New master plan for El Pueblo de Los Angeles in the works

The Los Angeles Board of Public Works has approved a $500,000 contract with design firm Rios to develop a new master plan for the El Pueblo historic district downtown, 14th District Councilman Kevin de Leon announced last week.

Considered the birthplace of the city of Los Angeles, the approximately 22-acre district is home to Olvera Street and 19th-century landmarks such as the Pico House and the Merced Theater. The proposed master plan would focus on how to preserve and reuse the historic structures surrounding El Pueblo's main plaza, while providing guidance for new developments, commercial uses, cultural offerings and connections to the surrounding area.

“This project is about more than just development; “It's about respecting our past while building a sustainable future, especially for traders whose families have lived here for generations,” said Peter Martinez, the owner and operator of Lozens Trading Post and Margaritas Gifts along with his wife Emily. “El Pueblo de Los Angeles will continue to be a place where our history is not only remembered, but actively shaped and passed on to future generations.”

The initiative, led by Rios, will include at least 14 community meetings, including community design workshops and presentations to government committees. The recommendations of the resulting master plan will be incorporated into an implementation plan that will be funded at a later date.

El Pubelo's new master plan comes at a time when major changes may be coming to the area, including a long-awaited redevelopment of Union Station and a controversial gondola project that would run from just outside Olvera Street to Dodger Stadium.

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