It's may be a little early to get too excited, but next year, West Hollywood will celebrate 25 years of cityhood and to celebrate, the city is revamping its West Hollywood Park. Local architecture firm Johnson Favaro is doing doing the master plan for the park, which is sandwiched between Robertson and San Vicente, and phase one--expected to start in April 2009--will replace the current library with a new 42,000 square foot library, add a parking garage, see a 2.5 acre increase in parkland and green space, and add new tennis courts. A new pool and gym will be added later. "The master plan envisions [placing these structures] at the southwest end of the park near Melrose, and stacking them," said Jeffrey Huffer, economic project administrator for the city of West Hollywood. "By doing that, you have opened up those mini-areas so we can have more contiguous green space." When the new structures---like the library--are built, the old ones will be demolished. Keep in mind all these designs could change. [All images via Johnson Favaro]
Preliminary Overview
on the City of West Hollywood 25th Anniversary Capital Campaign
In 2009, the City of West Hollywood will celebrate 25 years of cityhood. Since the City’s incorporation in 1984, West Hollywood has established itself as one of the most progressive and innovative cities in the country. In celebration of this landmark, the City has embarked upon a new capital improvement project to develop premiere public facilities, parks and open space: the“25th Anniversary Capital Improvement Project.” As the City moves towards celebrating its remarkable first 25 years of Cityhood, world-class facilities that reward the community and assert permanence will help reflect the City’s dynamic legacy. The project will include three major components:
1) The implementation of Phase I of the West Hollywood Park Master Plan (which includes the development of a new West Hollywood Library);
2) West Hollywood City Hall Community Service Center and Parking Project; and
3) Implementation of Phase I of the Plummer Park Master Plan.
Phase I of the West Hollywood Park Master Plan
Phase I of the West Hollywood Park Master Plan will replace the current library with a new 42,000 square foot, state-of-the-art library, public meeting rooms, and a 91-space parking garage. In addition to the library, Phase I of the West Hollywood Park Master Plan will include a 2.5 acre increase in parkland and green space for West Hollywood Park, new tennis courts and a 333-space municipal parking garage.
The new West Hollywood Library will create the centerpiece of the West Hollywood community. It is designed to showcase the City’s rich intellectual, literary and cultural diversity and provide a landmark facility for the community’s passionate commitment to lifelong learning. The Library will include materials that spotlight West Hollywood’s vibrant diversity and will feature a LGBT Collection; International Languages Collection; Decorative Arts and Design area; a vast collection of large-print materials for Seniors and people who are visually-impaired and a West Hollywood Room which will feature archival materials showcasing the City’s history.
The new West Hollywood Library is designed to achieve a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating and be a certified “Green Building.” Green options under consideration for the Library include a photovoltaic system (a solar power technology that uses solar cells to convert energy from the sun into electricity); low-emitting materials for paints, coatings and carpeting; optimized-energy performance systems (lighting, heating and ventilation) and the use of Green housekeeping products.
The Library will include materials that spotlight West Hollywood’s vibrant diversity and will feature a LGBT Collection; International Languages Collection; Decorative Arts and Design area; a vast collection of large-print materials for Seniors and people who are visually-impaired and a West Hollywood Room which will feature archival materials showcasing the City’s history.
The new West Hollywood Library is designed to achieve a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating and be a certified “Green Building.” Green options under consideration for the Library include a photovoltaic system (a solar power technology that uses solar cells to convert energy from the sun into electricity); low-emitting materials for paints, coatings and carpeting; optimized-energy performance systems (lighting, heating and ventilation) and the use of Green housekeeping products.
West Hollywood City Hall Community Service Center and Parking Project
The West Hollywood Community Service Center and Parking Project will include the construction of a new three-story building adjoining the current City Hall building located at 8300 Santa Monica Boulevard. The 3rd floor of the new building will include a “one-stop” community service center, meeting rooms and office space. An important component of the project will be the construction of a 200-space parking structure that will be available for use by adjacent residents, visitors and business patrons.
The new West Hollywood Community Service Center will be designed to achieve a LEED rating and be certified as a “Green Building.” Other Green options under consideration include installation of a vegetated green roof and photovoltaic system. The existing City Hall building is slated for a much-needed roof replacement as well as façade and exterior lighting improvements.
Phase I of the Plummer Park Master Plan
Phase I of the Plummer Park Master Plan will include renovation and expansion of Fiesta Hall into a quality multi-purpose performance venue for the community with the capacity to accommodate between 150 and 200 people in theater-style seating; improvement and expansion of parkland and green space and additional parking for park patrons and the public. The new Fiesta Hall performance venue will include:
• Capacity to accommodate between 150 and 200 people in theater-style seating, tables, chairs and/or flat floor use;
• Opportunity to create a 99 seat “black box” for cultural performances;
• New lighting and sound systems;
• Improved acoustics;
• New furnishings;
• Improvements to Fiesta Hall’s main entry, outside patio area, main auditorium, stage, dressing rooms, restrooms, lobby and kitchen areas;
• New heating and ventilation system;
• New exterior landscaping;
• Construction of an "autocourt" for vehicle drop-off at the Vista entrance to Fiesta Hall; and
• Fiesta Hall will be upgraded to current building code requirements including all requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act and the City’s Green Building Requirements for Public Buildings.
Other improvements to Plummer Park will include enhancing the existing green space in the center of Plummer Park; creation of a central park promenade that will run east-west from Vista Street to Fuller Avenue; establishing a quiet formal garden in the area fronting Fuller Street; creation of additional green space throughout the park; an interactive water feature; construction of a new Tiny Tot Program building to replace an outdated modular building; new play equipment; and relocation of the existing basketball court.
A subterranean parking structure will be constructed that will serve the public, park users and businesses. It will also provide for the creation of 33,000 square feet of new additional parkland and open space at Plummer Park.
Budget
The budget for the 25th Anniversary Capital Improvement Project is $125 million. The project will primarily be financed through the issuance of bonds; other funding sources including the City’s General Fund and Parking Fund; private donor fundraising and public and private grants. The debt service on the bonds will be paid from the City’s Parking Fund revenue; Redevelopment Agency tax increment revenue; and new enhanced economic development revenues. A fundraising campaign has been initiated to raise private donations to help build the new West Hollywood Library component of the project.
For more information regarding Phase I of the West Hollywood Park Master Plan, please contact Ray Reynolds, Director of Economic Development, at (323)848-6464.
For more information regarding the West Hollywood City Hall Community
Service Center and Parking Project, please contact Oscar Delgado, Parking Operations
Manager, at (323)848-6374.
For more information regarding the Phase I of the Plummer Park Master Plan,
please contact Sam Baxter, Facilities and Landscape Manager, at (323)848-6308.
· Johnson Favaro [Official Site]
· Change A-Comin' to WeHo's Plummer Park [LA Curbed]
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