Several times over the last few weeks I’ve been asked “how’s the park going?” This question has helped me realize two things. First, that there is a community buzz about this park, people want to see it come to fruition. And second, that since we announced the community drawing workshop at the park on April 17th, I’ve been silent about the park.

Here is a run down of what has happened from that workshop until now:

The workshop went well. There were several families, community leaders, and a dozen children of varying ages that participated. We made drawings of “our ideal park”. This exercise both engaged community members giving them a voice and helped us get an idea of what would draw different user groups into the park. It also helped me exercise my underused Spanish skills. To coordinate the workshop I was joined by Hank Delcore and Elfego Franco with the Institute of Public Anthropology at CSUF. And a big thanks to Terri Uyeki for bringing supplies and Shaunt Yemenjian for photographing the process.

We have assembled a very talented Pro-bono design team:

designlab 252 landscape architect

Borrelli & Associates electrical engineer

Parrish Hansen Inc structural engineer

Anti Laboratories graphic designer

The design team has met twice and developed a conceptual design. The concept is to create a park with out the standardized or prefabricated park accessories. We will use repurposed materials that is sculptural in form. The park will provide the amenities the community desires and offers a cohesive visual treat to the passerby.

A few weeks back I received the CAD drawings of how the park of San Pablo & Belmont as built. The project had originally been done by civil engineer, Keith Campbell of AECOM

These drawings, called as-builts, saved us allot of time because we don’t have to start the drawings from scratch and verify the existing conditions. We can use these as-builts as or base drawings for the redeveloped design.

I was able to bring this CAD drawing into SketchUp in order to study the sun angles and shade patterns that the 180 freeway overpasses create on the ground.

As the design develops it will be posted here. Of course budget issues make this more relevant. archop park as planned will be entirely funded by private donation. If you wish to make a financial or material donation of any amount please contact us.

In today’s Fresno Bee, George Hostetter explored the existing light industrial businesses that inhabit what he calls a “forgotten part of downtown“.

Explore the neighborhood here:

View Larger Map

For those of us that frequent Art Hop we know this area well because of Kliszewski Glass, and Chris Sorensen’s Studio. And we know how the road is deteriorating and can evoke the setting of the Paper Street Soap Company in Fight Club. You may also know that the City of Fresno PARCs department has a skate park in the works for this area and will be accompanied by a retail/commercial building developed by Steve Weil. With all that in mind, here is a quote from the article:

Scharton acknowledges that the area has sometimes been overlooked. But, he adds, “a little attention in those kinds of areas can yield huge results.”

The South Van Ness Industrial Area may be on the verge of acquiring a certain consumer cachet. City officials say some large cities — such as Portland with its Pearl District — have helped transform light-industry areas into dynamic mixed-use neighborhoods.

Manufacturing, distribution, wholesale and retail by day; restaurants, artist studios, entertainment by night. Then toss in some residential.

City Manager Andy Souza calls the South Van Ness Industrial Area a potential “spark that continues the rebirth of our downtown.”

This sparks my imagination and I want to offer up some questions: Do you see this area transforming into something like Portland’s Pearl District? How long would that take? What are some first steps? What would make this district unique from the Cultural Arts District? Being outside the freeway triangle, do you count this as part of downtown? And maybe some neighborhood branding fun: George suggests “South Downtown? SoVan? The blue collar district?” what do you think?

Fresno to Welcome The Fultonia Live/Work Village

Fresno, CA – Nestled in an area between downtown Fresno and the Tower District will be The Fultonia Live/Work Village, a mixed-use development that offers 39 units of quality, moderately-priced housing and 10 commercial spaces.

Project design and information

Those who don’t wish to pay substantial sums of money for premium housing may find a home at The Fultonia Live/Work Village. The redevelopment, in an area that is being proposed as the SOTOW District, or South of Tower, also gives professionals and entrepreneurs the chance to invest in live/work units to reduce travel to and from work.

Developer TFS Investments, LLC, is about to begin construction on the project, at the site of what originally was a 39-unit low-income apartment complex along with 10 retail/office spaces located along Fulton Street that has fallen into disrepair. The goal is to take that same property and redevelop it entirely, and breathe new life into it as well as encourage the rest of the blighted neighborhood to make improvements as well.

“For the Fultonia project, providing quality, affordable housing is our number one focus,” said Terance Frazier, owner of TFS Investments. “At TFS Investments, we are doing the right thing and developing a bustling community where there wasn’t one before.”

Project manager is Tyco General, Inc., which has experience in managing numerous types of commercial construction projects.

The finished results will be a bright, colorful complex of buildings, complete with palm trees, banners and apartment balconies. The storefronts will house such businesses as retail shops, offices and small restaurants, and a large central courtyard plaza will be a place to gather and enjoy sunny days.

“Terance and TFS Investments has a bold vision for affordable housing that will not only help families who need assistance, but will provide investment and energy in

communities that need it most,” said Preston Prince, executive director of the Housing Authorities of the City and County of Fresno.

TFS Investments owner Terance Frazier, Fresno City Council President Cynthia Sterling, and Executive Director of the Housing Authorities of the City and County of Fresno Preston Prince, will take part in a press conference this Wednesday at 11 a.m. at the site, located at 532-614 Fulton St. in Fresno, 93721, to kick off construction on the project.

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TFS Investments, LLC is one of central California’s leading real estate investment firms. TFS Investments is also known as an experienced commercial and residential real estate developer. Some of the company’s current projects include a twenty acre development in Pflugerville, Texas, the development of 120 acres in southeast Fresno and a nine acre development in central Fresno.

Tyco General, Inc. is a full service Design/Build general contracting firm and has been serving California since 1998. It has been involved in many types of commercial construction projects.

place: future location of archop park

time: april 17th 4:30pm – 6:30pm

who: community members

reason: redesign of existing park

At the corner of San Pablo & Belmont is a clean but stark triangle of concrete and gravel quietly winding under the rush of the 180.

This is a park. However, it’s not a park in the sense of the feelings that word can evoke. There are not children playing, no one socializing, no one getting some sun or sleeping under a tree. There is no one engaged in a playful sport. There is no where to sit but the ground.

This is a left over space. It is the remainder of the 180 slicing through neighborhoods, the Fulton Lowell to the South and Tower District o the North. At the junction of these neighborhoods and amount of traffic, this site has great potential.

Working in partnership with the Hank Delcore PhD and the Institute of Public Anthropology of CSUF we seek to gather community input. Nothing has been designed yet, so this is an opportunity for you to help craft this park to suit your needs.

So come down to the park, do some drawing, talk about the landscape of your dreams and have fun. We will provide refreshments and plenty of paper and markers.

This is also National Architecture Week. Today topic being inclusiveness, it is no accident in the scheduling of this date for the design workshop. We would like to get the community included in the designing of Fresno revitalized. Join us in reinventing and activating this urban park.

A special thanks to the City of Fresno PARCS Department and City Manager’s Office.

two homeless individuals walk Belmont

2 people sit in the sun

Park & Belmont

neighborhood view of park