SR 10-25-2011 8A (2)City of City Council Report
Santa Monica'
City Council Meeting: October 25, 2011
Agenda Item: �h
To: Mayor and City Council
From: Martin Pastucha, Director of Public Works
Barbara Stinchfield, Director of Community & Cultural Services
Subject: Design Elements for Palisades Garden Walk and Town Square Project
Recommended Action
Staff recommends that the City Council:
1. Review and approve the design of the Palisades Garden Walk Overlook
Structures as approved by the Architectural Review Board
2. Review and approve the streetscape plans for Ocean Avenue and Main Street
adjacent to the park areas.
3. Direct staff to proceed with construction documents.
Executive Summary
On June 14, 2011, Council approved the Palisades Garden Walk design development
plans. This report provides Council with updated designs for the overlook structures in
Palisades Garden Walk, as approved by the Architectural Review Board as well as the
design for the Ocean Avenue and Main Street streetscapes adjacent to Palisades
Garden Walk and Town Square. This report also updates Council on the concept design
for the public art piece for Palisades Garden Walk by Inigo Manglano - Ovalle.
Background
The Palisades Garden Walk and Town Square Project, as described in the 1993 Civic
Center Specific Plan (updated on June 28, 2005), has two components: Palisades
Garden Walk, a new public open space on a vacant six -acre site located directly across
from City Hall; and Town Square, the redesign of the front landscape of City Hall,
approximately one -acre in size.
On April 13, 2010, Council awarded a design contract to James Corner Field Operations
(JCFO) to design the project. A key factor in the selection of JCFO was the firm's
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creative design approach and commitment to engaging the public in the planning and
design of vibrant public open spaces.
On June 14, 2011, Council unanimously approved the design development plans for the
Palisades Garden Walk component of the project and directed staff to move forward
with construction documents. Subsequently the design, colors, and materials for the
structures in the park including the restroom facility, the screen walls, the maintenance
shed, pedestrian bridge, and overlook structures were presented to the Architectural
Review Board (ARB) for their review and approval. Based on feedback from the ARB at
a previous meeting, the overlook structures as approved by the ARB on September 19,
2011 have changed from what was presented to Council on June 14, 201. The revised
structures are now presented for Council review and approval.
Additionally, streetscape plans for the portions of Main Street and Ocean Avenue
adjacent to the project have been developed and are now presented for Council review
and approval.
Discussion
Design of Overlook Structures
When the ARB reviewed and approved the design of the other features in Palisades
Garden Walk under their purview (the restrooms, maintenance shed, steel planting
screens, handrails, as well as all materials and colors) they expressed concern that the
Pier Overlook and Ocean Overlook structures were not well integrated into the site, and
that the 16.5 foot retaining wall along Ocean Avenue designed to support the structures
created a barrier along Ocean Avenue that would be uninviting to pedestrians and
passing vehicles. In response to these concerns, the design of the overlook structures
facing Ocean Avenue was refined and approved by the ARB on September 19, 2011 as
follows:
• The steel rib structures have become more elliptical with ribs extending below the
deck of the structures to integrate them with the retaining walls;
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• Larger openings at the viewpoint /edge of the structures have been created;
• The height of the deck floor of each overlook structure above Ocean Avenue has
been lowered by 3 feet to provide a more direct connection to Ocean Avenue;
• The retaining walls have been terraced with additional landscaping softening the
visual impact along Ocean Avenue; and
• Teak decking and stainless steel dot lights have been embedded throughout the
overlook decks to provide a unique, yet subtle, night lighting effect.
OCEAN AVENUE I VIEW
Proposed Streetscape Designs
Main Street
To enhance the connection between Town Square and Palisades Garden Walk, the
design team has developed a streetscape design for Main Street that will extend from
the southern edge of the Main Street Bridge to Olympic Drive South. The proposed
plan includes the installation of new street trees, street lighting, a redesigned median
and raised crosswalk.
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Street Trees
The existing nine Podocarpus street trees on the east and west sides of Main Street are
proposed for relocation to other parks or streetscape locations within the City. In
keeping with the overall tree palette for the parks, Western Sycamores are proposed as
the replacement street tree.
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TOWN SQUARE - REVISED SITE PLAN
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Street Lighting
To further connect the two parks, new street lights on both sides of Main Street between
the Main Street Bridge and Olympic Drive South are proposed to replace the existing
ones. The new pole lights match the design of the pole lighting within Palisades Garden
Walk and consists of an elegant arc shaped pole with a double luminaire, one directed
to the sidewalk for pedestrians and the other to the street. Streetlight spacing would
complement the park design and meet safety requirements.
Raised Crosswalk
A new crosswalk is proposed to replace the existing Main Street crosswalk adjacent to
the central walkway of City Hall. The crosswalk would be raised 6" above the level of
the street to be at the same height as the adjacent curbs and flanked by planter areas
and a redesigned planted median. This treatment would enhance the drivers' view of
pedestrians crossing the street and would gracefully link Palisades Garden Walk and
Town Square. This new crosswalk design has been reviewed by the Transportation
Management Division, key Big Blue Bus staff, and the Fire Marshal.
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Ocean Avenue
Sidewalk Widening
Coordination between James Corner Field Operations and Peter Walker Partners has
begun with regard to the design of the corner at Colorado and Ocean Avenues where
the Palisades Garden Walk and Colorado Esplanade projects overlap. Options for
providing a more generous entry into the park, with a wider sidewalk, through extending
slightly over the freeway (a very small "cap ") and /or by utilizing extra space in the
roadway, are being explored through this process.
Streetscape
All existing palms would remain along Ocean Avenue in front of the park and four new
Ravenea glauca ( "Majesty Palms ") would be interspersed between the existing trees to
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match and complete the existing palm allee, which would protect the continuity of the
streetscape, as contemplated by the Civic Center Specific Plan. No street trees are
proposed for removal and no new street lights are proposed for this location.
Public Art Update
On February 16, 2011, the Arts Commission approved the selection of Inigo Manglano-
Ovalle to create a public art piece for Palisades Garden Walk. Mr. Manglano - Ovalle
has gained international recognition at events such as Documenta XII and Art 38 Basel
and his artwork is held in a number of collections such as those of Peter Norton, the
Guggenheim and Whitney Museums. In addition, he has received a number of awards
and fellowships, including grants from the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur
Foundation and The National Endowment for the Arts.
On September 1, 2011, the Public Art Committee approved the conceptual design by
Mr. Manglano - Ovalle. The proposed art will create a sculptural "weather field"
consisting of a tightly grouped field of vertical poles, with each pole supporting weather
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instrumentation for measuring wind direction and speed. The sculpture will be sited
near the center of the park adjacent to the "Gathering Hill ". Mr. Manglano - Ovalle is
currently refining the concept and will present a final design for approval to the Arts
Commission in December 2011.
Next Steps
Following Council action on plans for the Overlooks and the streetscape design, the
design team will complete the construction documents for the park. The next steps are:
• Complete construction documents (January 2012).
• Rough grading and compaction of imported soil (spring 2012).
• Plan check and permitting (spring 2012).
• Begin construction (May /June 2012).
• Complete construction (fall 2013).
Financial Impacts & Budget Actions
There is no budget/financial impact associated with this action.
Prepared by: Jean Bellman, Architect
Karen Ginsberg, Assistant Director of Community & Cultural Services
Barbara Stinchfield
Director of Community & Cultural Services
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Forwarded to Council:
Rod Gould
City Manager