Marion Davies estate to become public club
CITY HALL — Millions of dollars are being thrown into area parks this year, part of a five-year plan by City Hall to expand Santa Monica’s recreational opportunities.
A skatepark at Memorial Park is just one of the many planned upgrades as part of a $120 million improvement plan for several of the city’s 25 parks. Improvements range in scope from as large as a complete overhaul of Virginia Avenue Park, to the tune of $10 million, to smaller renovations such as the planned new bathrooms for Los Amigos Park.
“We are enthusiastic about the park development planned for Santa Monica and always seeking further opportunities for green space,” said Susan Cloke, chair of the Recreation and Parks Commission. “We have a much higher demand for space than available.”
Among the park projects scheduled over the next three years, the skatepark is expected to be ready to roll by June, followed by the Virginia Avenue Park expansion in October, according to Brett Horner, a senior administrative analyst in City Hall’s community and cultural services department, which manages Santa Monica’s parks.
Horner also said Airport Park should be ready in August 2006, followed by the Euclid Neighborhood Park in March of 2007. The Village Green and the renovation of the old Marion Davies Estate at 415 PCH are projected to be ready by December of 2008.
The city’s parks and recreation master plan went into effect in March of 1997, with the skatepark and Euclid Neighborhood Park being added as a result of demand, Horner said.
The park master plan was the first of its kind for Santa Monica, created in conjunction with the city’s open space guidelines and placing a priority on urban living, which provides plenty of outdoor opportunities for recreation.
Officials predict that City Hall will face a budget shortfall in coming years, which could affect long-range park projects. City staff in January said City Hall’s general fund is projected to grow at 14.6 percent for the next five years, but expenditures are expected to grow 18.7 percent. However, park improvements that will come on line in the next three years have already been budgeted, with the exception of Village Green, for which funding has yet to be secured, said Horner.
NEW PARKS FOR ’05 The skatepark will offer 20,000 square feet of concrete curves, bowls, dips and inclines adjacent to Memorial Park at 14th Street and Olympic Boulevard. Expected to be ready by this summer, the skatepark will be used for BMX-style riding, inline skating and skateboarding. It will cost $550,000 from capital improvement funds, Horner said.
Cloke said the skatepark has been anticipated by Santa Monica teen-agers who will have easy access, since it will be located near major bus routes and behind a youth-oriented facility operated by the Santa Monica Police Department.
“This is a project that’s been overdue for years,” Cloke said. “We have had teen-agers coming to meetings, requesting we build this park.”
Cloke said she doesn’t know how much the skatepark will cost users, but admits some fees will likely be required because a manager will be needed and the site may require a unique kind of maintenance to ensure safe handling.
Virginia Avenue Park, at 2200 Virginia Avenue, is expanding from its present 5.8 acres to 9.5 acres. Once complete, the park will offer a community center and gym with increased program-ming, children’s playground, basketball courts, a seasonal water play area joined to the existing pool, and a tree-shaded area for the Santa Monica Farmers’ Market, Horner said.
“The Virginia Park expansion is very exciting, offering beautiful places for children to play,” Cloke said. “It is the biggest project coming on line this year.”
Cloke said the community center is devoted to teen-agers, and with the addition of the gym, will expand the kinds of activities the park has available. She said it is a project wanted by neighborhood residents and based on a sustainable model.
“The youth center will offer programs for children to participate in that is safe and interesting,” Cloke said, referring to the pool, basketball courts, dance space and studying programs for students.
The buildings at Los Amigos and Memorial parks are undergoing $1.3 million in renovations and improvements expected to be complete in April, including new concession stands, restrooms, storage space and announcer platforms.
PARKS FOR ’06 AND BEYOND The Airport Park is estimated to cost $8.2 million and will encompass 8.3 acres that offer synthetic turf soccer fields, an off-leash dog area, a picnic and barbecue area, and a public restroom. Horner said the operation costs also have been budgeted with the construction costs.
Bidding for the project is expected to begin as soon as possible, unless City Hall decides to go through with a proposal by Santa Monica College to provide underground parking in exchange to have the site paid for by taxpayer-approved bonds dedicated for the college. If approved by City Hall, it could postpone the construction of the project for several months.
“The Airport Park is something residents near the airport have wanted for a long time,” Cloke said. “There has been a great demand for a soccer field and dog park and, hopefully, it will offer expanded recreation opportunities for kids.”
The Euclid Neighborhood Park, expected to be available for use by March of 2007, will be a new 15,000-square-foot facility adjacent to a hospital Los Angeles County sold to Santa Monica in 1998, housing people with disabilities, Cloke said.
Because Euclid Neighborhood Park will be adjacent to a special housing program, the park is designed to be quiet, Cloke said.
“It is a small neighborhood park designed for a quiet, green area where children can play and neighbors can enjoy and have a picnic,” Cloke said. “Bring your children, and we provide the trees and the grass.”
Two more park-run facilities coming to Santa Monica further down the stretch are the new Village Green Park and a renovation of the Marion Davies estate, both to be completed by December 2008.
The Village Green Park will cost $9.1 million to construct and will offer open space and greenery as part of a long-term development plan for the Santa Monica Civic Center.
The Marion Davies estate, at 415 Pacific Coast Highway, will likely be opening as a public beach club. Once owned by William Randolph Hearst and used for his mistress, actress Marion Davies, the estate has been abandoned for nearly a decade.
Horner said the renovation is expected to cost $12.1 million. The Annenberg Foundation has already contributed $21 million to Santa Monica for the renovation and upkeep.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on March 30, 2005. Read the original PDF.