ML+A and Hood Design were chosen through a competitive process to develop a master plan for the creation of a 1200-acre urban park in the Baldwin Hills. The Baldwin Hills Park Master Plan balances preservation, conservation and restoration of sensitive native habitat, active and passive recreation, community, education and cultural facilities, and the creation of economic generators.
The master plan establishes a sustainable framework for development, including restoration of native vegetation; concentration of new grading and other construction in flatter, previously-graded portions of the site; a proposed alternative fuel tram system; limited use of private vehicles, reduction in use of herbicides and pesticides; heat island reduction through increased canopy cover; water conservation through use of native and drought-tolerant plant materials; use of recycled materials; and the retention of stormwater on site for re-use or groundwater recharge.
The most daring part of the plan is the proposal to build a half-mile land bridge across an existing six-lane divided roadway to add usable park area and to restore wildlife connections across the site and ultimately to Ballona Creek to the west. The project will provide unmatched resources within walking distance of adjacent communities, which are characterized by high ethnic-minority populations.
