Project Scope

The Central Park block encompasses the Adult Recreation Center located on the southeast quadrant of the site, the Central Library with on-site parking located along the entire northerly portion of the site spanning from Louise Street to the east and the public parking and alley to the west, and open space including landscaping, shade trees, walkways, and seating areas. There is also the proposed Armenian American Museum and Cultural Center of California (AAMCCC) development, a 59,800 square-foot museum and education center that will be located on a 52,450 square-foot portion of the Central Park block located in the southwest quadrant. The remaining undeveloped portion of the site will be improved and programmed with a central open space Central Park of approximately 200 feet X 200 feet to create a focal heart of the block that connects various paseos and surrounding public programs. More importantly, this new open space will provide for a variety of diverse community events and programming, complementary to the proposed AAMCCC and other public uses.

Funding

The project has been allocated $2,250,000 in DIF funds as of Summer 2023 since inception. In June 2024, City council approved an allocation of $10,000,000 in General Fund dollars to the project.  The latest cost estimates for the project range between $15-16M. 

Status Update

Design development for the Central Park Block project kicked off on March 16, 2023, and the project will complete 100% construction drawings by November 2024. Construction is anticipated to start by Summer 2025.

On September 25, 2024, the U.S. Department of the Interior announced the single largest grant investment ever from the Land and Water Conservation Fund’s Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership Program (ORLP). The City of Glendale was selected as 1 of 15 neighborhood park projects in California awarded an ORLP grant to increase public access to outdoor recreation and was awarded a $5.95 million grant for the highly anticipated Central Park Block Project.  More information on the grant award and the ORLP program is available here.  

Additionally, CSP staff is working with the Arts and Culture Commission to include a sculpture installation as part of the project, creating a landmark entrance off of Louise Street.