Grand Avenue Project
Encyclopedia
The Grand Avenue Project is a project currently under development designed to revive downtown Los Angeles
, like L.A Live. The $3 billion project, which is to be built on Grand Avenue next to the Walt Disney Concert Hall
, is designed to give Los Angeles
a thriving city center. It has been compared to, and is intended to be, the L.A. version of the Champs-Élysées
of Paris
and the Central Park
of New York City
. The location is deemed a logical place to build such a project since about 5.8 million people live within 15 miles of the Grand Avenue Project according to the Grand Avenue Committee. The project will create over 5,300 long-term jobs and will generate over $95 million annually in taxes for all levels of government, with Los Angeles county receiving $2.3 million and the city receiving $5.8 million per year. On February 14, 2007 both the Los Angeles City Council and the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors
approved the project, and officials originally hoped to break ground in December 2007. However, the construction was postponed until February 2009. As of February 2011, the civic park is under construction.
and the Department of Water and Power
building. The park was designed to be pedestrian friendly and will connect Bunker Hill
to the Civic Center
. Plans call for tree-shaded sidewalks, plenty of street lights, benches, and kiosks, to encourage the walking and exploration of the area. This area is already a public space with plazas, a Court of Flags, and a park-like area with a large fountain where many county workers take their lunch under trees. However the design is disjointed and cut off by the entrances to several parking garages.
Ground-breaking for the new civic park began June 15, 2010. Once completed, the new Grand Avenue will feature upscale
shopping stores and high-rise condos, in addition to a shopping center, bookstore, multiplex movie theater and a gourmet supermarket.
In June 2007, the design of Phase 1 was approved by the Los Angeles Grand Avenue Authority, the Community Redevelopment Agency, and the County Board of Supervisors. This will allow the project to move forward into the Design Development Phase, which was expected to be completed in the Fall of 2007.
In a deal reached in December but disclosed on March 12, 2008, the Dubai government-owned investment fund "Istithmar World Capital PJSC", signed on as an equity partner in the Related Co. project—which is now dubbed The Grand—after the California Public Employees' Retirement System (CalPERS)
pension fund withdrew from the project. The $100 million commitment from Istithmar represents a 40% stake in the Frank Gehry-designed project. Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group, which will manage the development's luxury hotel, has committed $42 million. Both investments await Los Angeles city and county approval, which are expected this month and are needed to help Related secure financing for construction, due to start this year.
at USC's Annenberg School for Communication, has attempted to maximize public input into the design of the park. This project, begun with a call for ideas in a July 2005 Op-Ed in the Los Angeles Times
, resulted in more than 300 design submissions from across the city and around the world. Furthermore, when the park developer chose its design team, Grand Intervention invited them to view the best of the proposals. Since effective urban planning requires direct civic engagement by diverse and disparate communities, the Lear Center felt that new technology could extend the outreach process beyond the conventional Vermont town meeting model. In an effort to extend its public outreach on L.A.'s new civic park, the Grand Avenue Committee and the developer, The Related Companies, endorsed Grand Intervention's online civic engagement efforts. The Lear Center has offered live and archived Webcasts of community park workshops, online transcriptions of the workshops and online digital resources of all materials distributed or displayed at the workshops.
Some business owners fear their businesses won't be able to compete with such a large, government-backed project and that many small downtown businesses will shut down. Backers assert that the project will attract more people to the downtown area and therefore boost local business.
Downtown Los Angeles
Downtown Los Angeles is the central business district of Los Angeles, California, United States, located close to the geographic center of the metropolitan area...
, like L.A Live. The $3 billion project, which is to be built on Grand Avenue next to the Walt Disney Concert Hall
Walt Disney Concert Hall
The Walt Disney Concert Hall at 111 South Grand Avenue in Downtown Los Angeles, California is the fourth hall of the Los Angeles Music Center. Bounded by Hope Street, Grand Avenue, 1st and 2nd Streets, it seats 2,265 people and serves as the home of the Los Angeles Philharmonic orchestra and the...
, is designed to give Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
a thriving city center. It has been compared to, and is intended to be, the L.A. version of the Champs-Élysées
Champs-Élysées
The Avenue des Champs-Élysées is a prestigious avenue in Paris, France. With its cinemas, cafés, luxury specialty shops and clipped horse-chestnut trees, the Avenue des Champs-Élysées is one of the most famous streets and one of the most expensive strip of real estate in the world. The name is...
of Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
and the Central Park
Central Park
Central Park is a public park in the center of Manhattan in New York City, United States. The park initially opened in 1857, on of city-owned land. In 1858, Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux won a design competition to improve and expand the park with a plan they entitled the Greensward Plan...
of New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. The location is deemed a logical place to build such a project since about 5.8 million people live within 15 miles of the Grand Avenue Project according to the Grand Avenue Committee. The project will create over 5,300 long-term jobs and will generate over $95 million annually in taxes for all levels of government, with Los Angeles county receiving $2.3 million and the city receiving $5.8 million per year. On February 14, 2007 both the Los Angeles City Council and the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors
Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors
The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors is the five-member nonpartisan governing board of Los Angeles County, California. Members of the board of supervisors are elected by district. They were as of December 2, 2008:*District 1: Gloria Molina...
approved the project, and officials originally hoped to break ground in December 2007. However, the construction was postponed until February 2009. As of February 2011, the civic park is under construction.
