The La Jolla Community Foundation’s in-development streetscape project, which has been in the works for years, recently took two steps forward and one step back.
The streetscape project is designed to revitalize Girard Avenue. Phase 1 of the plan would renovate Girard between Prospect and Wall streets with improved lighting and seating as well as more street trees and traffic-calming measures.
Overall, the project would add 63 new benches, 49 new trees, 51 lights and 9,100 square feet of public space. Phase 2 would then renovate Girard between Wall and Silverado streets with the same features.
A rendering shows part of an updated streetscape plan for Girard Avenue in La Jolla. (La Jolla Community Foundation)
The $7.43 million project has received state and federal grants, as well as private donations since it was introduced in 2021.
At the July 16 Enhance La Jolla meeting, board member and La Jolla Community Foundation chairwoman Phyllis Pfeiffer told the group there was good news and bad news regarding the project.
“The good news is we have finally gotten through all the city of San Diego requirements, and we will be pulling a permit at the beginning of August. The other really great news is we were awarded $850,000 from the federal government (from the Department of Housing and Urban Development) for the streetscape project,” she said. “The not-so-good news is that the requirements … of the federal grant are different from the state grant.”
Pfeiffer explained that the bidding process as required by the federal government is different and more extensive than what the state requires.
“So in order to make sure we don’t do anything to jeopardize the $850,000, we have to put the project out for bid again,” she said.
As a result, Pfeiffer said construction will likely start in January.
“We thought we would start construction in August, but this is going to delay us,” she said, noting that time period could work better for local businesses that might be affected by the work.
In addition to the $850,000 from the federal government, the La Jolla Community Foundation received $1 million from the state of California and has raised about $3 million from local donors. Therefore, phase 1 is considered fully funded.
Because permitting for both phases is complete and construction drawings have been finalized, the La Jolla Community Foundation is currently fundraising for phase 2.
“This project reflects an extraordinary level of public trust and community generosity,” said La Jolla Community Foundation executive director Lidia Rossner. “The work happening behind the scenes right now reflects our commitment to honoring that trust, and to delivering something that will serve La Jolla for generations.”