ASLA 2011 Annual Meeting San Diego FS15 Balboa Park A Walking Tour of Planning and Design Issues The 100th anniversary of the Panama-California Exposition that launched this park is 2015, yet the site is one of the oldest dedicated to public recreation, dating to 1835. Learn how this exhilaratingly beautiful park sparked the Spanish Colonial Revival and how the current master plan can further inspire public engagement. Learning Objectives: Learning the history of Balboa Park. Consider the important elements of both the park master plan and the Central Mesa Precise Plan. Discuss current and controversial planning and design issues and potential solutions. Itinerary: 10:00 AM - Leave Convention Center. 10:10 AM - Distribute handouts while on bus (tour route, Master Plan, alternatives, issues, etc.). Discuss Balboa Park background and history while on bus using microphone. 10:15 AM - Arrive in Balboa Park South side of House of Pacific Relations. 10:20 AM - Walk to Pan American Plaza. Discuss overall Estrada Master Plan and Estrada Precise Plan Issues. Discuss and share handouts and graphics related to the Palisades (i.e. the Blackbird
Plane, the proposed Atlas Rocket, the jet noise over the Starlight Theater, the conversion of the parking lot back to the Pan American Plaza. 11:00 AM - Walk through the House of Pacific Relations cottage complex and discuss expansion alternatives, historical sensitivity and the proposed parking structure on the Organ Pavilion parking lot. 11:15 AM - Walk to Japanese Garden (hand out Master Plan of Japanese Garden and discuss). 11:30 AM - Walk across Palm Canyon to Alcazar and discuss the proposed by-pass bridge. 11:45 PM - Walk to the Cabrillo Bridge to the spot of the proposed by-pass bridge and discuss Civitas Plan. 12:00 PM - Walk east toward the Plaza de Panama and discuss how to remove the parking from the plaza and its related issues. 12:45 PM - Walk east along the Prado to the Museum of Natural History, the fountain and discuss mass transit issues and the proposed BRT station on Park Boulevard. Discuss the history and proposed plans for the area. 1:00 PM - Walk north through the Spanish Village and to the Zoo entrance and discuss the Park Boulevard Promenade project (the Zoo expansion). 1:15 PM - Walk east across Park Boulevard to Florida Canyon and review the natural portion of Balboa Park. 1:30 PM - Walk south along Park Boulevard through the desert garden and the rose garden to the Navy Hospital and discuss how the hospital impacted the park. 2:00 PM - Walk to the Centro Cultural de la Raza and the Worldbeat Center to discuss the reuse of old water tanks. 2:15 PM - Walk through Inspiration Point and discuss historical issues. 2:30 PM - Walk to Presidents Way and discuss major traffic and circulation issues. 2:45 PM - Board bus and final discussion. 3:00 PM - Arrive back at Convention Center. Leaders/Speakers: Vicki Estrada, FASLA, Estrada Land Planning Vicki Estrada is a landscape architect and President of Estrada Land Planning. Vicki is a graduate of Cal Poly SLO and has over 35 years of experience. Her projects have included the Balboa Park Master Plan, the Otay Ranch New Town Plan, and the Downtown San Diego Streetscape Manual. She is currently Chair of the San Diego Airport Public Art Advisory Committee and is on the County of San Diego Historic Site Board. David Preciado, ASLA, Estrada Land Planning; David is a Project Manager/Landscape Architect with Estrada Land Planning. His expertise lies in landscape design, site planning, construction documents, and construction observation. He is proficient in project management, coordinating design teams, conceptual planning, detailed design, construction document preparation, irrigation design, erosion control, revegetation, and visual impact analysis. His experience includes parks, streetscapes, highways, transportation facilities, commercial developments, urban revitalization projects. Mark Johnson, FASLA, Civitas, Inc. Mark Johnson is a founder of Civitas. He has been active in ASLA serving the Awards Juries and Chairing the Editorial Committee of LAM. He has been on the CEO Roundtable for 12 years in its discussions of the changing profession. Mark has many awards for design, planning and service in his history of pushing the envelope of practice focusing on the implementation of major change in urban centers through landscape architecture.
ROUTE MAP
The Bartholomew Plan-1960
Balboa Park Central Mesa Precise Plan
Existing View from The Prado Looking North Simulated View from The Prado Looking North
Plaza de Panama Project In August 2010, Balboa Park launched the Plaza de Panama Project to transform the park s Plaza de Panama area into a car-free open space. Cars have been allowed in the Plaza de Panama area since 1917, shortly after the Panama-California Exposition. The automobile culture has changed the nature, use, and enjoyment of the plaza, now providing limited parking with pedestrians forced to the periphery. It was built for the 1915 Exposition as a grand ceremonial plaza for the public. Over time, it was transformed into a grand ceremonial parking lot for cars. We will reclaim that plaza for ourselves and posterity before the park s centennial celebration in 2015. San Diego Mayor Jerry Sanders, 2010. Project Vision & Objectives Remove all cars from the Plaza de Panama, consistent with the original vision of a ceremonial plaza and gathering space. Provide for displaced parking and create additional parking for visitors and staff. Improve traffic circulation to increase efficiency. Limit pedestrian-vehicular conflicts for comfort and safety. Increase open, accessible park land by creating new opportunities for park venues. Improve transportation systems and provide accessibility improvements. Create pedestrian environments; increase landscapes; enhance cultural, active, and passive recreational uses. Build on previous park planning while addressing new opportunities. Achieve the improvements by December 31, 2014, through an inclusive public process.
Proposed Project Plaza de California, El Prado west, Plaza de Panama (from left to right) Centennial Bridge Alcazar Parking Lot The Esplanade Park entry road Pedestrian walkway and tramway Parkland on top of underground garage Park entry road intersection with President s Way plaza de panama committee
project overview
project overview
Design Proposal plaza de california
Design Proposal el prado west
Design Proposal plaza de panama
Design Proposal plaza de panama
Design Proposal esplanade
Proposed Design pedestrian/tram promenade
Goodhue s original watercolor of Balboa Park design analysis and bridge design
Views from above Cabrillo Canyon centennial bridge
View from above Cabrillo Canyon centennial bridge
View across Highway 163 centennial bridge
View from Cabrillo Bridge centennial bridge