Ambassador Hotel Site

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Ambassador Hotel Site

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Introduction

• Alternative 5, the community solution
• Goal is great schools and a great community
• Goal is a needed public park
• Interim Wilshire Center -Koreatown Neighborhood
  Council and Cocoanut Grove Center Coalition
• The leading representative groups of the
  community

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Alternative 5

• One of the least costly alternatives for LAUSD
• The quickest way to new schools
• The most community friendly alternative
• A more holistic approach to planning
• High school and middle school
• 2 charter elementary schools
• Open elementary fall 04 at 600 Lafayette
• LAUSD saves 43 million
• Public park (RFK Memorial Park)

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RFK Memorial Park

• Create at a minimum a three acre park
• Along the front of Ambassador Hotel site
• The Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Park
• A 5.6 acre park would be more desirable
• WCBIC would provide the ongoing maintenance and
  security

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Park uses and management would be similar to
Bryant Park in New York, an eight acre park
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Bryant Park
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Bryant Park
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Bryant Park
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Bryant Park
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Bryant Park
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Bryant Park
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Bryant Park
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RFK Memorial Park Description

• Chess tables, yoga classes, over a 500 varieties
  of flowers
• Free wireless access, as well as 300 moveable
  chairs for pausing to take in the sights.
• A refuge from the hustle and bustle of the city
  for people who work, shop, or live nearby, as
  well as those who are just visiting
• Provides multiple venues for year-round events
  and gatherings
• On the east side of the site there are 3 existing
  bungalows for the parks community center
• Visitor center could be museum, place for coffee

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Next Steps

• Require public funds to build the park
• State Proposition 40, State Prop. 12, City Prop.
  K, and WCK CRA Project Area.
• School District has already submitted a request
  for 15 million dollars
• Prop. K applications are due by October 15, 2003.
  
• A three acre park would cost about 1.5 million
  dollars

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Next Steps

• Minimum of a thirty year lease at 100 per year
• The lease could be with WCBIC
• School District voted on September 02, 2003 for
  55 million in Proposition 40
• District voted a park along Wilshire Boulevard
  that would serve as a memorial to R. F. Kennedy

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Next Steps

• A minimum of three acre park
• A minimum of a thirty year lease
• Available for public use in 2004-05
• Move the fence back 200 feet in 2004
• Send letter supporting a RFK 3 acre park to LAUSD
  President Jose Huizar
• And to local and state officials
• Ask others to send letter of support