Azar Design Co provided site and civil engineering design for the restoration and reinterpretation of a historic Olmsted landscape at the H.H. Richardson-designed State Mental Hospital, a National Register of Historic Places site in Buffalo. This project revitalized the nine-acre South Lawn by removing two large parking lots at Richardson’s south entry and transforming the area into a vibrant, welcoming space for community gathering and recreation. The renewal included planting 125 new trees to complement existing ones, creating open, canopied spaces with scenic views of the Richardson buildings.

Our scope of work involved designing streetscape and park features, realigning the ring road, and upgrading the stormwater system with rain gardens to improve drainage and water quality. We developed the Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP) to meet regulatory requirements and conducted hydrologic and hydraulic analyses for the green infrastructure elements. Additionally, we evaluated and designed solutions for the site’s aging utility systems.

The project also featured the creation of a granite and flagstone entry plaza in front of the Towers Building and the construction of a 1,300-foot pedestrian loop. Azar played a pivotal role in supporting landscape architecture and designing features that enriched the visitor experience, including a pedestrian bridge inspired by Olmsted’s iconic stone bridges. We provided topographic, utility, and boundary surveys and served as the local lead for construction administration, ensuring the successful completion of the project while preserving its historical integrity and design vision.