City Hall will provide an overview Monday night of major capital improvement projects related to City-owned properties and public parks, excluding public right-of-way streetscape and transportation-related projects. The update will include the current status of each project, projected timelines, and any necessary staffing needs.
Capital projects are significant investments in new facilities, renovations of existing facilities, and long-term maintenance programs aimed at preserving and enhancing the City’s physical systems and facilities. This report will focus specifically on capital projects involving city-owned properties and parks, as routine public right-of-way improvement projects, such as street paving, sidewalk repair/replacement, sewer maintenance, and traffic improvements, are considered routine components of the City’s capital work plan and typically do not require as much specialized expertise, community outreach, or visioning.
Plummer Park Dog Park
In January 2021, the City Council instructed staff to explore creating a pilot off-leash dog play area as a temporary measure to lay the groundwork for a larger conversation about the long-term vision for Plummer Park. On October 17, 2022, the City Council directed staff to make the improvements permanent by transforming the area into a dog park complete with artificial turf, overhead shading, and proper drainage systems.
Current Status:
MIG Inc. has been engaged and is currently finalizing construction documents, which are expected to be complete by Q2 of 2023. Staff will obtain construction bids and return to the City Council to request funds to complete the project and award a construction agreement. Construction is expected to begin soon after and be completed by early 2024.
Additional Staffing Needs:
No additional staffing is required. Staff has the capacity to manage the landscape architect during the design process and the contractor once construction commences.
Office of Primary Responsibility:
Facilities and Field Services Coordinating Divisions: Urban Design and Architecture Studio
Hart Park
In March 2018, the City Council directed staff to develop a plan to improve William S. Hart Park, including accessibility, parking, historical aspects of the site, lighting, security, and the dog park. However, since the City does not own Hart Park and controls it through a long-term lease with the City of Los Angeles, improvements were put on hold until a new lease agreement was signed. On October 7, 2019, the City executed a new 35-year lease that allows it to operate and maintain the park. City staff worked with a team of design consultants and developed recommendations for park improvements and identified additional opportunities for future enhancements.
Current Status:
Staff has completed the outreach component, including several community meetings and hearings before the Public Facilities Commission, Senior Advisory Board, and Disabilities Advisory Board. The next step is to engage a consultant to complete schematic design and produce construction documents, with which staff will obtain bids for construction. Staff will return to the City Council in late Q1 of 2023 to present ADA improvement concepts and additional program opportunities for the park. If approved, staff will secure a contract to finalize the design and produce construction documents.
Additional Staffing Needs:
Staff will solicit proposals for a pre-construction and construction manager to oversee the development of a bid package and the construction of the improvements. The third-party construction manager will be overseen by staff. Office of Primary Responsibility: Urban Design and Architecture Studio Coordinating Divisions: Facilities and Field Services
Holloway Homekey Renovation Project
The City will complete the purchase of the Holloway Motel (8465 Santa Monica Boulevard) by March 15, 2023. The property last operated as a 23-room motel that closed during the COVID pandemic. The proposed use of the property is for transitional housing with supportive services. The State awarded a Project Homekey grant to the City to assist with the costs associated with the acquisition, renovation, and an operating subsidy for 5 years. The grant includes a condition that the property must be used for transitional housing for a minimum of 15 years.
Current Status:
An RFP for design services was issued to anticipate the tight schedule associated with the State Homekey grant. Staff will bring an item to the City Council on March 6, 2023, to award an agreement for architectural services.
Additional Staffing Needs: In Q2 of 2023, staff will recommend amending an existing contract with Griffin Structures for additional pre-construction and construction manager services to oversee the completion of an architectural bid package and the renovation. The third-party construction manager will be overseen by staff.
Office of Primary Responsibility:
Property Development, with coordination from the Strategic Initiatives, Facilities and Field Services, and Urban Design and Architecture Studio divisions.
City Playhouse
A new state-of-the-art playhouse and rehearsal space will be constructed at the City Playhouse located at 8325 Santa Monica Blvd. The two-story playhouse will have 99 seats and occupy approximately 5,000 square feet. It will serve as a community destination and amenity.
