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L.A. Project Restore’s First Street Master Plan Proposes a Revitalized East-West River Span

Founded to lead the successful effort to renovate L.A. City Hall, Project Restore turned its attention to the First Street corridor, which connects the Civic Center to the vibrant neighborhood of Boyle Heights. TPR was pleased to speak with Project Restore Chair Tim Psomas and architect Doug Suisman, who, along with Mark Rios and Doug Campbell, are directing the master plan process that will beautify and enliven L.A.’s next great street.

Published Wednesday April 19, 2006

2480 words

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Tim Psomas

Doug Suisman

What were Project Restore’s goals when they approved the First Street master plan and chose an array of talented architects and landscape architects to do it?

Tim Psomas: Project Restore was formed as a public private partnership with the City of Los Angeles for our signature project, the restoration of City Hall. At the completion of that very successful project, we were looking for a way to provide context and lasting value for that work, and our president, Ed Avila, presented this idea for First Street – “Calle Primera” – to the board, and it was enthusiastically received.

The concept was very much in line with what had been happening for several years Downtown, looking at re-shuffling of property ownership among the various public sector participants and major users of space. First Street had so many exciting prospects. It is the front door to City Hall – or at least one side of City Hall – and so it seemed a natural project for Project Restore to be engaged with.

Doug, you, along with Mark Rios and Doug Campbell, were leads on this team, charged with drafting a master plan from the Civic Center through L.A.’s Historic Core, Little Tokyo, the Arts District, L.A. River, and Boyle Heights. How did the team approach this challenge?