Civic Park Groundbreaking Set for Thursday
Eric Richardson
[Flickr]
This model of the renovated Civic Park, presented last Spring, is similar to the final design that will be implemented in a $56-million upgrade.
DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES — A $56-million renovation of the Civic Center park will have its ceremonial groundbreaking on Thursday morning, with County Supervisor Gloria Molina, City Councilwoman Jan Perry and other project leaders gathering to turn off the Arthur J. Will Memorial Fountain.
The park, officially dedicated as El Paseo de los Pobladores de Los Angeles (the walk of the settlers of Los Angeles) in 1966, will be enlarged and revamped by the project. The space stretches down Bunker Hill from the Music Center to City Hall, passing between the County-owned buildings on Temple and 1st.
The fountain will remain a centerpiece of the park's new design, but plans didn't always include it. The water feature was retained after community support in the design process. The renovated version will keep the shape and scale of the piece but cut down on water volume and implement modern nozzles and light fixtures.
Funding for the project comes from a $50-million deposit made by Related Companies when it signed its deal to become developer of the Grand Avenue Project.
The groundbreaking program will start at 9am, with the fountain shut-off scheduled for 9:30.
Steve Marks on July 13, 2010, at 11:46AM – #1
Love the "idea" of a remodeled park... But in my opinion there's way too much concrete, and too little grass. The main deficiency in downtown is green space, not concrete. This feels a bit like a missed opportunity.
Guest on July 13, 2010, at 12:25PM – #2
Park space usually implies more grass than concrete. $56 million and no grass/green space? Truly sad.
Rich Alossi on July 13, 2010, at 12:29PM – #3
Everyone always brings up the too much concrete argument, but I believe RCH has improved a lot on the old (pictured) design. The only new rendering I know about is this one: http://www.learcenter.org/html/projects/?&cm=grand/july2010
Hardly "no grass/green space." That looks like a lot of greenery to me. And not only is it more greenspace in general, it's a lot more usable greenspace for the area (see: Court of Flags).
Joe Anthony on July 13, 2010, at 12:57PM – #4
I agree with Steve. Haven't we learned our lesson from Pershing Square?
A park paved in concrete isn't exactly a nice space to hang out on a hot summer day.
More grass, trees, living things please!
Joe Anthony on July 13, 2010, at 01:11PM – #5
Ah, thanks Rich. The updated design looks much greener ;0)
Guest on July 13, 2010, at 03:29PM – #6
The park always looks nice in the models because you don't see it hemmed in between the County Courts building on the south and the Hall of Administration on the north and the steep drop from Grand Avenue on the west. Pedestrians on either Temple or First Street won't even see the park. Like the park it replaces, this will be underutilized.
Guest on July 13, 2010, at 04:38PM – #7
That looks like a great place for hobos to poop.
Chris Loos on July 13, 2010, at 08:38PM – #8
Concrete isn't what makes Pershing Square so bad. Its just an incredibly poorly designed park.
Portland, OR has some of the nicest parks in the country, and many of them are hardscape.
I think this park is going to be a winner. Hopefully it will have a lot of programming to activate it: Concerts, farmers markets, flea markets, screen on the green, etc.
Rich Alossi on July 13, 2010, at 09:17PM – #9
Thanks for pointing that out, Chris. I agree. Look at Union Square in SF. That's almost all concrete yet functions as a vital center for the neighborhood. Contrast the open sight lines and steps leading into the square with Pershing Square's solid concrete walls, blockades and fortress atmosphere. Tear down these walls!
Guest on July 13, 2010, at 10:08PM – #10
and many of them are hardscape.
So it's more of an issue that downtown Los Angeles, unlike Portland, has one of the largest, if not THE largest, population in the nation of people who tend to make parks or public spaces so quickly unattractive and unappealing. The folks who leave strong (and mainly foul) odors behind or all around them. Not to mention the people who either straddle the line of illegal activity or bust right through it altogether.
Guest on July 13, 2010, at 10:42PM – #11
I loved visiting Portland last month and the outdoor spaces it has to offer. But overwhelmingly populated by white folk...we may have mediocre park space in Los Angeles but at least we have a nice ethnic mix!
Guest on July 14, 2010, at 03:18AM – #12
Dog owners will instantly turn any green space into a litter box. Burned, dead grass and stench. Look at the LAPD lawn.