Design
The project's key public component is a 16 acres (6.5 ha) park stretching between the development's two boundaries: City HallLos Angeles City Hall
Los Angeles City Hall, completed 1928, is the center of the government of the city of Los Angeles, California, and houses the mayor's office and the meeting chambers and offices of the Los Angeles City Council...
and the Department of Water and Power
Los Angeles Department of Water and Power
The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power is the largest municipal utility in the United States, serving over four million residents. It was founded in 1902 to supply water and electricity to residents and businesses in Los Angeles and surrounding communities...
building. The park was designed to be pedestrian friendly and will connect Bunker Hill
Bunker Hill, Los Angeles, California
Bunker Hill, in the downtown area of Los Angeles, California, is a short, developed hill with its peak located roughly around 3rd Street. It is located directly east of the Harbor Freeway...
to the Civic Center
Civic Center, Los Angeles, California
The Civic Center neighborhood of Los Angeles, California is the administrative core of the City of Los Angeles and a complex of city, state, and federal government offices, buildings, and courthouses.-Location:...
. Plans call for tree-shaded sidewalks, plenty of street lights, benches, and kiosks, to encourage the walking and exploration of the area. This area is already a public space with plazas, a Court of Flags, and a park-like area with a large fountain where many county workers take their lunch under trees. However the design is disjointed and cut off by the entrances to several parking garages.
Ground-breaking for the new civic park began June 15, 2010. Once completed, the new Grand Avenue will feature upscale
Luxury good
Luxury goods are products and services that are not considered essential and associated with affluence.The concept of luxury has been present in various forms since the beginning of civilization. Its role was just as important in ancient western and eastern empires as it is in modern societies...
shopping stores and high-rise condos, in addition to a shopping center, bookstore, multiplex movie theater and a gourmet supermarket.
In June 2007, the design of Phase 1 was approved by the Los Angeles Grand Avenue Authority, the Community Redevelopment Agency, and the County Board of Supervisors. This will allow the project to move forward into the Design Development Phase, which was expected to be completed in the Fall of 2007.
In a deal reached in December but disclosed on March 12, 2008, the Dubai government-owned investment fund "Istithmar World Capital PJSC", signed on as an equity partner in the Related Co. project—which is now dubbed The Grand—after the California Public Employees' Retirement System (CalPERS)
CalPERS
The California Public Employees' Retirement System or CalPERS is an agency in the California executive branch that "manages pension and health benefits for more than 1.6 million California public employees, retirees, and their families"...
pension fund withdrew from the project. The $100 million commitment from Istithmar represents a 40% stake in the Frank Gehry-designed project. Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group, which will manage the development's luxury hotel, has committed $42 million. Both investments await Los Angeles city and county approval, which are expected this month and are needed to help Related secure financing for construction, due to start this year.
Reception
While generally greeted with positive response, there have also been critical concerns expressed by local citizens, community leaders, local business owners, academics and advocates for the homeless . Grand Intervention, a project of the Norman Lear CenterNorman Lear Center
Based at the USC Annenberg School for Communication, the Norman Lear Center is a multi-disciplinary research and public policy center exploring implications of the convergence of entertainment, commerce, and society...
at USC's Annenberg School for Communication, has attempted to maximize public input into the design of the park. This project, begun with a call for ideas in a July 2005 Op-Ed in the Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles Times
The Los Angeles Times is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California, since 1881. It was the second-largest metropolitan newspaper in circulation in the United States in 2008 and the fourth most widely distributed newspaper in the country....
, resulted in more than 300 design submissions from across the city and around the world. Furthermore, when the park developer chose its design team, Grand Intervention invited them to view the best of the proposals. Since effective urban planning requires direct civic engagement by diverse and disparate communities, the Lear Center felt that new technology could extend the outreach process beyond the conventional Vermont town meeting model. In an effort to extend its public outreach on L.A.'s new civic park, the Grand Avenue Committee and the developer, The Related Companies, endorsed Grand Intervention's online civic engagement efforts. The Lear Center has offered live and archived Webcasts of community park workshops, online transcriptions of the workshops and online digital resources of all materials distributed or displayed at the workshops.
Some business owners fear their businesses won't be able to compete with such a large, government-backed project and that many small downtown businesses will shut down. Backers assert that the project will attract more people to the downtown area and therefore boost local business.