Cromwell successfully completed design services for the renovation and improvement of the iconic Kanis Park, which is beneath and around the I-630 and Rodney Parham Road interchange in Little Rock. The project includes covered basketball courts, enhances the newly constructed bridge structure, integrates the natural amenities of nearby creeks and trails, and strengthens the connections between Kanis Park and the surrounding neighborhoods.
The completed design improves the user experience through programmed activity areas, spontaneous gathering spaces, and open recreational areas. It features a welcoming street edge, accommodations for public transportation, improved lighting and acoustics, interpretive and wayfinding signage, and a sense of place that reflects the community’s identity.
The improvements were designed and constructed in two distinct phases; phase 1 primarily included the low-water bridge replacement, while phase 2 was focused on the basketball courts underneath the existing I-630 bridge.
Services
Architecture
Engineering
Planning
Construction Services
Services
Architecture
Engineering
Planning
Construction Services
Cromwell successfully completed design services for the renovation and improvement of the iconic Kanis Park, which is beneath and around the I-630 and Rodney Parham Road interchange in Little Rock. The project includes covered basketball courts, enhances the newly constructed bridge structure, integrates the natural amenities of nearby creeks and trails, and strengthens the connections between Kanis Park and the surrounding neighborhoods.
The completed design improves the user experience through programmed activity areas, spontaneous gathering spaces, and open recreational areas. It features a welcoming street edge, accommodations for public transportation, improved lighting and acoustics, interpretive and wayfinding signage, and a sense of place that reflects the community’s identity.
The improvements were designed and constructed in two distinct phases; phase 1 primarily included the low-water bridge replacement, while phase 2 was focused on the basketball courts underneath the existing I-630 bridge.
Phase 1, the low water bridge replacement, removed the existing bridge and replaced it with custom precast concrete bridge which mitigates and preserves the existing creek from further pollution, erosion, and damage. This new bridge separates vehicular and pedestrian traffic from the creek and creates safer access into the park without having to physically drive through the water and thereby create potential damage up and downstream. New curb inlets and headwalls from the entry drive into the creek also slow stormwater, reduce surface run-off, and capture major pollutants to mitigate any damage and restore the wetlands on the edge of the park.
Phase 2 improved recreation in the park by installing multiple basketball courts under the recently replaced I-630 bridge, requiring close coordination with the Arkansas Department of Transportation and the City of Little Rock, as well as improving the pedestrian and trail connections. The courts include court lighting, seating, backstop fencing, and sidewalk connections to the adjacent neighborhoods. On the trails, lighting, sidewalk connections, fencing, landscaping, and ADA improvements contribute to a safer and more inclusive park environment.
