The City Council will consider approving a construction agreement with C.S. Legacy Construction for $1,411,615.78 to complete the Melrose Avenue and Norwich Drive Weaver’s Walk project (CIP 2501). This includes the approval of amendments to agreements with Berg & Associates and Kabbara Engineering for construction management, inspection and engineering services. The council will also allocate $1,724,692 from unallocated reserves to fund the project and adopt a resolution approving the project’s design and plans.
The Weaver’s Walk project is part of the West Hollywood Design District Streetscape Master Plan, which aims to improve aesthetics, mobility and public spaces in the Design District. Features of the plan include widened sidewalks, enhanced materials, new street trees, improved traffic signals, bicycle infrastructure, public gathering spaces and updated amenities like benches, trash receptacles and electric vehicle charging stations. The project is divided into three phases and the Weaver’s Walk was initially part of Phase I.
However, design challenges delayed its completion until now.
Last April, City Council voted unanimously to reduce the original number of planned trees from 25 to 21, balancing environmental and aesthetic goals with visibility concerns raised by nearby galleries and showrooms. The decision followed extensive community engagement and debate, with some business owners, including Ben Soleimani, arguing that the trees would obstruct storefront visibility and affect customer traffic.
Councilmembers emphasized that the project had already undergone significant revisions to address community feedback, including adjustments to the tree count and other urban elements. Supporters of the plan highlighted its environmental, aesthetic, and economic benefits, noting that it would enhance the street’s appeal for both businesses and pedestrians. While some business owners called for a redesign or a more paved interim solution, the council determined the option they chose best balanced the community’s needs and allowed the project to move forward without further delays.
The city received three bids for the construction contract, with C.S. Legacy Construction submitting the lowest bid at $1,411,615.78. After verifying the bid’s accuracy and the contractor’s credentials, staff recommended proceeding with this agreement. Construction is expected to start in three months and will take four months to complete.
Berg & Associates, contracted to manage and inspect construction for the projects, will continue their role. Council will review Amendment No. 4 to their agreement, adding $717,564.77 to cover services for this project and $150,000 for costs incurred on a previous phase of the project. This adjustment brings their total contract value to $5,054,702.03.
Kabbara Engineering, responsible for streetscape design, will also continue their involvement. Council will review Amendment No. 9 to their agreement, adding $50,000 to ensure their support during construction, including reviewing materials, addressing site issues and compiling final project records. This amendment increases Kabbara’s contract total to $2,886,352.
Additional design work for the public gathering space at Norwich Drive and Melrose Avenue was completed by Pamela Burton & Company and LPA. Their existing contracts include sufficient funding, so no amendments are needed. These firms will provide oversight during construction to ensure the project aligns with their designs.
Melrose looks great. Now they need to spend money on Santa Monica. With all the empty storefronts, they need to beautify the street, improve street lighting at night and have a daily street and sidewalk cleaning. It is filthy and poorly maintained and has been neglected for years.
I miss the old trees.
It’s certainly costing more than it should, but what government expenditure anywhere does not? Keep in mind this is a city of 3 main streets, and the Melrose Design District is the only one typically teeming with shoppers.
Not enough to keep all the retail spaces there afloat, but it’s certainly got more retail activity going on than either Santa Monica or Sunset. It makes perfect sense for the city to make improvements there.
Sunset has its pricey hotels. Santa Monica has its busy gay bar scene. Melrose has only overpriced shopping. Let the city add to the benefit.
This project represents municipal incompetence and public fraud in the amount that is being spent for a few blocks of landscaping. To a council majority that acts like they were elected to the high school prom committee, this is gross negligence in the expenditure of public funds to decorate the gym for the big event. No one in this city is paying attention to the cost overruns of these municipal projects approved by a council majority who spend public money like drunken sailors on shore leave. The AIDS Memorial, while a noble concept, is now a tiny plot of free… Read more »
Huge waste of funds. This is pathetic.
Soo much pavement. The large fake grass areas look like a perfect area for some homeless tents.
Just drove down Melrose’s design district. Nothing but traffic congestion and continues jay walking – no one using the crosswalks. There is some type of grass where for two years there was dirt and mud. So now we’re going to tear up the grass (now much did that cost?)
The street design is horrendous with is bullnose corners protruding into the street. Nothing but congestion. And now we’re tearing it apart again.