The City of Santa Monica purchased 2.5 acres of land adjacent to the City’s downtown retail core, the 3rd Street Promenade. With this land the City seeks to realize a mixed-use northern anchor to this district, but needs to establish community consensus regarding program, intensity, massing, and character. Real estate and market feasibility is also a critical concern given the investment of public dollars.

John Kaliski Architects, working with Allan D. Kotin and Associates (ADK), real estate economists, was asked to develop a range of development options and through public workshops help the City define an acceptable approach. Community meetings established that additional open space is a primary public benefit that should shape the character of the site. Working with this criteria, as well as market trends as established by ADK, John Kaliski Architects created four alternatives with varying intensity, program, and character, as well as parking and costing models, which were utilized by the consulting team to establish the envelope of and recommendations for financial feasibility. Based upon the options studied and community input, the City is now developing a request for developer qualifications with urban design guidelines that reflect community input. Findings from the feasibility study are also being used to shape design standards and guidelines that will be incorporated into a new downtown specific plan.

Client:  City of Santa Monica
Scope:  Design and Development Feasibility Study
Cost:  $30,000