Water Access a form of connectivity which can be made available for properties near major water bodies. Bay Shore, Long Island, a small community located on the Long Island Sound and a connection point for the boats to Fire Island. In the sixties, the city retained Patrick F. Kane as their consultant to develop a plan for the future of their central area. He recognized the value of the potential water access and recommended a plan that allowed for the construction of canals within the existing residential neighborhoods, providing residents with direct water access.
In the mid-seventies, Kane was retained by a property owner with a significant land holding in the town of Hampton, Virginia. He, together with his team from the Corporation for Community Developments, drew upon the Bay Shore experience and proposed canals through this land which was below sea level. The dredge material was placed on the site and raised the foundation levels above sea level. This project is named Salt Ponds and contains a marina very similar to the sketches produced by Doug Carter AIA, a member of the CCD team and his own firm of Davis Carter and Associates. The Harbor master told me that the project is now thirty years old and considered very successful. This has been confirmed by a contact with the firm which completed the project, Harrison and Leer. Use of the water system provides an alternative mean of accessing shops, stores, restaurants, and access to the major water bodies. This form of commuting is being considered for projects along the Potomac River in the Washington Metropolitan Region. National Harbor, Woodbridge, and Arlington have projects where water access is becoming available.
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