Activating Chollas Creek through Art & Sustainable Design

Activating Chollas Creek

through Art & Sustainable Design

Prepared for Jacobs Center for Neighborhood Innovation by Estrada Land Planning with funding from the Proposition 84 Urban Greening and Sustainable Communities Grant Program, California Natural Resources Agency and National Endowment for the Arts.

August 2014

The sounds of children playing along the creek, the smell of native sage, the sound of clean, clear water bubbling over creek cobble, a trio playing folk music next to the art shop and outdoor restaurant patio, a romantic couple slowly walking and reading interactive interpretive panels along the creek edge, and school children crossing the creek on their way to an incredible, beautiful and iconic pedestrian bridge; this is the vision for Chollas Creek.

Furthering the 2002 Chollas Creek Enhancement Program, this project aims to transform Chollas Creek from a hidden and neglected waterway into a linear urban park, becoming a historic, geographic, symbolic and civic focal point. It will activate a key portion of Chollas Creek, located at the northwest corner of Euclid Avenue and Market Street in the Encanto Neighborhood of San Diego. Through this work, the Creek will once again become the Community’s heart and soul, restoring the inner energy and inherent need for nature in each of its residents.

The following pages depict this journey....

project summary

Guymon st

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euclid st

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Market st

existing conditions

Northwest Village Market Street Hillside Commercial

Guymon Apartments

Northwest Village Creek Enhancement Project

Horton Elementary School

Northwest Village Commercial Office/Light Industrial Project

Elementary Institute of Science

Valencia Park/Malcolm X Library BRYCO Business Park

Joe & Vi Jacobs Center

Market & 47th Southeast Corner

Themes expressed by communty and stakeholder participants

ART FORMS

Writerz Block

Through a brainstorming process community members and the project team compiled a collection of art forms that answer the question, “what is art?” These forms of art branch outside of traditional media and incorporate unconventional expressions of art such

Creek Terrace Townhomes

Tubman-Chavez Multicultural Center

The Old Globe Technical Center

Market Creek Plaza Marke

Chollas Creek Encanto Tributary Enhancement Project

Center for Community & Cultural Arts Gallery

Naranja Commercial

as sports, food, and story telling. The diagram below is not intended to limit potential public art concepts, but rather should be used as a starting point to inspire a broad view

West Village

of the potential for the arts to reflect and enhance this community.

the village at market creek art+design plan landscape architecture

PERFORMANCE

River Parkway

sound/ audio

Southwest Village

PAINTING

CRAFTS

art using recycled materials

MULTI-SENSORY ART

cultural performance

murals

TATTOOS

CLOTHING

dance/ movement

Mixed Use/Office Festival Park & World Courtyard Market k Creek C k Amphitheater A hi h

PHOTOGRAPHY

DIGITAL ART

GRAFFITI

music

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temporary art/ installations SCULPTURE

FOOD

Chollas Creek Villas

STORY TELLING

water element

ARCHITECTURE

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writing

mosaics

ENVIRONMENTAL ART

Village Transit Hub

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Chollas Creek Enhancement Project

Transit Hub

Housing

Mixed Use

Community Resource

Retail

Park/Open Space

Office/Light Industrial

Complete

SPORTS

jewelry

The Village at Market Creek Master Plan updated 2012

the village at market creek art+design plan

the village at market creek cultural

natural

celebrating a unique cultural community

chollas creek as a symbol of natural history and a sustainable, caring revitalization process for the neighborhood

traditional + contemporary multi-generational experiences and expressions of beauty

the village at market creek art+design plan

inspirational an engaging arts district that inspires us every day to be creative and innovative

previous planning studies & concepts the village at market creek art+design plan

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draft october 2012

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Art Forms for Parks and Trails Potential art forms to integrate into parks and trails include multi-sensory art to create a story telling experience; art utilizing recycled materials; art that reects the natural context of Chollas Creek habitats and ecology; interactive art games for children; functional items such as benches, audio or written art

lighting and shade structures with sculptural forms; and performance art and art-making. art using recycled materials

P l ay ful Bri d g es:

;

Th e p e d e s t r i a n b r i d g e ac c ro s s C h o l l a s C re e k n e a r th e e l e m e n t a r y s c h o o l o ff e r s a c re a t i ve o p p o r t u n i t y f o r in t e r a c t i vi t y.

nsit

archways over trail heads

audio story telling

art on crosswalks

audio or written art digital art boards colorful and illuminated bus shelters

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illuminated sculptures

the village at market creek art+design plan

previous planning studies & concepts

water features

grafďŹ ti art Note: Images are for inspiration and are not the exact art forms to be installed. the village at market creek art+design plan

