NoHo Plaza in Los Angeles was an LQC project under the city DOT’s People St. program - a city-wide effort to convert underutilized roadways into vibrant community places such as parklets, plazas, and bike corrals. Through this initiative, the NoHo Business Improvement District (BID) applied for People St. funding and was chosen to partner with the LADOT in transforming a North Hollywood alleyway into a pedestrian plaza. LADOT paid for the plaza’s colorful surface treatment of bright green polka dots as well as planters and signage, while the NoHo BID supplied furnishings and ongoing and management of the space. The cost of the project totaled at around $57,000, which remains significantly lower than any traditional redesign project involving capital improvements. Another part of the People St. agreement ensures that the NoHo BID will work with community organizations to activate the space with public programs and events such as movie screenings, festivals, or lectures. In order for the annual plaza permit to become permanent, the BID must continue to uphold this commitment.

Since the unveiling of NoHo Plaza, the People St. program has worked with several other community groups to convert underutilized spaces across the city into pedestrian friendly zones. “The People St. initiative allows community groups- - who know their neighborhoods best - to partner with City Hall to create great public spaces that make our communities more livable and prosperous,” explained Mayor Garcetti. The NoHo plaza shows how overlooked spaces can be transformed, especially when coupled with a well-conceived management plan between community groups and city officials.

Photo credits, all: Jim Simmons

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