Current Status:
Perkins and Will, Inc. is currently designing the facility and engaging with the community and artist stakeholders. The City Council Design Steering Committee will advise the design team through the schematic design phase, and staff anticipates presenting a schematic design for approval in late Q2 of 2023.
Additional Staffing Needs:
Staff will solicit proposals for a pre-construction and construction manager to oversee the completion of the bid package and construction. The third-party construction manager will be overseen by staff.
Office of Primary Responsibility:
Urban Design and Architecture Studio
Coordinating Divisions:
Arts, Facilities and Field Services
Log Cabin Renovations and Addition
The City purchased the property at 617-621 N. Robertson Ave in May, which includes a 2,090 square foot Log Cabin with cultural landmark status and a 29-space parking lot. The deed restriction for the property restricts its use to recovery services and a surface parking lot.
Current Status:
An architect has been engaged to conduct a feasibility study to renovate, update, and improve the property to meet current code and ADA requirements. The Log Cabin structure is eligible for cultural landmark status and will need to follow preservation guidelines while meeting the program needs of the West Hollywood Recovery Center. The feasibility study will explore options to expand and consolidate the recovery center uses from the Werle building to the Log Cabin site. Staff is preparing a funding strategy and will present options to City Council at a later meeting for direction on allocating costs for the renovation and expansion.
Additional Staffing Needs:
Staff anticipates engaging a design firm in Q2 of 2023 to prepare the necessary design and construction documents following the feasibility study. After design development, a pre-construction and construction management firm will be engaged to oversee the bid package, contractor selection, and construction. The third-party construction manager will be overseen by staff.
Office of Primary Responsibility:
Property Development
Coordinating Divisions:
Facilities and Field Services, Urban Design and Architecture Studio
Laurel House
The property at 1343 N. Laurel Avenue is owned by the City and comprises a 30,000 square foot lot with a former residential dwelling spanning 7,177 square feet, and an unattached accessory structure consisting of a cottage and garages spanning approximately 2,379 square feet. The original portions of these structures date back to 1917. At a meeting on February 20, 2018, the Arts and Cultural Affairs Commission presented a report to the City Council regarding artist-in-residency programs, with 1343 Laurel being considered as a potential site for such a program. Consequently, an Ad Hoc City Council Subcommittee was established to provide guidance on the project. In 2021 and 2022, the Subcommittee reviewed a comprehensive report outlining various scenarios for improving the property, which included input from the Arts and Cultural Affairs Commission, the Historic Preservation Commission, and the Public Facilities Commission. On October 3, 2022, the City Council approved moving forward with the artist-in-residency program and other improvements, which would also incorporate space for city archives, exhibition space, and studio maker space for public use, while maintaining the grounds for public use.
Current Status:
On October 3, 2022, the City Council instructed staff to draft a request for proposals for architectural services to convert and renovate the Laurel House into public space that includes an artist-in-residency component for at least four artists. City staff are presently reviewing the proposals received in response to the RFP, and they anticipate presenting a contract for architectural services to the City Council on March 20, 2023.
Additional Staffing Needs:
There are no additional staffing needs at this time. Once the design development phase is completed, and a renovation budget is established, staff will present this item to the City Council for further direction on proposed renovation timing. Staff will manage the architect during the design phase.
Office of Primary Responsibility:
Property Development
Coordinating Divisions:
Arts, Facilities and Field Services, Urban Design and Architecture Studio
The AIDS Monument
The Foundation for the AIDS Monument (FAM) will bring Stories: The AIDS Monument to the city, designed by artist Daniel Tobin. The monument will feature a plaza with a donor and naming wall, a field of vertical bronze “traces” etched with narrative text and integrated lighting, and a podium along San Vicente Boulevard that evokes a candlelit vigil.
