- Can You Provide Some Clarification on the Level of Design Desired as an Outcome of This Process?
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We are looking for concept plans sufficient to develop an accurate cost estimate.
- Can You Provide Any Insight on the Amount of Funds Available for This Effort and Whether These Funds Come with Any Reporting Requirements?
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The RFP will be reviewed by the Advisory Committee and pricing will be one component of the evaluation criteria. There are no reporting requirements at this time.
- Is There an Opportunity to Consider Retaining the Structure, to Be Repurposed in Some Way per Community Interest? If So, Was a Structural Assessment Done as Part of Previous Engineering Studies?
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A structural engineering report was completed in 2006 and is available on the City of Wilmington website.
There is some community support that firms include an engineering component/previous experience in their proposal to determine the condition and constraints of the site in order to inform the design.
- Is It Recommended/Expected That a Structural Engineer Be Included on the Design Team to Assess the Structural Integrity of the Reservoir?
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If any structural components of the reservoir were retained, it would be up to the consultant design team to determine it was structurally sound.
- Is It Expected That We Will Include a Civil Engineer on Our Team, or Is There a Civil Engineer Selected by the City That We Would Coordinate With?
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Jim Lober, with KCI Technologies, is our civil engineer. It would be the responsibility of the design firm.
The deliverable for this project is a preliminary design that incorporates community input and identifies any gaps in information that would inhibit the design work. The complexity of the site may require that firms work with the City of Wilmington's Civil and Structural engineering firms. Additionally, firms with these services in-house or with similar experience working with civil and structural engineers will demonstrate the capacity to develop a design for the future Rodney Reservoir Park.
- Is There a Budget for This Phase of the Project?
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The RFP will be reviewed by the Rodney Reservoir Advisory Committee and pricing will be one component of the evaluation criteria.
- Is There a Timeline When You Anticipate This Work Will Be Completed?
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We anticipate the design phase to be completed by December 31, 2023.
- How Many Members of the Community Do You Anticipate Will Participate in the Community Engagement Meetings?
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We have a thirteen-member advisory committee.
An expected 100 to 200 people will participate in meetings over the course of the community engagement process. Eighty residents and other stakeholders participated in the design Charette organized earlier this year by the community group Green for the Greater Good.
- Should We Assume a Professional Cost Estimator Is on the Team?
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As part of the RFP, we are asking that the deliverables include an estimated cost of the proposed design.
- Can You Provide Additional Information on What Level of Documentation the Mayor’s Office Requests to Inform Their Decision to Demolish the Defunct Water Tank as Early as January 2024?
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This would be based upon the design effort and ultimately be the Mayor's decision to delay demolition.
There is some community support for any sitework at the Rodney Reservoir, including the demolition of the defunct water tank, to flow from the park design developed through the community design process outlined in this RFP. Residents have asked the City of Wilmington to hold off on demolition, including preparing specifications and bid documents, until the conclusion of the design process outlined in this RFP. Ideally, the preliminary design and cost estimate will represent a strong consensus vision for the future of the Rodney Reservoir that includes significant community input in collaboration with representatives of the City of Wilmington that can serve as the foundation for decision-making about the next steps, including fundraising to make the design a reality.
- Are There Any Concerns for Contamination?
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Vince Carroccia, City of Wilmington Public Works Deputy Commissioner:
Verdantas soil samples were taken. A full report completed by independent third-party experts is available on the City of Wilmington website. Elevated levels of Cobalt were found in multiple samples. Additional testing was conducted. The cobalt findings do not meet regulatory risk levels. The full recommendations are available in the report located on the City of Wilmington website.
The safety of the site is of utmost concern of the Advisory Committee, the City of Wilmington and the community. The City of Wilmington will comply with DNREC, OSHA, and all regulatory entities to evaluate possible contamination. Some members of the community are asking for additional environmental testing, specifically of the concrete water tank and pipe work before demolition due to the fact that the original specs for the construction of the Rodney Reservoir called for the use of coal cinders in the concrete mix and as fill, and for the use of lead in pipe joints.
- What Are the Environmental Issues?
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Third-party environmental companies were hired to conduct an independent assessment and report, available on the City of Wilmington website.
A total of 19 samples have been taken from around the site. Elevated cobalt was found. Additional site testing was conducted. Recommendations are included in the report. The City is working closely with DNREC on submitting a modified residential risk assessment. After review, DNREC-RS will provide comment on how the soil from the site should be managed.
Some members of the community are asking for additional environmental testing, specifically of the concrete water tank and pipe work before demolition due to the fact that the original specs for the construction of the Rodney Reservoir called for the use of coal cinders in the concrete mix and as fill, and for the use of lead in pipe joints.
The safety of the site is of utmost concern of the Rodney Reservoir Advisory Committee, the City of Wilmington and the community. The City of Wilmington will comply with DNREC, OSHA, and all regulatory entities to evaluate possible contamination.
- The Scope Doesn't Include To/Through Environmental?
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The scope for this RFP does not include any environmental testing or remediation.
Some members of the community are asking for additional environmental testing, specifically of the concrete water tank and pipe work before demolition due to the fact that the original specs for the construction of the Rodney Reservoir called for the use of coal cinders in the concrete mix and as fill, and for the use of lead in pipe joints.
The intent of the RFP process is to hire a landscape architect that can develop an understanding of the environmental condition of the site and use this information to inform design choices included in the scope of this project, including during demolition/site work phase.
- Has the City Held an Engineering Team for the Project That We’d Be Working With? If Not, Should We Include an Engineering Subconsultant for Civil/Structural Services as Part of Our Fee Proposal?
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Yes. The City has retained D'Huy Engineering for Civil and Structural engineering services.
The deliverable for this project is a preliminary design that incorporates community input and identifies any gaps in information that would inhibit the design work. The complexity of the site may require that firms work with the City of Wilmington's Civil and Structural engineering firms. Additionally, firms with these services in-house or with similar experience working with civil and structural engineers will demonstrate the capacity to develop a design for the future Rodney Reservoir Park.
- Did the City Hire Engineering Firms for the Past Reservoir Demolition Plans? Please Detail Capacity to Work With These Firms and the City in Resolving Water Tank and Site-Related Issues.
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Yes. The City has retained D'Huy Engineering for Civil and Structural engineering services.
The deliverable for this project is a preliminary design that incorporates community input and identifies any gaps in information that would inhibit the design work. The complexity of the site may require that firms work with the City of Wilmington's Civil and Structural engineering firms. Additionally, firms with these services in-house or with similar experience working with civil and structural engineers will demonstrate the capacity to develop a design for the future Rodney Reservoir Park.
- Is It Anticipated the Reservoir Will Be Demolished Per Previous Planning (and Funding)?
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Yes, the Mayor would like the demolition of the site to begin as soon as possible. The anticipated start date is in January.
Residents have asked the City of Wilmington to hold off on demolition, including preparing specifications and bid documents, until the conclusion of the design process outlined in this RFP.
- What Is the Selection Process?
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The 13-member Rodney Reservoir Advisory Committee, appointed by the Mayor, and made up of residents, community leaders, and City of Wilmington officials, will select three or four firms for interviews, ideally from October 18 to 23. The Committee will then immediately vote to select the firm for hire.