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City
Council Report |
City Council
Meeting: October 12, 2010
Agenda Item: 8-A
To: Mayor and City Council
From: Susan Cline, Acting Director of
Public Works
Subject: Concept Design for the Palisades Garden Walk & Town
Square Project
Recommended Action
Staff
recommends that the City Council:
1. Review
and provide input on the proposed design concepts for the Palisades Garden Walk
and Town Square Project.
2. Approve
the recommended design direction.
3. Direct
staff to move forward with Schematic Design.
Executive Summary
On June 22, 2010, Council approved
a community engagement strategy for the design of the Palisades Garden Walk and
Town Square Project and directed staff to proceed with its implementation
according to the timeline set forth in the report. Staff and the City’s design consultant James
Corner Field Operations held the first community workshop on July 24, 2010 with
over 200 community members participating in an active hands-on process to
envision the important elements of the park.
From the emerging community vision, staff and the consultant team
established programmatic recommendations that were incorporated into three
conceptual design options.
The three conceptual design options
were brought back to the community at a workshop on September 19, 2010, jointly
convened by the Recreation and Parks Commission and the Planning Commission for
review and input. Based on the
discussions and survey results received from the Commissions and the community,
staff recommends that Council provide input and approve the recommended general
conceptual direction for the design of the park and direct staff to proceed
with Schematic Design and the additional community review activities included
in the project’s approved community engagement plan.
Background
On June
28, 2005, Council adopted an update to the 1993 Civic
Center Specific Plan (CCSP), including creating Palisades Garden Walk, a new
six-acre park north of Olympic Drive, west of Main Street, south of the
Interstate-10 Freeway, and east of Ocean Avenue, with an additional one-acre
Town Square in front of City Hall that is oriented to civic and community
activities.
On April
13, 2010, Council awarded a design contract to James
Corner Field Operations. A key factor in
the selection of James Corner Field Operations was their commitment to engaging
the public in the planning and design of public open spaces and their creative
design approach. On June
22, 2010, Council approved a community
engagement strategy to ensure the park design reflects the diverse interests
and perspectives of the Santa Monica community. Improvements to the surrounding streetscapes
and freeway capping are an integral part of the CCSP. Planning and Community Development is working
with the project team to coordinate design efforts for the adjacent
streetscapes and provide a pedestrian entrance at Ocean and Colorado Avenues to
improve the pedestrian connections to the new park. The new pedestrian access includes a widened
sidewalk over the freeway, for which the required Caltrans review process is
underway.
Community Engagement Strategy
This multi-pronged strategy uses electronic
communication, stakeholder group liaisons, educational activities for youth,
joint meetings of the Recreation and Parks Commission and the Planning
Commission, visits to other advisory groups and regulatory commissions at key
intervals, and multiple community workshops.
A project website (http://www.smciviccenterparks.com) was launched to provide an online
platform for information sharing between the project team and the
community. The website contains project
updates and news, project team and contact information, a photo gallery, online
surveys, reports related to the project, and information on the overall Civic
Center Specific Plan.
Since June 2010, staff has made
23 appearances at various business, neighborhood, and special interest groups
within the city to bring attention to the project and provide opportunities for
additional public input. Presentations were made to these community stakeholders that
explained the location of the project, introduced the design consultant to the
community, and highlighted the schedule of upcoming public engagement
opportunities. These appearances are
critical to the success of the community engagement strategy because liaisons
from these stakeholder groups will serve as important communication links
between the evolving project and this wide range of community groups, ensuring
that project information and updates are communicated throughout the community.
In addition to the community
engagement strategy, James Corner Field Operations has met with staff from
Public Works, Community and Cultural Services, Planning and Community
Development, and the Office of Sustainability and the Environment to share
ideas and ensure proper coordination between the new park and other adjacent
Civic Center projects that are moving forward.
Discussion
Surveys
The community responded to the
survey by submitting 435 responses either electronically or via paper
collection at the outreach event. The
responses were graphed to show the popularity of some choices over others. The summary found that most respondents would
describe Santa Monica as:
· Committed
to being green and sustainable
· Diverse
and inclusive
· Vibrant
and active
· A close
community within a large scale urban context
· A
beautiful place with significant contextual assets that include the beach and
the Santa Monica Mountains
The survey results were an
important basis for the consultant in developing the design concepts.
Community Workshops
On July 24, 2010, the first of
four community workshops occurred at the site of the Palisades Garden Walk and
Town Square. Over 200 community members attended and
participated in a number of activities designed to elicit thoughts, creative
ideas, and suggestions on what their favorite existing features are on the site
and what they would like to see with the newly designed spaces. The workshop was well received by the
community. The design consultant, James
Corner Field Operations, has prepared a report titled Concept
Design Community Outreach Summary Report that summarizes
the information gathered at this community workshop as well as the survey
results. This report is available online
at http://www.smciviccenterparks.com/storage/CDOutreach
Report.pdf.
