Council Delays Gateway Project

Due to subterranean work required for an adjacent construction project, the City Council on Monday unanimously rejected contractors' bids to install a street median, municipal signs and landscaping at Wilshire Boulevard and Whittier Drive. The project also seeks to add a left-turn lane allowing for safer access to a nearby gas station.

In September, seven firms submitted bids ranging from more than $550,000 to nearly $800,000. But after bidding commenced, staff members realized a logistical conflict existed between the gateway project and a proposed development at 9900 Wilshire Blvd., the site of the now defunct Robinson's-May complex.

The demolition and construction by contractor Project Lotus will require underground work to relocate a water main "that runs south on Whittier Drive, crosses Wilshire Boulevard and continues to run along [the south side] of Wilshire ... before crossing south into" the Robinson's-May property, according to a report by Ara Maloyan, deputy city engineer, and Anne Zaworski, principal civil engineer. "Proposed landscaping and associated irrigation systems in front of the project would have been removed due to [Project Lotus'] construction activity."

In addition to rejecting the bids, Maloyan and Zaworski advised reassessing the gateway project to make sure it won't be affected by other aspects of Project Lotus' work. They also suggested instituting a prequalification process "for the rebidding of both this modified project together with the other three proposed high-profile gateway monument projects."

The staff recommendations established next summer as the time frame for another round of bidding.

The gateway concept's origins date back to 2009. Landscape architect Steve Smith of Gruen and Associates is the designer.

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