Well, there goes the view (Hearst Park and Pool)

[Anonymous]

I know I know, you buy across from a park, you know what to expect. And really that can be anything as it is city land, but the more and more I walk past this interminable project (yes I have kids who are dying to use it) I wonder why the city did not go the extra mile and make the street level wheelchair access and entrance some sort of "infinity" like design where the rec center would not be visible from the street. Just a green eco friendly vista with the pool house built below it. It just seems like a serious missed opportunity for some really beautiful and neighborhood cohesive design.




On the bright side, the never ending pumping and draining of water into the gutter appears to have ceased. Is it possible that the underground water dilemma here has finally been solved or did the builders just have to move on to the next challenge to have any hope of meeting this summers new deadline.

[Anonymous]

It's not like it looms over the other houses in the area. No big deal, though why not make it accessible from Idaho?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's not like it looms over the other houses in the area. No big deal, though why not make it accessible from Idaho?

It doesn't loom. It is not the worst govt construction. It just could have been so much nicer for not that much more. Ground level access from Idaho would have made sense, but then they would have had to move the dog park (no big deal, but apparently a concern).

Has anybody noticed the sink hole forming on top of the construction site under the side walk on 37th St? I hope that is not related to the underlying irrigation issues.

[Anonymous]

Does anybody know what the deal is with the contractor water hose leaks from the fire hydrant? Does the contractor pay for that water? Do our taxes pay for it. It just seems to run all day.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's not like it looms over the other houses in the area. No big deal, though why not make it accessible from Idaho?

It doesn't loom. It is not the worst govt construction. It just could have been so much nicer for not that much more. Ground level access from Idaho would have made sense, but then they would have had to move the dog park (no big deal, but apparently a concern).

Has anybody noticed the sink hole forming on top of the construction site under the side walk on 37th St? I hope that is not related to the underlying irrigation issues.

Is there going to be a dog run there? It doesn’t look like it from the plans/maps.

[Anonymous]

You chose to spend a lot of money to live in a dense city, OP.

If you wanted to secure a nice view, you should’ve bought a cheap little farmette out in rural VA or MD somewhere.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You chose to spend a lot of money to live in a dense city, OP.

If you wanted to secure a nice view, you should’ve bought a cheap little farmette out in rural VA or MD somewhere.

An infinity design would have been much nicer. Since the park is a basin, could have been possible with some decent design.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You chose to spend a lot of money to live in a dense city, OP.

If you wanted to secure a nice view, you should’ve bought a cheap little farmette out in rural VA or MD somewhere.

OP here. I am looking forward to the pool. I live a few blocks away from the construction site. I hear daily arguments in the community about smart growth and the need for increased densification. I just think that if the city really wants to win these future fights, it should do everything possible to make easy wins for the community. This would have been easy but has kind of turned into a mess. The residents around there will probably remember this when the city asks to build public housing on a corner of the lot in the future.

[Anonymous]

Shockingly on the official DGS website and on the recent neighborhood release, the city claims the pool will be opened this spring.

I am not sure how that is possible, but that is the contractors estimate.

All dates updated in Dec 2020:
Project Completion of the Field and Park: Winter
2020/2021 and opened in Spring 2021
• Project Completion of the Pool and Poolhouse:
Spring 2021

WHAT TO EXPECT IN JANUARY/FEBRUARY:
• Installation of the retaining wall above the pool
• Continue to install the steel structure for the roof
• Build the second-floor steel structure
• Installation of the paths around the soccer field
• Tie-in the drainage system for the soccer field
• Spread and grade the topsoil over the soccer field
• Lay the sod on the soccer field
• Start the pool excavation
• Dewatering of the site will continue

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You chose to spend a lot of money to live in a dense city, OP.

If you wanted to secure a nice view, you should’ve bought a cheap little farmette out in rural VA or MD somewhere.

OP here. I am looking forward to the pool. I live a few blocks away from the construction site. I hear daily arguments in the community about smart growth and the need for increased densification. I just think that if the city really wants to win these future fights, it should do everything possible to make easy wins for the community. This would have been easy but has kind of turned into a mess. The residents around there will probably remember this when the city asks to build public housing on a corner of the lot in the future.

What’s wrong with public housing? Do you feel low income families shouldn’t be allowed on your block?

[Anonymous]

It's not zoned for housing and it is owned by DPR...why would you even think of public housing as some sort of racist veiled threat?

[Anonymous]

Hopefully they will plant so,e nice landscaping to help cover up the wall. Also maybe they are planning to add brick or something prettier once they build the concrete thing.....

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's not zoned for housing and it is owned by DPR...why would you even think of public housing as some sort of racist veiled threat?

I don't know why public housing would be put on hearst park, but the new homeless shelter was wedged into a police station a few blocks away rather than the original observatory plan, so who knows?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hopefully they will plant so,e nice landscaping to help cover up the wall. Also maybe they are planning to add brick or something prettier once they build the concrete thing.....

^ agree. It is looking pretty jarring right now. Some sort of landscaped berm? Looks like a random water tower or utilities structure.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's not zoned for housing and it is owned by DPR...why would you even think of public housing as some sort of racist veiled threat?

I don't know why public housing would be put on hearst park, but the new homeless shelter was wedged into a police station a few blocks away rather than the original observatory plan, so who knows?

City land is already owned by the city. The observatory location was a third party where the city would have had excessive costs.