Located 20 miles northeast of Los Angeles with a population of 36,000, the City of Monrovia has been transforming an 80-acre area into a new city gateway – the Monrovia Station Square Transit Village. Through City and stakeholder collaboration, the IBI design team identified an optimal plan for public realm improvements and amenities for Station Square that balanced the preservation of the warm hometown appeal of Monrovia and access to community to enhance its vibrancy and economic vitality. The project includes more than two miles of streetscape, gateways and highway improvements, as well as the design of a major public open space that embraces local culture and provides a stage for civic life and activity.
Dubbed the ‘Gold Town’, improvements are based around the city’s new Gold Line Light Rail Station, which has become the largest public works project in the city’s history.
The IBI design team created a unique and context-sensitive design for the Station Square area through the revitalization of the historic Santa Fe Depot and integration of the area’s cultural history and natural setting. The team designed on-site and off-site wayfinding and interpretive signage featuring gateway monument signs at freeway off-ramps, destination and directional signs, as well as highlighting significant features such as the historic train depot and environmental elements of native plantings and bio-swales.
The project will not only provide new public improvements, but will create an attractive space to become the heart of the neighborhood, icon for the community and catalyst for economic development.