WALK OF FAME MASTER PLAN | Heart of Hollywood

VIEW: Walk of Fame Master Plan - 50% Schematic Design Progress - November 2020 (PDF)
VIEW: Walk of Fame Master Plan - 50% Schematic Design Progress - Community Presentation (VIDEO)
VIEW: Walk of Fame Master Plan - Concept Plan - January 2020 (PDF)
TELL US WHAT YOU THINK: Walk of Fame Concept Plan Survey

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What is the objective of the Hollywood Walk of Fame Master Plan?
The Hollywood Walk of Fame is a Historic-Cultural Monument that is the “Main Street” of the Hollywood community, while also attracting millions of visitors per year. It is located on the sidewalks of Hollywood Boulevard, 1.3 miles east to west, from Gower Street to La Brea Avenue; and on Vine Street, 0.4 miles north to south, between Yucca Street and Sunset Boulevard. However, sidewalks are often congested, certain pieces of infrastructure are outdated, and the area lacks a cohesive, unifying design aesthetic. The goal of the Hollywood Walk of Fame Master Plan is to move this iconic corridor forward into the 21st century, respecting its rich history, while establishing a holistic and long-lasting vision.

The Master Plan project envisions “a street for everyone,” particularly the residents and businesses that call this area home. The project aims to create an inclusive space with wider sidewalks, additional shade trees, a protected mobility lane, and pedestrian safety enhancements.

What is the project’s current status?
Development of the Hollywood Walk of Fame Concept Plan was completed in January 2020, and schematic design work based on the Concept Plan was completed in January 2021. The Concept Plan and 50% Schematic Design Progress are available online at http://heartofhollywood.la. Since completion of the Concept Plan and Schematic Design, the City of LA has worked to secure funding for further design and construction.

In 2021, Metro awarded $7.2 million in funding from the Metro Active Transportation (MAT) program for Quick-Build Streetscape Improvements along Hollywood Blvd. This funding ($3.6 million for improvements around the Hollywood/Vine Station B (Red) Line Station and $3.6 million improvements around the Hollywood/Highland Station B Line Station), will allow early implementation of many of the design elements envisioned in the Concept Plan. Design of the Quick-Build Streetscape Improvements began in early 2022 and is anticipated to be completed this year with construction to follow in 2023.

Design development and construction of the Full Build-Out is anticipated to occur in segments, beginning with Segment 1 from Gower St. to Wilcox Ave. Detailed design work for Segment 1 is anticipated to begin in mid-2022, with construction to begin in 2024.

What is included in the Quick-Build Streetscape Improvements?

There are seven design elements included in the Quick-Build Streetscape Improvements:

Pedestrian Zone Extension (A), which includes the conversion of the existing parking lanes to additional pedestrian space
Street Furnishings (B), which include new benches, tables and chairs, trash cans, and bike racks
Planters and Landscaping (C), which includes new trees and shrubs in raised planters placed within to Pedestrian Zone Extension to provide shade and buffer the Pedestrian Zone from traffic
Bus Boarding Platforms (D), which provide a level surface to allow transit users to access the existing sidewalk
Bus Shelters (E), which will feature a unique design specific to Hollywood Blvd
Transit Kiosks (F), which provide transit information, pedestrian wayfinding, and information about events in Hollywood.

What are the extents of the project?

The Hollywood Walk of Fame is located along the sidewalks of Hollywood Boulevard (between Gower Street and La Brea Avenue) and Vine Street (between Yucca Street and Sunset Boulevard). The Hollywood Walk of Fame Concept Plan includes the full extent of the Walk of Fame along these streets.

Phase 1 implementation includes Quick-Build Streetscape Improvements funded by Metro's Active Transportation Program, along Hollywood Boulevard from Gower Street (east of the Hollywood/Vine Metro Station) to Orange Drive (west of the Hollywood/Highland Metro Station).

Phase 2 implementation includes Full Build-Out, which is anticipated to occur in segments, beginning with Segment 1 from Gower Street to Wilcox Avenue.

