Our project at Seaplane Lagoon celebrates this historic multi-modal hub with a dynamic mix of placemaking and environmental stewardship.
In 1935 Pan American World Airways launched a flying boat named the China Clipper from the shores of Alameda to points all over Asia. Today, the lagoon where that seaplane took flight is poised to be the crown jewel in the redevelopment of the Naval Air Station at Alameda Point. This new development will be a transit-oriented mixed-use, mixed-income community built around the new Seaplane Lagoon Ferry Terminal, a robust intermodal transportation system capable of moving people almost anywhere in the Bay. To support the growth of this critical transit hub, Groundworks Office developed a functional and resilient landscape strategy.
We designed the 10,000-square-foot stormwater basin to sequester and scrub water runoff from the temporary parking lot serving the area. It celebrates the native flora and provides a rich habitat for the monarchs and pollinator species that will help revitalize the entire community. We also worked hand-in-hand with Alameda’s Transportation Department to implement several of NACTO’s best practices for bicycle and pedestrian facilities, making sure this transit hub is safe for all commuters — not just those using the SF Bay Ferry service and AC Transit, but also those connecting from nearby Bay Trail and Cross Alameda Trail.
With safe habitats for bikers and bees, and an exciting vision for the dynamic new urban coast, the place where PanAm once connected American to Asia will once again play a pivotal role in inspiring new connections and growing new communities.