The will transform the civic and cultural districts of downtown into a vibrant new regional center which will showcase entertainment venues, restaurants, and retail mixed with a hotel and up to 2600 new housing units. These new uses will add to the notable features that already exist at the top of Bunker Hill, including the Concert Hall, the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels, the Music Center, the of Performing Arts, and the Museum of Contemporary Art. Also to be improved as part of the project is the existing County Mall, which will be transformed into a 16 acre park stretching from the Music Center at the top of Bunker Hill to City Hall at the bottom of the Hill. The park will become the new "Central Park" of Los Angeles and will be the scene of many citywide celebrations as well as daily events. The total estimated cost of the project is $3 billion, which includes up to 3.6 million square feet of development, the creation of the new park, streetscape improvements as well as outdoor public spaces throughout the development. The public amenities will be funded by private sources and by public funds generated by the project. The project will create 29,000 construction jobs (both on and off-site), 5,900 long-term jobs and will generate over $35.6 million annually in local, county and state taxes. A joint powers authority, the Los Angeles Grand Avenue Authority, was established in 2003 to implement the project. The Authority unites the County of Los Angeles and the Community Redevelopment Agency of the City of Los Angeles (CRA/LA) in a new governmental entity whose sole purpose is to create this new regional center. The majority of the property on which the new uses will be located is owned either by the CRA/LA or County. The project was initiated by the Grand Avenue Committee, which is a public/private partnership that was formed in the year 2000. The Grand Avenue Committee will assist the Authority as it proceeds with the project. The work of the Grand Avenue Committee is supported by the County of Los Angeles, the City of Los Angeles, Foundation, the California Community Foundation, and private funding. Overall vision:

The master plan for the Grand Avenue Project (which is called the “Implementation Plan”) centers on a large park connecting landmark cultural and civic buildings with an ambitious multi-use development to create a unique gathering place in the City. The overall plan includes the development of a 16-acre civic park, streetscape improvements along Grand Avenue from Fifth Street to Cesar Chavez Avenue and up to 3.8 million square feet of mixed- use development. The project weaves together the commercial and residential uses with an emphasis on creating great outdoor spaces, enhancing connections to adjacent neighborhoods and shaping view corridors that highlight Disney Hall, Cathedral of Our Lady of The Angels, and City Hall. The parcels

The multi-phased development will include affordable and market-rate housing with multi- level retail and entertainment spaces built around large plazas and public spaces. The total development program includes 400,000 square feet of retail, a boutique hotel and up to 2,600 affordable and market-rate residential units. To achieve a critical amount of activity, Grand Avenue’s initial development of approximately 1.2 million square feet will be the most dramatic and highest density element of the overall master plan.

This first phase will be built on the three-acre parcel directly across the street from the Walt Disney Concert Hall and is planned to include a food market, bookstore, several signature retailers and a series of small shops. Planned entertainment uses include a cinema and/or music venue. The project’s most intensive attraction will be a collection of restaurants and clubs and associated art galleries that will be found at various locations within the complex. Most will take advantage of views to Walt Disney Concert Hall as well as provide extensive use of outdoor dining areas, terraces and roof decks. The site, which slopes quickly downhill from Grand Avenue, allows this exciting mix of entertainment, dining and shopping uses to be spread over several carefully integrated levels as well as create activity along all the street edges.

A distinctive 40-50-story iconic tower at the corner of Second and Grand is planned to combine a boutique hotel of up to 275 rooms with 200 condominiums on the upper floors. At Olive and First Streets a 25-30-story residential tower will combine 150 market rate condominiums with 88 affordable apartments. These buildings flank plazas and courtyards with inviting outdoor seating and dining areas that will ultimately connect Grand Avenue to Hill Street. Included in the initial development will be $50 million in planned improvements to the existing civic mall to create a grand 16-acre civic park that will itself become an urban destination for Angelenos. The park will create a great civic gathering place for small to large-scale events as well as for day-to-day activities and quiet respite.

The park is envisioned as several distinct areas that will be landscaped and programmed to serve a variety of uses. On the west end across from the Music Center, the park will be programmed with cultural, arts and entertainment events. The existing garage ramps will be relocated to allow a grand terrace to connect Grand Avenue to a new great lawn. The center of the park will feature a colorful garden area with both open and intimate spaces. The east end will be designed to host civic celebrations and multi-cultural festivals and complete the entrance to the front of City Hall.

In addition to the park, streetscape improvements along Grand Avenue and the streets bordering the development parcels will create an enhanced pedestrian environment and a strong visual identity to link the various cultural and civic institutions in the area. The streetscape improvements will include widening sidewalks, the addition of trees, landscaping, paving systems, benches, trash receptacles, street graphics and distinct street and walkway lighting. Concurrent with the initial development of the park and the development parcels, improvements will be made along Grand Avenue, from Second Street to Temple Street. Additional improvements along Grand Avenue from Fifth Street to Cesar Chavez Avenue and to the streets adjacent to each development site will occur in conjunction with each subsequent phase of the project.

County Supervisors Approve Design for Civic Park By Eric Richardson Published: Tuesday, April 07, 2009, at 11:57AM

DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES — After hearing a presentation on the design of the Civic Park Project, the County Board of Supervisors today approved its schematic design documents. Designer Mark Rios narrated a presentation of the new design, walking the elected officials through each area of the park. Posted April 16, 2008 APPROVAL OF PHASE 1 DESIGN DEVELOPMENT

The Design Development package submitted by The Related Companies and their architect, Gehry Partners, was approved by the Los Angeles Grand Avenue Authority on February 25, 2008. These approvals allow the project to advance into the Final Construction Documents phase.

Phase 1 includes the development of Parcel Q, which is directly across Grand Avenue from the Walt Disney Concert Hall. The scope of development on this site includes: approximately 500 units of housing (100 of which are affordable housing), a 275-room Mandarin Oriental Hotel, and 285,000 square feet of retail space. Over 1500 parking spaces will be located below ground. Retail uses are expected to include an urban grocery, a health club, a large book and music store, seven to eight restaurants, and other uses.

Schematic Design for the Civic Park, which is also part of Phase 1, is underway and is expected to be completed in the fall of 2008. The Civic Park stretches from Grand Avenue, at the top of Bunker Hill, to Spring Street at the bottom of the Hill. The scope of work for the park includes extending the existing park area to City Hall and improving and upgrading the existing sections of park to meet a variety of needs of downtown residents, office workers, and tourists.