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| Background |
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For many years, Los Angeles' Korean Community has dreamed of a cultural landmark in Koreatown, a traditional piece of the homeland to show their children, a resting place for the community , a ceremonial venue, a neighborhood-identifying monument. This project will transform a currently barren and blighted public right-of-way into a beautiful community centerpiece. The Koreatown Pocket Park/Monument will be placed at the Northeast corner of Olympic Boulevard & Normandie Avenue (just north of Olympic). The intersection and surrounding area is a busy pedestrian and auto thoroughfare. The pocket park site is situatted near a soon to be built LAUSD school, The Seoul Peace Park, the site of a proposed senior center, a heavily used bus stop, and numerous neighborhood businesses. |
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Project Stakeholders |
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Los Angeles Neighborhood Initiative (LANI) has been selected by the City of Los Angeles to administer the Koreatown Pocket Park/Monument Project in the Tenth Council District in the City of Los Angeles. Today, in partnership with the Office of Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, Cou8ncilmember Nate Holden, the City of Los Angeles Departments of Recreation and Parks (RAP) and Cultural Affairs (CAD), the Community Reinvestment Agency (CRA) and the Korean Chamber of Commerce of Los Angeles (KACCLA), and under the management of Los Angeles Neighborhood Initiative (LANI), this dream is becoming a reality. With the financial support of Mayor Villaraigosa's office, Councilmembers Nate Holden, Tom LaBonge, Jan Perry, and Bernard Parks, RAP, CAD, CRA the Korean Consulate General and the KACCLA, a selection committeecomprised of local community stakeholders engaged in a painstaking process to identify the architect best able to convey all that the monument is to represent to the community. GDS Architects, with offices in Pasadena and Seoul, was selected in May to bring the community's vision to fruition. |
| Project Status |
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After a design presentation ceremony in the summer of 2003 the project construction began. The construction has been handled in two phases. Phase I of construction entailed the installation of the pavilion by Korean craftsmen expert in the ancient art of pavilion building. During Phase II the landscape, decorative paving, donor walls, lighting and dry riverbed will be installed. Construction will be completed in September 2005. |
| Koreatown Pavilion Garden Site |
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| Contacts | ||
| Los Angeles Neighborhood Initiative (LANI): 900 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 1128 Los Angeles, CA 90017 Anna Apostolos, Program Manager (213) 627-1822 Ext. 14 anna@lani.org |