With construction of Myrtle Avenue Pedestrian Plaza approaching, this post is the first in a series highlighting particular amenities and attributes of the design.  For the first post, we’ll look at street trees.

Currently, there are only 6 street trees on the south side of Myrtle Avenue between Hall and Emerson.  After construction, there will be: 9 Honeylocusts; 12 Pagodas; 6 Zelkovas (pictured above in the “The Bosque”), 5 Pin Oaks, and 8 Amelanchiers.  On the north side, 6 street trees will be added to the existing mix of 10 trees.  The net gain is 40 trees.

As fantastic as that will be, the trees’ roots will be given extra space to grow with Structural Soil.  Because of that extra space and the maintenance that our BID will provide, the city will plant larger trees than normal.  Generally, new street trees have a trunk diameter of 2-3 inches.  Many of the new plaza trees will have a diameter of 5-6 inches.  This will ensure a fuller tree canopy from day 1.

Stay tuned for more updates…