Grand Hope Park

Plans to construct a new park in Downtown Los Angeles were set in motion in early 1975.[2] Original plans sought to build a man-made lake, but rising land costs delayed the project. By 1989, a new plot of land was selected.[3] The project was commissioned by the Los Angeles Redevelopment Agency as the final landscape for the Los Angeles Open Space Network.[4] Ground breaking for the park took place on July 18, 1989,[3] and construction lasted until 1993.[5] The park was designed by Lawrence Halprin with The Jerde Partnership architects.[6] After its creation, Grand Hope Park became the first new park built in Downtown Los Angeles since 1870,[7] when Pershing Square was built.[1] Grand Hope Park became the last downtown Los Angeles landscape designed by Halprin. The park is also the final landscape along the Los Angeles Open Space Network. Other sites in the network are Wells Fargo Center, Bunker Hill Steps, and the Central Library's Maguire Gardens.[8]

Grand Hope Park is accessible to many restaurants, activities and shops. It is located in the center of downtown Los Angeles, also known as South park. The Fashion District, Little Tokyo, the Art District are some of the main areas to find fun activities such as The Santee Alley, the Callejones, MOCA, The Last Bookstore or the Japanese American National Museum. Other attractions at closer walking distances would include the Staples Center, Grammy Museum LA Live, The Novo, or the Microsoft Theater. [9] Traveling at farther distances can also be easy and accessible by having access to parking lots right near  Grand Hope park, such as the Music Center Main Campus Garage, Walt Disney Concert Hall Garage, Lot 10 (weekends only). Each parking structure has its different payments due to its time and events happening in the area.[10]There are many options without having to pay or paying a small fee for a long duration.[11]Taking public transportation is highly encouraged to see other attractions nearby and to avoid parking fees. The Metro Red or Purple line can be taken for just $1.75 or $7 or a day pass (that is excluding senior or student prices).[12]

Another reason to visit Grand Hope Park is to get a view of FIDM’ s Museum and Galleries, since the Park is located right on campus.[13] It is also a clean and safe park that families can enjoy, thanks to its rules. Rules such as no dogs, bicycles, skateboards, segways, hoverboards, roller skates, rollerblades, motorized vehicles, and drones.[14] It’s operating hours range from 6a.m to 8 p.m daily.[15]

Grand Hope Park is located on the Los Angeles campus of the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising.[1] The park was designed as a collection of "outdoor rooms"[4] with the purpose of "bringing functional art and nature to an urban setting."[16] Its built in elements are diverse enough to form a mixed metaphor due to its mixture of greenery (including cypress, willow, feather and fan palm, pine, jacaranda and sycamore).[17] It consists of decorative sidewalks, two fountains, a clock tower, pergolas, a children's playground, and displays of various artists' works.[18] The artwork in the park was contributed from Lita Albuquerque, Adrian Saxe, Raul Guerrero, Gwynn Murrill, Tony Berlant, and Ralph McIntosh. The mosaic adorned clock tower at the park's entrance was designed by Halprin with musical compositions from John Carter, Michael McNabb, and Ushio Torikai used to mark each hour.[1]

Grand Hope Park appeared in the premiere of The Amazing Race 29 as the starting point for the season's race around the world.[19]

• List of parks in Los Angeles

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