The second community workshop on September
19, 2010 was attended by approximately 120 community members. This workshop also served as a joint meeting
of the Recreation and Parks Commission and the Planning Commission. At this workshop, James Corner Field
Operations summarized the results of the community input that had been received
to date and presented three design concepts for the park. Following the presentation, all workshop
participants were invited to break up into smaller discussion groups to look
closer at the options and provide input on each scheme. Questions asked of the participants included:
·
What most
excites you about each concept?
·
Do you
have any concerns about the design?
·
What other
ideas do you have?
At the end of the small group discussions, a
representative from each group presented a verbal summary of the group’s main
thoughts to the workshop participants.
Participants were also given an opportunity to complete a written survey.
The presentation and survey are available
on the project website. The workshop concluded with
comments from both the Recreation and Parks Commission and the Planning
Commission.
Overview of Presented Concept Schemes
Concept 1 – “The Arroyo Wash”
The “Wash” scheme is represented by a
variety of fluid pathways and hills that appear to organically emerge from the
entrance of City Hall, extending outward toward the City, Pier, and beach. The linear topography of the scheme is
striated with a diversity of pathway widths for different potential uses,
contrasting with newly created “hills” and overlooks with a maximum height of
15 feet. Water elements appear to
originate in the Town Square and extend into the serpentine, flowing topography
of Palisades Garden Walk. A large open
space for events is placed near the center of the park site with the “Three
Amigos,” which are the three large ficus trees
currently in the proposed location of the Olympic Drive extension toward Ocean
Avenue, marking the center. Three forest
types are grouped over the site: acacias, native oaks, and umbrella pines. Along with the relocated existing ficus trees, these trees create different tree canopies for
a variety of shade experiences. “Morty” (the large Moreton Bay fig
tree) is preserved in place within a picnic grove. The Town Square and Park are linked by an
overhead cable trellis consisting of lighting and vines which, as proposed,
could extend from the front of City Hall across Main Street and through
Palisades Garden Walk to the Ocean Avenue edge.
A “tavern on the green”-type dining facility is incorporated.
Concept 2 – d “The Arroyo Ravine”
The “Ravine” scheme is primarily a wide
pathway between two powerful landform “hills,” narrow at the entrance on Ocean
Avenue and Colorado Boulevard and widening to a plaza on Main Street. Each hill is a long ramped landscape leading
to an overlook with one oriented toward City Hall and the other toward the Pier
and beach at a maximum height of 20 feet. This scheme features a stony landscape made up
of stepped gabion walls (cages filled with densely packed stones) with an
amphitheater-like space that accommodates built-in seating and terraced
planting. The proposed landscape is
two-sided with north and south facing slopes represented by different plant
species with a water element that will channel stormwater. This scheme features planted walls, terraces,
grasses, various Mediterranean plant specimens, and native species. In this scheme, the Three Amigos are relocated
to the center of the park. A plaza
connection to a “tavern on the green” is indicated with a large exterior dining
court shown. A generous grove of trees
bracket the Town Square, defining its north and south edges with seating on
either side while maintaining an open view to the façade of City Hall and
reflecting a similar gathering space mirrored across the street in the
park.
Concept 3 – “The Arroyo Dune”
The “Dune” scheme is an animated and playful
arrangement of earthwork forms and garden areas described as “rambles and
niches.” The pathways are programmed for
seating, strolling, and people-watching while landscaped areas are confined to
the specific puzzle pieces of varied topographic forms and overlooks of a
maximum height of 15 feet and contain multiple plant species. Numerous canopy shade trees are distributed
uniformly across the site. This is the
shadiest of the three schemes and provides most potential for more intimate
gathering. The Three Amigos are
relocated toward the Olympic Drive edge of the park, commanding a prominent
location opposite the Village. The edges
of the park are designed to respond to different conditions and welcome
visitors in a number of different ways and in multiple locations giving the
park a permeable character. The scheme
represents a park without a specific “center” and rather a number of different
centers that provide a variety of spatial and horticultural experiences within
the landscaped shapes.
Community Responses to the Design Concept
Options
Following the breakout discussions at the
September 19, 2010 workshop, the community and the Commissions joined together
to verbally share the conclusions from each discussion group. The general consensus of the community
members attending the workshop was that together the “Wash” and the “Dune”
organizational schemes held the most interest, along with some of the more
exciting design elements from the “Ravine” scheme, such as the tall overlook
facing the Pier and beach. The most
favored characteristics, present to some degree in all three schemes, included (in
order of preference):
·
Dramatic
topography
·
Woodland
planting and meadows
·
Viewing
platforms and overlooks
·
Social
seating
·
Intimate
gardens
·
Specimen
trees and botanical displays
·
An
outdoor café
·
A
gathering space for events.
