Hollywood Freeway cap park inches forward

US Rep. Xavier Becerra (D-Los Angeles) has agreed to request the $5.85m necessary to begin prelimary studies and planning for the park. Though this is a tiny droplet in comparison to the estimated $950m necessary to build the park, supporters say it is a crucial step. The park, thought by many to be a pipe dream since its conception in 2006, would comprise 44 acres of parkland on a "cap" constructed over the freeway between Hollywood and Santa Monica Blvds. The park is seen as a much-needed addition of open space to an area of the city that has only .005 acres of parkland per resident. Friends of the Hollywood Central Park, the non-profit founded to get the project off the ground, says the majority of the money will come from private foundations. It is one of 2 cap parks planned for the Hollywood Freeway.

Source: Los Angeles Business Journal

W. Hollywood Entrusts New Cultural Center to Bolster Rep as "Creative City"

The City of West Hollywood has hired Heery International to build phase 1 of the city's master plan - a 32,000 sf library along with 2.5 acres of parkspace adjacent to the Pacific Design Center. The project, which will break ground in about a month, was planned and designed by Culver City architecture firm MDA Johnson Favaro. The library, which will be about six times larger than the decrepit original, will boast high-tech features like video-conferencing rooms and pervasive wireless connectivity. Two parking structures will house an additional 400 spots, in the city infamously strapped for parking.

The added parkspace will combine with the existing West Hollywood Park, located at the intersection of San Vicente Blvd and Santa Monica Blvd. Directly accross from the Pac Design Center on San Vicente, a cafe will be installed with broad sidewalk eating space. The city's master plan, which is split into three installments, is geared toward providing the city with more parkspace and more program to accomodate the city's growing family population. The center will contribute to the cluster of existing and future cultural buildings around the important intersection. If ever realized, Cesar Pelli's much-hyped "Red Boat" will complete the Design Center's Holy Trinity of colorful iconic colossi. The funding-starved project that was proposed in 2006 was slated for completion last year. Aside from a bunch of glossy PR, little has been said for the Charles Cohen venture. Stay tuned for more.

As for WeHo's new Park(ing), Curbed LA has made a good point - shouldn't we have learned something from Pershing Square's dreadful combination of park and parking? And West Hollywood is known for a lot of things, but I can't help but feel a little skeptical about the power of a library and a showroom-on-steroids to spawn a "City of Creativity."