Will there be impacts on traffic and parking?
The concept plan proposes roadway changes to Hollywood Blvd, including removing the parking lane between Gower Street and La Brea Avenue and reducing the street by one travel lane in each direction between Argyle Avenue and La Brea Avenue. This space would then be dedicated to new features including wider sidewalks, shade trees, a mobility lane, and other potential amenities. In the concept plan, Hollywood Blvd will remain a roadway, with one traffic lane in each direction, plus a center turn lane. There is no proposed change to vehicular traffic on Vine Street in the concept plan.

Initial analysis of normal conditions on Hollywood Blvd show that the corridor has relatively low traffic volumes compared to the capacity of the street. Therefore, the proposed change to the roadway is not anticipated to result in heavy impacts to vehicular circulation. During schematic design, there will be more detailed study of any corresponding impacts to traffic, and the community will be kept informed and updated regarding the analysis.

The concept plan found that current on-street parking meters on the Walk of Fame represents only ~2% of the publicly available off-street parking found within one-block of the corridor. Therefore, the proposed conversion of the parking lane into different use(s) is not expected to have a significant or detrimental effect on parking in the area. The concept plan provides a detailed map and inventory of all the publicly available parking within one block of the Walk of Fame.

The proposed roadway reconfiguration will occur in phases in order to minimize traffic impacts and allow time for drivers to adjust to the changed conditions. In the first step, as part of the Quick-Build Streetscape improvements, the existing parking lane will be converted to provide the expanded pedestrian zone. During this phase, the existing two travel lanes in each direction will remain, as will the existing center turn lane. In the second step, as part of the Full Build-Out, one travel lane in each direction will be converted to provide space for the full expanded pedestrian sidewalk and protected bike lanes. During this phase, the one travel lanes in each direction will remain, as will the existing center turn lane. In all phases, dedicated pull-outs for passenger pick-up/drop-off and loading will be provided.

Who is leading this project?

The Hollywood Walk of Fame Master Plan is a project of the City of Los Angeles and the Bureau of Engineering. Funding for the Quick-Build Streetscape Improvements is provided by a grant from Metro’s Active Transportation Program.

Who is designing this project?

Gensler is the prime consultant for the Hollywood Walk of Fame Master Plan, with planning and design lead by Gensler’s Los Angeles-based Cities and Urban Design studio. The project team includes landscape architecture by Studio-MLA (MBE/WBE), civil engineering by JMC2 (SBE) and LAS Engineering (WBE), traffic engineering by Sam Schwartz, structural engineering by Structural Focus (EBE), electrical engineering by Infrastructure Factor (WBE), lighting design by Lighting Design Alliance (EBE), historic preservation planning by Historic Resources Group (WBE), cost estimating by Leland Saylor (DVBE), and renderings by Shimahara Visual (MBE).

As of June 2022, over 40% of the project work has been completed by include minority-owned businesses (MBEs), women-owned businesses (WBEs), small and emerging businesses (SBEs and EBEs), and disabled-veteran-owned businesses (DVBEs).

What is the budget for this project?
As this project is still in its early design phases, the total budget has not yet been determined. It is anticipated that the total project cost will ultimately be on par with other large investments into shared public spaces in the City. In recent years, similar efforts have been made to reimagine major corridors and destinations including Broadway and Figueroa Street. Other cities in California, including Pasadena and San Francisco, have also made similar enhancements to streets and sidewalks; studies have found that these improvements have been wise investments in a variety of ways.

What funding has been allocated so far?

The City began this effort with $4,082,572 (plus interest) in CRA/LA Excess Non-Housing Bond Proceeds (EBP) available from the Hollywood Redevelopment Project Area. As of June 2022 this has funded various aspects of the project (including concept design and schematic design).

As work progresses, additional resources are being sought from the county, state and federal levels, as potential grant opportunities exist to fund projects focused on active transportation, economic development, infrastructure, and more.