The issue of bicycle access through the park
was of particular interest to workshop attendees. Of the 68 written comments received, 14
respondents, or 20%, mentioned bicycle usage in the park. Of the 14 respondents, ten deemed the need
for dedicated paths in the park for bike use only to avoid conflicts with other
park uses very important.
The “Wash” was preferred for its
connectivity, elegant and soft geometry, greater ratio of planting to paving,
three groves of canopy trees, central open space, and the light-weight cable
trellis to connect Town Square to Palisades Garden Walk as well as to create
park gateways along Main Street and Ocean Avenue. Areas of concern and further consideration
were the scale of the central space, the need to ensure connections across the
site and to adjacent areas and future projects including but not limited to the
Village and the Civic Auditorium campus, and creating more opportunities for
intimacy and play.
The “Ravine” was the least preferred scheme
overall, but was liked for its drama and height that allows for views to the
ocean and its incorporation of water as an integrated design element. Areas of concern were the large amount of
paving, steep constructed edges, safety, and maintenance.
The “Dune” was preferred for its intimacy,
playfulness, range, and diversity of uses supported by its spatial organization
that allows for many rooms, high ratio of shade canopy, and its varied and
thickened perimeter. Areas of concern
were the use of wood decking, cost, the lack of a
large central open space, safety, and maintenance.
Survey results from the workshop
participants showed that the steel cable trellis shown in the “Wash” scheme was
“liked” and “strongly liked” by 69% of people responding, especially the
trellis along Ocean Avenue and at the corner of Ocean Avenue and Colorado
Avenue. Of those surveyed, 73% of the
community also liked and strongly liked the “Wash” water feature at Town
Square. Both of these features tie the
Town Square to the park in both vertical and horizontal dimensions.
Responses to the Concept Design Options by Commissioners
from the Recreation and Parks Commission and the Planning Commission
Each of the Commissioners in attendance responded
with his or her comments. In general, the
Commissioners were pleased with various aspects in all of the concept options
as well as the individual design elements. The Commissioners agreed with the community
that the organizational concepts of the “Wash” and “Dune” schemes were
preferred while some individual elements in the “Ravine” scheme such as the
high overlooks, water elements, and plant palette could be incorporated. Some topics that were of special importance
to the Commissioners included lighting for aesthetics and security, emphasis of
native and drought-tolerant plants, and maintenance issues concerning some of
the suggested materials. Based on the
Commissioner comments regarding bicycle circulation, the issue of bicycle paths
within the park, as opposed to using dedicated paths adjacent to the park,
needs further refinement and discussion.
Recommended Concept Direction
Over the next few weeks, the City’s design team
will continue to synthesize all of the comments received from the public and
quantify information from the surveys that are distributed at community events
and posted online. Based on the
preliminary input received to date, staff recommends that Council provide input
and direction to the design team to proceed with further development of the
“Arroyo Wash” scheme while incorporating some of the more positive design
elements of the other schemes. This will
include refining the circulation pattern to ensure connectivity, adding drama
and height attributes from the “Ravine” scheme, and incorporating more intimacy
and playfulness attributes of the “Dune” scheme.
Next Steps
Based on Council input and direction on the
proposed design concept, the following events will be scheduled:
· Landmarks Commission: A review of design concepts is scheduled on October 11, 2010 to provide input on historic compatibility for different concepts for Town Square, which is located on the City-Designated Landmark City Hall property.
·
Presentation
of design concepts to Arts Commission on October 18, 2010.
·
Presentation
of design concepts to the Architectural Review Board on November 1, 2010.
·
Third community
workshop and joint meeting of the Recreation and Parks Commission and the Planning
Commission to review Schematic Design on November 13, 2010.
·
Presentation
to Council on the Schematic Design at the December 14, 2010 Council meeting.
·
Fourth
community workshop to present design development on January 31, 2011.
·
Presentations
of design development to Landmarks Commission, Arts Commission, Public Art
Commission, and the Architectural Review Board in March 2011. Specific dates have not yet been set.
·
Presentation
of design development at the April 4, 2010 Council meeting.
Financial Impacts & Budget Actions
There
is no budget/financial impact associated with this action. The Palisades Garden
Walk and Town Square Project budget is $25 million and is funded by the
Redevelopment Agency.
Prepared by:
Jean Bellman, Architect
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Approved: |
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Forwarded to Council: |
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Susan Cline Acting Director of
Public Works |
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Rod Gould City Manager |