Current Status:
The staff has completed the design-build RFP process for the Monument and has evaluated the proposal of the sole respondent. However, the design-build proposal went beyond the City’s budgetary expectations due to market forces, lack of clarity in the design and engineering, material availability, a dearth of bidders, project labor costs, design-build fees, and added contingencies. Therefore, staff has collaborated with the City attorneys and FAM to devise alternative procurement methods. A comprehensive project update and recommendations on next steps can be found in the accompanying staff report.
Additional staffing:
Pre-construction services may be required in mid-2023, and the staff will solicit proposals for a construction manager to supervise the construction. The third-party construction manager will be supervised by staff.
Office of Primary Responsibility:
Urban Design and Architecture Studio Coordinating Divisions: Arts, Facilities, and Field Services
Plummer Park Comprehensive Plan
The City staff is getting ready to initiate a community-based outreach process to create a comprehensive improvement plan for Plummer Park. A series of community events are planned to take place in late 2022 and early 2023 to facilitate the planning efforts.
Current Status:
The first event, an “Open House,” was held in November 2022 at Fiesta Hall, where attendees were provided with information about the park’s history and current uses and engaged in conversations about the park’s future. The Ad-hoc Subcommittee will work with the staff to determine next steps. The City staff will acquire third-party consultant services as they are needed for outreach, design, pre-construction, and construction, which will be overseen by City staff. The City staff plans to seek approvals for outreach and design services from the City Council later this year.
Additional Staffing Needs:
The City staff will require consultant assistance for outreach and design efforts, as well as pre-construction and construction, and oversee them.
Office of Primary Responsibility:
Urban Design and Architecture Studio
Coordinating Divisions:
Facilities and Field Services
8120 Santa Monica Boulevard at Crescent Heights Boulevard
The site at 8120 Santa Monica Boulevard, located at the intersection of Crescent Heights Boulevard, spans 40,140 square feet and comprises of four parcels. Currently vacant, the City acquired the site from Walgreens in 2015.
The City has recently acquired the adjacent parcel at 1047 N. Crescent Heights Blvd, which provides additional development opportunities for the entire corner location. Currently, the site is leased to a third-party as a construction staging site for a nearby private development for the next two years.
Status update:
In December 2022, the City began discussions with Grimshaw to provide conceptual visioning, programming, and design services to determine the feasibility of uses such as consolidating city services, non-profit spaces, housing options, or other community-related uses. The City is seeking Council’s approval and funding from unallocated capital reserves to engage Grimshaw to develop “test fits” and conceptual massing scenarios for each site.
Additional Staffing Needs:
Staff will work with a design consultant to analyze the configuration of a project on the site. At present, staff has the capacity to oversee these pre-development tasks.
Office of Primary Responsibility:
Property Development Coordinating Divisions: Facilities and Field Services, Urban Design and Architecture Studio
8301-8315 Santa Monica Boulevard
8301-8315 Santa Monica Boulevard, which includes the popular Joey’s Cafe and Crossroads Trading, is a three-parcel property totaling around 21,892 square feet. The City purchased the site in early 2020, but the property is currently encumbered with a lease for Crossroads Trading until late 2027 and an option to extend the lease for Joey’s Cafe until 2032. The site is undergoing environmental remediation, and the City is exploring development options, including acquiring additional property on the block.
Current Status:
In December 2022, the City initiated preliminary conversations with Grimshaw to provide conceptual visioning, programming, and design services to assess the feasibility of consolidating city services, creating non-profit spaces, exploring housing options, or other community-related uses. The City is seeking Council approval to engage Grimshaw to develop “test fits” and conceptual massing scenarios at each site, as described in a companion staff report on the agenda.
Additional Staffing Needs:
None are currently required.
Office of Primary Responsibility:
Property Development
Coordinating Divisions:
Facilities and Field Services, Urban Design and Architecture Studio
Melrose Gathering Place: Weaver’s Walk
Weaver’s Walk, a new public space on Melrose Avenue at Norwich Drive, will be created by repositioning the south curb and repainting the road to match the rest of the street. The site currently contains diagonal parking and sidewalks and is roughly 7,200 square feet, excluding adjacent sidewalks. It will be transformed into a park-like space featuring landscaping, trees, seating, public art, and other amenities. The area will be divided into three sections by driveways leading to the neighboring properties.
