The Ramble

A mixed-use redevelopment project that hugs Broad Creek

The Ramble is the result of a collaboration with the Town of Laurel and the University of Delaware.  The project’s purpose was to work with community to suggest ideas for the revitalization of the downtown and to provide specific landscape design recommendations for the waterfront. Three specific objectives for the project were:

• To improve the sense of connectedness through a user-friendly greenway extending between existing parks.
• To design a highly visible residential project, consistent with the architectural style of the town and ecological restoration values.
• To propose a mixed-use design alternative for Thompson Block, to be included in the long-term vision of the Laurel Redevelopment Corporation.

The project embraces the asset Broad Creek but also takes into account its challenges – e.g., location in a floodplain.  The design calls for a nature-based park for children, cottage-style homes, a kayak launch, village green area, emphasis on nature tourism, and new businesses that support the vision for the project and town.

The project was unveiled to town citizens and partners in 2014 and continues to attract funding for continued planning, design of green infrastructure best practices, branding, nature tourism marketing potential and other supportive activities.