New Santa Monica Promenade Will Be Pedestrian-Only: City

SANTA MONICA, CA — Santa Monica's newest promenade will join the famed 3rd Street Promenade in prohibiting vehicles to create a pedestrian-only space.

The city council on Tuesday voted to make the planned 1st Court Promenade, a key piece to Frank Gehry's recently approved development in Santa Monica, pedestrian only.

The promenade will rest on the southern 160-foot portion of the 1st Court alley that spans from Santa Monica Boulevard to Arizona Avenue, according to city documents. Plans for the promenade were first introduced in May.

Gehry's massive development will sit on the northeast corner of Santa Monica Boulevard and Ocean Avenue and will include a 120-room full-service hotel and spa, 100 residential apartments, a new museum building, retail and restaurant space and a rooftop observation deck offering 360 degree views of Santa Monica Bay, according to a staff report prepared for the July 14 council meeting.

Thanks to Tuesday's decision, the development will be complimented with a vehicle-free promenade similar to the 3rd Street Promenade, which was approved in 1963.

Cars on 1st Court will be rerouted to 2nd Street rather than directly accessing Santa Monica Boulevard, according to Alex Nazarchuck, City Engineer for Santa Monica.

The project developer will be responsible for maintaining the promenade, Nazarchuck said.