{"id":15156,"date":"2012-12-03T08:45:28","date_gmt":"2012-12-03T14:45:28","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/wordpress-367309-1145705.cloudwaysapps.com\/?p=15156"},"modified":"2012-12-03T08:45:28","modified_gmt":"2012-12-03T14:45:28","slug":"the-biocellar-urban-farming-moves-underground-in-cleveland","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sustainablog.org\/articles\/the-biocellar-urban-farming-moves-underground-in-cleveland\/","title":{"rendered":"The Biocellar: Urban Farming Moves Underground in Cleveland"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"biocellar<\/a><\/p>\n

Just over a month ago, we took a look at Chateau Hough<\/a>, an urban vineyard in one of Cleveland, Ohio’s most distressed neighborhoods. \u00a0The idea of using urban agriculture<\/a> as the means for revitalizing a community is pretty innovative in and of itself, but activist and developer Mansfield Frazier has plans for a first-ever addition to the vineyards: a biocellar. We mentioned this in passing in the first post, but as the biocellar concept<\/a> has received more attention recently, I got intrigued by this plan to turn blighted houses into underground greenhouses.<\/p>\n

That, essentially, sums up the idea: abandoned houses that are past any hope of renovation are demolished, but the basements are kept intact. With some additional support and a greenhouse-type structure built over the basement, an urban farmer\/gardener now has a space that maintains constant temperature appropriate for growing crops… or even maintaining small ecosystems.<\/p>\n

The term was first coined by permaculture designer (and Clevelander)\u00a0Jean Loria, who shared the idea with the Cleveland Urban Design Collaborative<\/a> at nearby Kent State University. After several years of design work, they’re ready to build one… and will do so at Chateau Hough. Listen to Frazier’s descriptions of their plans:<\/p>\n

<\/embed><\/object><\/p>\n

For buildings that are truly derelict, this seems like a great idea: CUDC calls the masonry foundation of a blighted house its “most valuable part.” These spaces could be used for a wide range of crops: from the shiitake mushrooms planned for the Chateau Hough biocellar, to aquaponic systems that produce fish and produce. My only concern may be the temptation to declare a building “derelict” too quickly – as I’ve seen in my own neighborhood, even the most decrepit structure can be renovated. Obviously, economics will determine the value of a given property: I just hope that elements like embodied energy and materials are a part of that equation.<\/p>\n

Still, it’s an innovative concept.. it’s even given rise to some variations such as the Foreclosure Farm. I’d love to hear what you think: is this a smart use of abandoned buildings?<\/p>\n

via Reclaim Grow Sustain<\/a><\/p>\n

Image credit:<\/strong> Screen capture from Biocellar Presentations at vimeo<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Turn blighted houses into year-round growing spaces? That’s the idea behind the biocellar concept, and the first one of these innovative structures is being planned for Cleveland, Ohio’s Hough neighborhood.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":56,"featured_media":16892,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[18,6213,6153,8,4351,1777],"yoast_head":"\nUrban Agriculture Moves Undergroud: the Biocellar<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Could basements of derelict buildings be converted to greenhouses for urban farming? 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