River of Dreams

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River of Dreams
Think Big: A rendering portrays what Aecom and city leaders envision could be the future of the Los Angeles River corridor downtown.

The city of Los Angeles, land owners and community organizations for years have explored ideas for continuing the revitalizing the Los Angeles River with new development, parks, bike trails or restoration of its natural state.

Now Aecom, a Century City-based construction, design and engineering giant, has its own ideas about how to remake the riverfront.

It recently unveiled a framework to tie together a range of plans and proposals for redeveloping the four-mile stretch of the waterway that runs through downtown and was expected to present its findings to city officials last week.

“Over the last year, as we explored this area and have become intimately familiar with it, what we found is that this area has unparalleled open space opportunities from the river and other park activities in the area,” said Nancy Michali, an associate vice president for Aecom.

Michael Chee, spokesman for Aecom, said that while the firm’s work was voluntary, the city had asked the company to design a framework with something that was feasible and could be implemented.

“The L.A. River is one of our city’s most important natural and cultural resources – that’s why Mayor (Eric) Garcetti is committed to its revitalization,” Alex Comisar, press secretary for Garcetti, said in a statement. “Private sector partners like Aecom are helping to bring decades of planning and design work to life, attract creative partnerships, and show Angelenos what the river’s future could be.”

The city adopted a $980 million plan last year to restore 11 miles of habitat along the river, a leg that includes the four-mile downtown stretch.

Aecom’s plan seeks to integrate the habitat restoration and other approved projects and specific plans within the research area, such as the Cornfield Arroyo Seco Specific Plan, which envisions a hybrid industrial community northeast of downtown, and the Alameda District Specific Plan, which envisions a new high-rise community around Union Station.

The framework also suggests demolishing certain buildings near the river, such as the C. Erwin Piper Technical Center, from which the Los Angeles Police Department would have to relocate its operations.

It also recommends financing and implementing the project through public/private partnerships. Renderings from Aecom show the potential integration of projects and a number of green space elements along the riverfront.

The presentation came at the end of a year-long process that involved discussions with city officials and Metro, which owns the riverfront properties, according to Aecom executives. They said redevelopment efforts in the area would take place over decades.

Aecom does not have clients involved in riverfront development, but the company hopes to compete for related projects when they arise, Michali said.

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