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Renderings released for new Spring Street parklets

By Hayley Fox
Published: Monday, January 28, 2013, at 09:06AM
Downtown Los Angeles Neighborhood Council, courtesy Berry and Linné, utopiad.org, and AHBE Landscape Architecture

A rendering for one of the new Spring Street parklets coming Feb. 7 to Downtown.



DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES — Spring Street in Downtown will look a little different come next week, when city officials host a grand opening of two new parklets in the heart of the Historic Core.

These mini urban parks will serve as almost an extension of the sidewalk -- turning metered parking spaces along the street into communal areas to drink coffee, read a book or just hang out.

The newest renderings of these two parklets are featured above. Although both are slightly different, they each include an abundance of seating, stationary bikes, and large planter boxes filled with what looks like drought-resistant plants.

Both designs clearly emphasize the community impact that is intended for these parklets. The first design includes a foosball table and is filled with young, hip-looking Downtown residents walking their dogs and talking with friends. The second, which includes more seating options, highlights young kids eating ice cream and a mother with her children.

On February 7 at 9 a.m., area Councilman José Huizar along with Mayor Villaraigosa, the Downtown Los Angeles Neighborhood Council (DLANC), the UCLA Complete Streets Initiative, the Department of Transportation and others, will hold the new parklets opening in front of L.A. Cafe.

“I want to thank all our community partners and city departments in helping us bring the first parklets to the City of Los Angeles,” said Huizar in a statement. “It is my hope that this Council District 14 pilot program will lead to parklets throughout the City, with the goal of creating more livable neighborhoods by encouraging more pedestrian and bicycle uses, as well as supporting local businesses.”

What do you think of the parklets' designs? Will you be spending a lot of time in these plazas? What features do you like and what do you think is missing from these renderings?

Please share your feedback in the comments or

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Conversation

User_32

tangertick () on January 28, 2013, at 10:04AM – #1

In terms of functional elements, I'm not a big fan of the stationary bikes. I could be wrong, but I don't see them being used as much as another feature. I really like the bar height/counter seating that faces out onto the street in one direction that I've seen in other parklets (SF and Long Beach?). With the buses on Spring, some design feature(s) that reduces fumes or debris from traffic seems important.


User_32

T K Nagano on January 28, 2013, at 10:49AM – #2

2000 and 2100 blocks 4th Street in Long Beach (90814) have use these parklets sucessfully increasing the outdoor dining experience and still leaving sidewalk space.

Another reader of a previous article on "Parklets" observed without proper protections, there could be a serious accident with an out of control auto or drunk driver.

Just remember Santa Monica's Farmers Market and "Little Marcello" Vasquez's passing during one of the Downtown LA Art Walks.

  • TK

Chris Loos on January 28, 2013, at 11:04AM – #3

TK - Sounds like a good reason to implement traffic calming measures on Spring Street, as opposed to a reason to not do parklets. At some point we need to consciously decide which streets are for people, and for which ones we're going to coddle drivers. Spring Street is definitely the former.


Katherine McNenny on January 28, 2013, at 01:02PM – #4

TK & Chris, there were also two people killed on Crocker St., just behind my building in Skid Row last October. When the conversation starts to get serious in DTLA about traffic calming, Skid Row absolutely needs to be discussed in the same breath. Tricky, because the eastern portion in mostly industrial, but still I see people speed down 4th much too fast, and several people have been hit on San Pedro in the last 3 yrs. since I have moved into the 'hood. We have a very high concentration of people on the streets- walking, sleeping & living.


Tyler Johannsen on January 28, 2013, at 06:35PM – #5

Great use of space, but please replace the exercise equipment with something else! Why not a creative form of seating that takes maximum use of the space. The air quality just isn't the best along Spring Street for outdoor exercise.


User_32

Pershing was a square on January 29, 2013, at 11:05AM – #6

I like them but also doubt the stationary bikes. Given the location of the parklets (outside of LA Cafe), they will probably just be treated as an extension of LA Cafe's sidewalk space. Not a bad thing, since they will be heavily utilized.


Carlos Montano on January 29, 2013, at 03:51PM – #7

There is a bike lane on Spring street, so why would anyone utilize the stationary bikes? They might as well ride on the painted green lanes. I fail to see the point. Just add more greenery or seating. Not everything has to be so difficult and over-designed. Sometimes simplicity is best.

On another note, I love to see my city transitioning and reinventing itself. It truly is becoming a more special place than when I left it!


User_32

jurgs on January 31, 2013, at 06:44PM – #8

The bikes are plain silly. How about : 2 vintage park benches flanked by 2 trees for example.



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