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y

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d

Chollas Creek

e

old

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y;

previous planning studies & concepts Walking Trail

Watershed Apostle the sky is bright but not blue blankets of cotton grey warm my rooms clear micro pellets that moisten rarely fall, rarely travel filter through my glands my grains then the pattern develops punctuating dry stones light becomes dark, mottled becomes solid dry becomes slow, becomes ripples carrying my edges, my vision speeding toward a flat fluid plain who has seen me? who has changed me? volumes grow, sections cross and constrict i carried life, then death now? edges are now cores curving my disposition, my spine weak, now central, to my energy, to my giving who will listen? how will you listen? i need you to listen to dance our song of change together -Vicki Estrada

site walk & community gathering

Future Gateway Art Element

Euc

lid S

Gu ym on

St re

et

Native Drought-tolerant Planting (typical)

conceptual design & renderings

tre

et

conceptual design & renderings

artist inspiration & concepts

Cobbles

Pavers

Stepstone, Inc. Sonorastone Pavers Color: Desert

Tumbled Ledge / Nottingham

Pedestrian Light

Decorative Stone Solutions Desert Select 4”-12”

Forms + Surfaces Trio Argento Texture Powdercoat

Tumbled Ledge / Dakota Brown

Seatwalls

Coronado Stone Veneer Tumbled Ledge Color: Chablis

Tumbled Ledge g / Chablis

Boulders

Decorative Stone Solutions Desert Select 4’-6’

Tumbled Ledge g / Sunset Blend

Seatwalls Coping

Square foot coverage is based onStepstone, installation Inc.with tightly-fitted joints.

Sonorastone Wall Cap Flat Color: Kahlua

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Decomposed Granite

Decorative Stone Solutions Color: Carmel Apple

Bench

Forms + Surfaces Balance Backed, 6’ Argento Texture Powdercoat

selected site furnishings & materials

Fence Details

Custom Corten Steel Panels Galvanized Steel Fence Post & Rails with Stainless Steel Cables Stainless Steel Handrail where applicable

Trash Receptacle

Quickcrete / Custom Adhere negative corten steel cutout

Lighting of Panels Downlight: Microstar LED

Uplight: Bega 7010 LED Resistant to foot traffic

selected fence & trash receptacle

What are your thoughts on the overall design of the project?

“I really like the whole idea and concept. If everything turns out as planned, I think it’d be awesome to restore it!”

“Very nice and modern.”

“I like the overall design because it brings the positive life from the area. It is like rebirth.”

What are your thoughts on the specific concepts (art, sustainability, accessibility, etc.)?

“The specific concepts are incredible, I like the fact that art is being displayed and the accessibility is fantastic because it’s local.”

“I feel very strongly about art and the environment so I like this project because it uses both of this.”

“It would be great to see more emphasis on its waterwise features.”

“Just make sure to have enought recycle bins and ample lighting at night for safety.”

How would you use the creek after restoration and enhancements are completed?

“Lunch time and after work walks” “For relaxing & peace of mind; enjoying nature.”

“Walking my dogs.”

“I’d love to walk on the trails! A bike lane would be cool.”

lobby display for community input

Spring/Summer 2014

Next Steps 1. Finalize grant contract with State of California Urban Greening program.

2. Finalize technical specifications with the design team for solar lighting, fencing, furniture and trash receptacles.

3. Coordinate the creek restoration (all aspects of the approval and design process) with the City of San Diego .

4. Draft goals and objectives for design process, including the following: • • •

• • •

Use the Activating the Creek Vision Plan as a guide to incorporate public art into an emerging, lively, multi-cultural arts and entertainment destination.

Honor a community that is proud of its unique cultural heritage and artistic traditions.

Continue the art and design work that residents and community artists began working with residents of southeastern San Diego to transform twenty unused and underutilized acres – which later grew to sixty acres – into The Village at Market Creek, a vibrant cultural and commercial center.

Contribute to the future development within The Village at Market Creek to help build the community’s economic strength and enhance its quality of life.

Celebrate the creek as the spine of the community, as it’s heart and soul, restoring the inner energy and inherent need for natural beauty.

Connect with and appreciate the value of Chollas Creek as an important functioning natural system.

5. Set timeline for Artist Team selection process.

6. Develop criteria for Artist Team Request for Qualifications; criteria may include the following: • • • • • • •

Create a design that is functional, creative, attractive, and responds to community and stakeholder concerns.

Comply with established design themes and concepts in previous work efforts.

Feature a sustainable and context sensitive design.

Develop a design that is economically feasible, easy to implement and easily phaseable.

Design for universal pedestrian access and safety.

Maximize vandal resistance and ease of maintenance.

Create a design that is truly unique, iconic and could only occur in the Encanto neighborhood.

next steps

partners & contributors