For the second time in 6 months, the original Ninfa’s at 2704 Navigation has a brand new parking lot surface. The owners hope this one will last a whole lot longer than the sog-prone crushed-limestone install that crews replaced prematurely last week (see photo above). “There were potholes everywhere,” declares a press release put out by the manufacturer of its replacement. Here’s a pic of how it looked before (found-in-place jalapeño included for scale and local flavor):
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The new surface is crushed granite, spread within and between a series of interlocking pavers made of recycled HDPE plastic. It’s meant to allow water to flow into its sub-base after a downpour, to save both downstream neighbors and the parking lot itself from flooding:
TrueGrid, the permeable paving system’s manufacturer, has its headquarters behind the (concrete) parking lot of the Sawyer Heights Target.
Photos: Barry Stiles (jalapeño); TrueGrid (all others)
Gonna be hell to walk with high heels in that parking lot after a couple Ninfaritas. Can you say broken ankles?
Impressive – please provide photos after tonight’s deluge
I don’t understand their aversion to concrete.
These are the same things they have at the yellow lot at NRG complex, saw them while attending FPSF.
@Benjy: I’m assuming it’s an aversion to the impermeable surface area tax.
I wonder if the city should start offering incentives to business that use something other than concrete for their lots. This won’t work in every situation, but there are many circumstances where it would, and I think the impact on our drainage could really benefit.
@Memebag: I worked for the firm that redesigned that parking lot back in 2007, which I believe was before the tax was instituted, and they didn’t pave with concrete then. Owners were trying to save money then, which is why they are re-paving now.
The incentive is that you can avoid building a detention pond and still have all of the parking you need.
Have you seen this lately? It has been asphalted over. Poor application for this type of product. I knew this would fail the first time I saw it. Misapplication of these types of systems happen often. there is a right place for these, and this was not it. Go Look at White Oak Music Hall. Same issues.