Northeast Los Angeles Placemaking Competition: Hyperion River Plaza and River Watch
Project submitted by ERW Design
Project design for Atwater Village
Project Summary and Scale
The Hyperion River Plaza and River Watch is both a route across the river, and a river destination. This proposal includes a pedestrian and bicycle path with a series of wide, bleacher-type steps leading to the river. Both structures span between the existing Red Trolley concrete piers and walls south of the Hyperion Bridge.
Why are you committed to this project?
This is an extraordinary opportunity to create a gathering place for a wide array of river events. It is a place to watch kayak regattas, observe water birds, meet friends, and enjoy the river's habitat, in close proximity to the water's level of the river.
What are the most relevant characteristics of project site and scale?
Broad, open-riser steel stairs span between the piers and walls of the former Red Car Trolley bridge. Steps lead directly to the water, an exciting and practical access point for boaters and river waders alike. The open-riser design allows for continuous river flow, no matter the water level. Combined with broad, plaza landings, the entire construct welcomes the casual visitor, but it is also designed as an environment to foster artistic and theatrical river events.
Describe how this project will reinforce a sense of place or enhance the built environment.
The bicycle and pedestrian path joins Atwater Village and Elysian Valley, expanding existing routes and pathways along and across the river. By siting the major gathering areas more than twenty-five feet lower than the bridges levels, the sounds and movements of the river come to the foreground, providing a unique river experience.
Provide a description of the project's necessary planning activities.
This project will require buy-in by multiple stakeholders: the LA Bureau of Engineering, community residents, river activists, and the Army Corps of Engineers. A feasibility study will need to be generated, and budgets calculated.
What is a rough estimate of your project budget?
We believe that developing this project concurrent with the Glendale/Hyperion Bridge seismic retrofit project allows any required revisions to those structures to be included in their budget.
How does this project leverage existing resources and efforts?
This project leverages river revitalization plans, through cost-effective re-purposing of existing infrastructure, and showcases the momentum around river revitalization projects. Reusing the existing Red Car Trolley piers reduces the cost and complexity of construction, and its proximity to the bridge complex takes advantage of the existing efforts to make this Bridge more pedestrian /cyclist friendly. We believe that developing this project concurrent with the Glendale/Hyperion Bridge seismic retrofit project allows any required revisions to those structures to be included in their budget.
What community need is your project serving?
The Hyperion River Plaza and River Watch connects neighborhoods isolated by freeways. It serves as a community public space, allowing for an open-ended variety of events and activities, and with new access paths, is easily accessible to bicyclists, pedestrians, and boaters
If your project is realized, what does success look like?
This project will be successful when crowds cheer the annual Kayak Regatta, or watch an experimental art performance. This project will be successful when visitors hear mallards calling to each other, and see birds and water fowl in close proximity. This project will be successful when Atwater Village residents stroll across the pedestrian path to have a picnic at Marsh Park.
