Los Angeles' Pershing Square, a five-acre park initially opened in 1866, will undergo major transformations to accommodate the increase of families with children living in Downtown Los Angeles.
According to Donna Evans at LA Downtown News, two playgrounds will be constructed in Pershing Square as part of a $2 million makeover to improve and redesign the park. The funding comes from $1 million from the City of Los Angeles Recreation and Parks Department and MacFarlane Partners, the company developing a 315 apartment residence building a block north of the square, and the rest of the funds are to be raised by a new non-profit, Pershing Square Renew.
The initial money from the Recreation and Parks department will be allocated towards "short-term upgrades including the playgrounds, said department General Manager Mike Shull. A playground for 2- to 5-year olds will be constructed in the park’s southwest corner, at Sixth and Olive streets. The second playground, for kids ages 5-12, will stretch along Sixth Street. Each park will include climbing apparatuses and slides."
Currently, Pershing Square is criticized "for an abundance of hardscape, seemingly out-of-place architectural features such as a purple tower and a lack of green space... [and that the] interior of the park is difficult to see from surrounding streets." The city is attempting to address those complaints and make the park more welcoming and inviting through this redevelopment.
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