Current Status:
In September 2022, the design process commenced, including the involvement of artist Karon Davis and landscape architects Pamela Burton & Company. Community input was solicited during an initial “Community Conversation,” and both the Public Facilities Commission and Arts and Cultural Affairs Commission have reviewed the project. Construction documents are currently being prepared, with a complete set expected in late Q2 of 2023 for the Design District Streetscape contractor to complete construction. Staff will return to City Council in late Q1 of 2023 with a more detailed update and recommendations.
Additional Staffing Needs:
None at this time.
Office of Primary Responsibility:
Urban Design and Architecture Studio Coordinating Divisions: Engineering
Sunset & La Cienega Intersection Study
To address pedestrian safety concerns at the Sunset/La Cienega intersection, staff hired a consultant to propose design options, given the various development projects on the north side of the intersection. The existing intersection has a slope that makes crossing difficult, especially on the southwest corner. The recommended design includes curb extensions to shorten the crossing distance and flatten the slope within the crosswalks. These extensions will require other changes, such as new striping and signal locations. The City Council approved Psomas, the on-call engineering firm, to develop a topographic survey, conceptual design, and cost estimate. No additional staffing is required at this time. The Urban Design and Architecture Studio is responsible for this project, in coordination with Engineering.
Current Status:
The City Council approved engaging the City’s on-call engineering firm, Psomas, to develop a topographic survey, conceptual design, and an opinion of probable construction costs.
Additional Staffing Needs:
None at this time.
Office of Primary Responsibility:
Urban Design and Architecture Studio
Coordinating Divisions:
Engineering
Who is Grimshaw and why is so much money being funneled to them.
Usual weho corruption.
Should ditch all of these. Lower taxes across the board…….and focus on the basics (which they are failing on).
UNdemocratic, UNpopular, and misguided: Please count my household as one of the regular users (over 10 years!) of the Hart Dog Park who objects to any plan for “improvements” that alter the Park and its practicality in any significant way. While I agree that making public spaces more accessible is admirable and necessary, it seems to me that the people and the city have the wherewithal to accomplish this goal without the MAJOR disruption to the current functional design and layout that’s been enjoyed by the Park’s patrons for DECADES. The planned replacement of the bark on the ground for… Read more »
Agreed!
First thing on the agenda, let’s build better than the minimum Earth Quake code requirements, update and enforce. Especially since the developers are computed to build a Quake Corridor along the Sunset Strip. Do these folks not comprehend facts?
“compelled to build a Quake Corridor”
The City should not be allowed within miles of any historic property whether it Be Hart Dog Park, Laurel House or Plummer Park because there is not a single person on City Staff with ANY expertise whatsoever. They individually and collectively are a blight on whatever remains of authentic settings in the city. A bull in a 1.9 square mile china shop. 😢
Repeat after me: “Hart Park Dog Park, Hart Park Dog Park. Faster: “Hart Park Dog Park…………”
As always, the city is not being completely honest. The Hart Park outreach was disrupted by Covid and not continued after. I’d say about 99% of the people who actually USE the park are opposed to many aspects that the city is trying to cram down our throats. Over 1/2 the trees will be cut down for this project. A separate small dog area has been sorely missing from this park since the beginning. Park patrons have even proposed utilizing the upper level just below Sunset for small dogs and this wasn’t even considered. Turf versus the current wood chips… Read more »
I’ll also add that a police call station was added not too long ago due to problems with violent homeless people charging at patrons and it stopped working soon after. The city put a sign on it with a specific date in January when it would be fixed. Still isn’t working. They’d also installed many security cameras in the park but who is monitoring these???
Good article that outlines a lot of the important improvements and projects the City has in the pipeline.
So in English, the estimated AIDS Memorial costs are no longer realistic. Maybe we should just rethink the whole project. By the time the Memorial gets built, those of us who who survived, lost loved one and would seek solace there will be long gone.
Perhaps it may be an ongoing way to hide money.
I get a sinking feeling about the project budget increases, just disheartening if that’s true