WEST HOLLYWOOD—The city is inviting community members to attend a Melrose Gathering Place Community Conversation on Thursday, September 29, from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. on the Respite Deck of the West Hollywood Park Aquatic and Recreation Center (Floor 5 at the top of the grand staircase), located at 8750 El Tovar Place, next to the West Hollywood Library.

According to a press release from the city of West Hollywood, the region at the corner of Melrose Avenue and Norwich Drive is currently sidewalk and diagonal parking. That will be transformed into approximately 7,200 square feet of park-like space with landscaping, trees, seating, public art, and other amenities. The previously proposed design for the space is now being reimagined, and West Hollywood is restarting the effort with a new design team, artist, and with renewed input from the local community. The Community Conversation will be an in-person opportunity for neighbors, local business owners, and residents’ associations to meet the newly commissioned design team early in the process and participate in reimagining the space.

The Melrose Gathering Place project was established as part of the Design District Streetscape Master Plan, which was unanimously approved by the West Hollywood City Council in 2014. The Design District Streetscape & Undergrounding Project is in its second phase of construction. The Master Plan was designed to improve the overall aesthetics and mobility of the commercial district known as West Hollywood Design District, with the goal of strengthening the economic vitality of the district. Key features of the project include pedestrian and bicycle safety improvements; new pavement and sidewalks; distinctive trees and landscaping; upgraded street furniture and streetlights; smart city infrastructure installation; utility undergrounding work; and the creation of new public gathering spaces, such as the Melrose Gathering Place, with integrated public art.

For additional details contact Michael Barker, West Hollywood Project Architect in the City’s Urban Design and Architecture Studio, at (323) 848-6483 or at mbarker@weho.org. For people who are Deaf or hard of hearing call TTY (323) 848-6496.