This spring, a park's going to sprout out of the middle of Hope Street in South Park, flanked on either side by traffic lanes. Called The Spot @ Hope Street, the park is a pilot that's in the works to run from April 4 to May 31, reports the Downtown News. The idea comes from the South Park Business Improvement District, a local organization made up of business owners that organizes services like security and street cleanup. The idea is to install the temporary park in the two center lanes of Hope, just south of Eleventh Street. There would also be special crosswalks installed for the time the park's open, allowing pedestrians to cross to the green space mid-block.
The 33-foot-wide, half-block-long park would have concrete barriers on its northern and southern boundaries, and "temporary walls displaying art" on its eastern and western borders. Inside the park, there would be tables, chairs, and even a small dog run—all maintained by the business group's street team and patrolled by a security guard after 9 pm every night. The hope is that the park would draw people out to this part of South Park, boosting foot traffic to local storefronts.
Details are still being finalized, and the business group is still seeking input from local residents (a few of whom are worried about homeless residents using the park). But once the project gets its permit, it's estimated it'll take a month to get the supplies to install the park, and about a week to set everything up. If the park proves popular enough (the BID will be doing a foot traffic count and taking neighbor feedback), the pilot could be extended.
Checking out @DoArtFoundation & @Melendrez_LA 'The Spot' pilot park project in @southparkla pic.twitter.com/mXtfJR1csI
— Daniella (@DDelevens) January 28, 2016