El Monte Site Masterplan

Site Masterplan Design

Approx. 66 +/- Acres

The 66-acre site in El Monte posed as a challenge to develop further as there are many different opportunities and constraints. As there is a current bus station on site, an off-site train station, as well as a bike path, train line, river and highway all bordering or intersecting the site. With the demanded program for the 66-acre property, there is multiple programmed spaces and buildings per demand. Beginning with the big idea of the masterplan, we decided there needed to be specific, and strict, grid to the site as well as offer a gradient with the buildings in order to relate to the nearby park, or proposed 30-acre green space on site. With these opportunities and constraints of the site, The residential buildings were strategically placed on the north side of the site to offer fantastic views of the mountains to the north while staying away from the highway noise to the south. Following, the retail, cinema, and hotel on site are placed closer to the highway as these programs attract more noise and are more friendly to the general public. In regards to the transit hub, the train station was moved from off-site to on-site to create a hub for the master planned adjacent buildings and the rest of the city / area. Within the entire scheme, have the bike path and other paths intersecting as they effortlessly transition into the grid. The river on-site offers opportunities to interact with it as there is no water in the river most parts of the year, here we have stepping areas that pull into the site to offer that interaction. Overall, you can see the gradient of nature and an urban area / edge. The grid helps demonstrate the movements made to achieve an efficient environment for the general public.