Lessons learned project managing the Pico Station improvements
By Ellen Riotto
Last month the South Park Business Improvement District (SPBID) completed a year-long project improving the infrastructure at Pico Station — the only Metro Rail Station in South Park. Decorative aluminum fencing stands in place of the old, narrow bar dividers; the cement k-rail separating the tracks from vehicular traffic on Figueroa is now wrapped with colorful vinyl; new pedestrian lighting and signage (including the first of Metro’s lighted pin signs, the new standard for rail stations) is installed; and drought tolerant landscaping is taking root on a formerly neglected median.
South Park BID values the densification of Downtown and the pedestrianization of our sidewalks. Fundamental to that ethos is the support of multi-modal transit. In 2015 we launched our sidewalk repair program; we were early-supporters of the MyFigueroa Project; and we continue to advocate for the expansion of DASH routes and hours. Pico Station is an integral part of that transit ecosystem, not only to the district, but to the rest of Downtown and to the region as a whole. The station plays a key role in the economic development and district identity of South Park. It’s the gateway to a growing residential center, and the Metro stop for over 20 million annual visitors to STAPLES Center, L.A. LIVE and the Convention Center. While the station still needs a lot of work — it was built for 5,000 daily riders, and when the Regional Connector finishes in 2021, it’s expected to see 165,000 daily riders — these improvements are a step in the right direction.
A $1.5 million dollar state grant obtained through the MyFigueroa Project — a four mile Complete Streets redesign stretching from Downtown LA to South Los Angeles — funded the improvements. The elements themselves might seem pretty straight forward, but the process was complicated. It involved coordination with two different government agencies who share ownership of the land, our non-profit BID, community stakeholders, a financial consultant, and a contractor team comprised of four different companies. Connecting the dots took a lot of time, patience, and persistence (On that note: hats off to BID staff, Josh Kreger and Katie Kiefer, for their commitment to seeing this through).
This was the first large infrastructure project that the BID took on, and we think it provides a model for how a Business Improvement District can shape the hardscape by setting priorities, building community consensus, and managing projects with multiple partners. We’d like to share lessons learned.
1. The more directly the BID can deal with the funding source the better. In this case, everything was funneled through the MyFig project, which meant any delays in that project affected us, even if they were unrelated to the work on Pico Station.
2. Early cooperation and involvement of government departments is essential. The more entities involved, the longer the timeline to make decisions. This is especially true for unique projects that fall within shared jurisdictions and outside of any one department’s normal purview. Even when you think you’re being conservative with your timeline, go ahead and tack on a few extra weeks.
3. Be proactive in identifying priorities and projects. Know what work needs to be done so that you’re prepared to pitch an idea as soon as a grant or other funding source becomes available.
4. Take the small wins. The vision for Pico Station and the surrounding area doesn’t stop with these improvements, but $1.5 million doesn’t go as far in the infrastructure world as you might expect. So we made improvements that would fit in and be leveraged by future improvements — like scramble and mid-bock crossings on Figueroa and new sidewalks and lights constructed as part of adjacent development projects.
5. Don’t always stay in your lane. At its simplest, the South Park BID’s role is to make sure that the neighborhood we serve is clean and safe. Now, we aren’t transportation engineers or construction management pros, but we are South Park experts. Our unique 52-block vantage point allowed us to connect the funding dots and make improvements that would not have ranked as a priority to the agencies usually charged with them.
Looking forward, we hope to use this model to expand walkability improvements to the blocks surrounding the station, particularly pedestrian lighting, landscaping, and sidewalk repairs. We need to continue to look for the overlap between the goals our own organization and those of City officials, neighboring developments, and Downtown partners; and take a creative approach to collaborate on those goals. Hopefully, it won’t be long before we’re writing about the lessons learned managing pedestrian improvements at Pico Triangle. In the meantime, reach out to me at ellen@southpark.la if you have any questions about the project or process.
Ellen Riotto is the Executive Director of the South Park Business Improvement District, a 52-block neighborhood in downtown Los Angeles that includes STAPLES Center, L.A. LIVE, and the Convention Center, as well as a rapidly-growing residential community. Funded by property owners, the BID provides clean and safe services such as graffiti removal, trash collection, power washing, and safety patrols. The BID is a two-time winner of the International Downtown Association’s Pinnacle Award for its Public Art Program, economic development event series, and other innovative initiatives to create a clean, safe, and vibrant community.
