Masterplan for a New Coastal Town Center, Redondo Beach California w/Pompei AD
Reporting on the Project:
http://www.thewaterfrontredondo.com
I am currently a master planning consultant on this project for the client, CenterCal Properties, working through a New York architect Ron Pompei of Pompei AD. CenterCal is the selected developer for this significant 15 acre waterfront site south of Los Angeles, CA, where the city of Redondo Beach has established over 400,000 square feet of development rights on the property.
My work has focused on bringing my expertise in urban planning and place making to assist the developer in the master plan development. The developer had already engaged a local architectural firm to produce designs, but felt he needed more input on the master plan. The design process was an open public process, with frequent meetings to facilitate community input.
The concept being developed by the local architect had the characteristics of a suburban mall, which was a development approach the local community wanted to avoid. The Pompei AD submission that I lead offered an alternative, more urban approach to the plan with enhanced quality of the public spaces and parks throughout the waterfront site. This plan sought to define a town center that maximized a flow and connectivity of pedestrian, bike, and vehicular pathways through the new public spaces, waterfront walks, and built fabric of the development, especially providing clear and logical connection with a bridge from the north side of the site to the south across the mouth of the marina. The key programmatic elements of the hotel and the market are prioritized and given hierarchal positions on the main public squares.
Our design concept was presented to the client through a formal drawing presentation and a site walk with the development team to debate the pros and cons of the different ideas on the table. Many of the principles of our plan are apparent in the revised work of the local architect.
The project is entering the Environmental Impact review stage. The client is also negotiating the financing of the project with the city. We hope to start up with our next phase of design work in the next 6-8 months.
Initial Pompei AD team Design Concepts:
Preliminary Studies
Completed Preliminary Design Concept by Pompei AD Team:
Existing Condition of the Site Below:
