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OLIN
  • About
    • Who We Are
    • Awards
    • Library
    • Contact
  • Work
    • Featured Projects
    • Full Project List
  • People
  • News
  • OLIN Labs
  • Black Lives Matter
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  • Climate Commitment

mill river park and greenway

For decades, Mill River in Stamford, Connecticut was dammed and channelized, choked with pollution and silt buildup, leading to greater flood risk for the surrounding downtown. When the Army Corps of Engineers called for the removal of the dam and channel walls, OLIN was brought in to create a master plan for the newly naturalized waterfront. The plan envisioned the river as an amenity and connector, anchored by a park to the north and with a multimodal greenway stretching down to Stamford Harbor. The first phase of the plan, Mill River Park, was implemented directly out of OLIN’s master plan. The park embraces the newly naturalized banks with a design that includes passive meadows, pedestrian and bicycle trails, lawn areas for play and events, and—for the first time in decades—access points down to the water’s edge. The park also incorporates an existing cherry tree grove, a beloved landmark in Stamford that was a gift to the city in 1957 by Junzo Nojima, a Japanese immigrant. Future phases of the park development include a fountain/ice rink and additional permanent visitor amenities, as well as trail connections extending beyond the park to Stamford Harbor. 

Location
Stamford, CT

Owner
Mill River Park Collaborative

Status
Completed 2013

Key Team Members
Lucinda Sanders, Partner-in-Charge
Demetrios Staurinos, Project Manager
Judy Venonsky, Design Staff
Tiffany Beamer, Design Staff

Awards
2018, American Planning Association Great Places in America, Great Public Spaces
2015, ASLA Design Honor Award

An aerial view shows a winding river, paved paths with people walking, and a mix of green and autumnal trees in a park setting.
An aerial view of a river in a flooded state, winds through a landscaped park with green lawns, trees, and urban buildings in the background.
A low-angle shot captures the surface of a wide river, with green trees and distant buildings lining its banks under a clear sky.
A man and a child stand by a rocky riverbank, looking out at the water, with lush greenery and a large white building in the background under a clear sky.
A person with bare feet carefully steps on rocks in a shallow river, with green trees and a building in the background.
Golden sunlight reflects on a river with small rapids, surrounded by large rocks and foliage.
Two girls and a small black dog stand by a rocky river, with the older girl holding the dog's leash and the younger one on stepping stones.
A group of people practice outdoor yoga on mats on a paved surface, with trees and buildings in the background.
A man and a child in a camouflage halloween costume walk along a stone path through tall grasses, with a group of people and trees with red leaves in the background.
Two people walk along a winding paved path lined with posts and tall, dry grasses, with distant autumn foliage.
Two side-by-side diagrams illustrate a river's ecosystem and urban integration, showing various animal species and green corridors.
An aerial view shows a winding river, paved paths with people walking, and a mix of green and autumnal trees in a park setting. An aerial view of a river in a flooded state, winds through a landscaped park with green lawns, trees, and urban buildings in the background. A low-angle shot captures the surface of a wide river, with green trees and distant buildings lining its banks under a clear sky. A man and a child stand by a rocky riverbank, looking out at the water, with lush greenery and a large white building in the background under a clear sky. A person with bare feet carefully steps on rocks in a shallow river, with green trees and a building in the background. Golden sunlight reflects on a river with small rapids, surrounded by large rocks and foliage. Two girls and a small black dog stand by a rocky river, with the older girl holding the dog's leash and the younger one on stepping stones. A group of people practice outdoor yoga on mats on a paved surface, with trees and buildings in the background. A man and a child in a camouflage halloween costume walk along a stone path through tall grasses, with a group of people and trees with red leaves in the background. Two people walk along a winding paved path lined with posts and tall, dry grasses, with distant autumn foliage. Two side-by-side diagrams illustrate a river's ecosystem and urban integration, showing various animal species and green corridors.

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