The Playgrounds Issue of Landscape Architect & Specifier News saw many firms submit their projects for feature consideration. This project was not chosen for a Feature in the issue, but we at LandscapeArchitect.com thought the project deserved to be showcased online . . .
The historic site of Restaurant Row in San Marcos, CA is undergoing a major transformation to be revitalized as a vibrant, 10.5-acre, mixed-use hub. Designed to breathe new life into the area, the project includes 10,400 square feet of new dining and retail space, a neighborhood park, and 202 multi-family residential homes linked together by a series of pedestrian paseos. Furthermore, the development will pay tribute to the legacy of the original Restaurant Row by using repurposed vintage materials and a similar color scheme.

The new Restaurant Row public park anchors the northern side of the site, offering a haven for both residents and visitors. Its amenities will include 4 pickleball courts, a large tot-lot playground intended for children ages 2-12, a central open space lawn, a multipurpose amphitheater, a restroom, and an all-wheel flow course plaza. The park's features were designed following a series of public workshops, ensuring the wider community could actively contribute to the recreational area's design.

 

Due to a significant portion of the park being in a floodway and floodplain, amenities and park features were creatively envisioned to feature this thematic element while accommodating the environmental constraints. Playground details have been designed to adapt to the regraded terrain and feature elements reminiscent and symbolic of the original Restaurant Row, including:
• Climbing and sliding opportunities adapting to the newly graded terrain
• Rubberized "stepping-stones" for creative play through the water themed playground
• Timber and stone cladding and gabion seating reminiscent of the rock facades of the original Restaurant Row buildings
• Emblematic bells are embossed into the play equipment continuing the historic symbols of the previous restaurant's typology

Ensuring resilience in the face of potential challenges, the park's layout will not obstruct a 100-year storm event, guaranteeing that flooding remains contained within the existing FEMA zone.


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