Community hub: flexible urban open space stimulates downtown economy

Programmable greenspace in the heart of Toledo

Positioned in the heart of the Toledo Warehouse District, Hensville Park is a great example of economic development and resurgence in the urban “live, work, play” movement. Serving as a flexible, programmable urban open space, it has become a key economic stimulator for re-development in the downtown area.

Located on the site of a former surface parking lot, the park adds an acre of greenspace to the downtown landscape while providing green infrastructure that captures rainwater from the adjacent rooftop. Native trees in raised planters along Monroe Street enhance the pedestrian scale of this busy downtown corridor. They also provide a buffered backdrop for the stage and its many concerts throughout the summer.

From parking lot to regional destination

Because it is a regional entertainment destination, the design features a synthetic turf event lawn area — for festivals, concerts, recreation, special events, and programming before and after Toledo Mud Hens baseball and Toledo Walleye hockey games.

An outdoor dining terrace at Fleetwood’s Tap House on North St. Clair Street provides V.I.P. seating for concerts, as well as a great spot to catch the fireworks after a home baseball game.  When the park is not programmed for pre- and post-game activities, the greenspace is an oasis among the hundreds of residences within the Warehouse District.