For those of you waiting for soft green grass in which to lie, don't hold your breath (but you'll be holding your breath once all the dogs saturate it with pee.)
Guest on July 14, 2010, at 07:18AM – #13
LAPD needs to enact and enforce laws that deal with people who own dogs and do not pick up after them. Why is his such a foreign idea down here. Curb your damn dogs!!!!!!!!!!!!
Chris Loos on July 14, 2010, at 09:48AM – #14
@Guest 13
I walked out of my apartment this morning and nearly stepped in a steaming dog turd. I don't get it either...it just shows a fundamental laziness and lack of respect for the rest of the community.
Chris Loos on July 14, 2010, at 09:50AM – #15
@Guest 11
Yeah, Portland is pretty white compared to LA. Then again, I moved here from DC, so LA still seems pretty white to me.
Guest on July 14, 2010, at 10:11AM – #16
@ guest 11. Your racism amazes me. The same assholes who would view Portland negatively because it is "overwhelmingly white" would scream and shout if someone were to complain that "Atlanta is nice but overwhelmingly Black" or "San Francisco is nice but there are too many Asians".
Hell, I would have more respect for you if you would comment about Atlanta being too black. Then at least you would have a evenly applied logic. But again, I'm sure you would wash your mouth out with soap if you ever said anything negatively about Blacks, Asians, Gays or any other minority group. Dickheads like you give liberals a bad name.
Guest on July 14, 2010, at 11:23AM – #17
I can see the point of some criticism. The problem is that, at least based on the renderings, it seems more of a large Pershing Square than a mini Central Park. Other than the area next to City Hall, it seems like just a plaza with a whole bunch of planters.
Chris Loos on July 14, 2010, at 02:07PM – #18
@Guest 14,
How is pointing out that one city is more white than another even remotely racist? Guest 11 merely pointed out that Portland is a very white place, and that he prefers the more mixed racial makeup of LA. I also share this preference. Doesn't mean I hate white people. I happen to be white myself. Just means that I find it rewarding to live in place with a lot of different kinds of people. Does that make me a racist too?
Chris Loos on July 14, 2010, at 02:11PM – #19
Whoops, that was meant for Guest 16, not Guest 14. Just reread his comment and I can't believe how off base and unhinged this guy is. Sheesh.
Brady Westwater (@bradywestwater) on July 18, 2010, at 12:50PM – #20
@6 --
The long term plan is to demolish both the County County House and the County Hall of Administration and add them both to the park. They would be rebuilt on the south side of First between Hill and Olive. That will dramatically open up the park and when the law library site is redeveloped, that will likely open up that site too plus any development in the parcel across from City Hall should also have visual and physical access to the park - making the park full open to First Street for its entire length and Temple Street across from the Cathedral.
I would hope, though, that the two county building would be partially replaced by museums - or other culture facilities - however with much smaller footprints - and have them also contain cafes and shops to further enliven the park.
BobbyD on October 21, 2010, at 06:09PM – #21
The model looks like a theme park for kiddies. A forest crowded already, no room for humans.
BobbyD on November 22, 2010, at 09:42AM – #22
To be used for comparison when the new civic center park is finished: 1. At no charge a 10 year old boy designed the present park in his head and told a county architect what to put in the plan to be given to the construction contractor, the final plan revised by and then approved by that 10 year old boy. Now see what grown "professionals" have designed for millions. 2. That county architect spent 11.5 hours on the project. Compare that to what was spent designing the new park. 3. That 10 year old boy choose the contactor for everything between the buildings and the streets, except the plants which the 10 year old boy did when the contractor finished his work. The 10 year old boy oversaw the construction. 4. The contractor submitted a bill of $33,000 for the entire cost of the construction. How many millions for the new park? 5, $ cost total: 11.5 hours by the county architect and $33,000 to the construction company. Compare that to the rip-off, I mean cost of the civic center park.
BobbyD on April 10, 2011, at 10:37AM – #23
To Rich Alosi: I did not design the concrete walls at Pershing Park- they were added later. Also, there were different shapes of grass patches as decoration that were part of my plan but they were filled in. Also, the hill on the east end was a slope of grass by my design but was terraced with restraining walls later on. I had plenty of grass but the so-called artistic people deal with concrete and stuff like that. Also, the so-artistic pieces in the middle are too high- they block vision from side to side and end to end. One friend of mine that had seen what I had done later said to me: "I suggest that you do not go down to Pershing Park"- Ronald Reagan.