The two-acre expanse at 1st Street and Broadway in the Civic Center, a lot that has sat vacant for years despite plans for a public park, may finally see some life next year. Parks officials are backing a one-year deal with the AltaMed Museum of Chicano and Mexican Art that would bring arts, sports, and wellness programming to the site, charge the nonprofit a $175,000 use fee, and firmly rule out any permanent construction.
What’s being proposed
According to Urbanize LA, the proposed activation would run Thursday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The plan calls for arts and cultural events alongside sports-focused services such as mental health programming, sports nutrition, and general wellness activities. Department staff recommended that AltaMed cover the $175,000 use fee in quarterly installments for a term running from Feb. 6, 2026, to Feb. 5, 2027, and stressed that no permanent structures would be installed, so long-term park plans can keep moving through the pipeline.
Where the lot sits and its history
The property, long envisioned as the First & Broadway Civic Center Park, sits at the northeast corner of 1st Street and Broadway and is listed in city project records as 126 N. Broadway, a roughly 1.96-acre parcel. City project pages from the City of Los Angeles Bureau of Engineering describe the land as acquired from the state and intended to become landscaped public open space, although construction has been delayed multiple times. The lot sits next to Gloria Molina Grand Park and directly faces Los Angeles City Hall, which makes its status as one of downtown’s most prominent empty sites hard to miss.
Who AltaMed is and what they would bring
AltaMed maintains a substantial art collection and has been developing exhibition space and museum plans centered on Chicano and Mexican art, a track record parks staff cited in recommending the partnership. The group’s traveling exhibitions and public programming, along with its plans for expanded gallery space, were presented as a way to deliver immediate cultural activity on the site while the city continues chasing funding for a permanent park.
Why the city is pushing temporary activation now
City staff framed the temporary reuse as a way to put something visible and active on the ground ahead of major events expected to draw visitors to Los Angeles, including FIFA World Cup 2026 matches and the LA28 Olympic Games. A persistent funding shortfall has kept the permanent park on the back burner. In 2023, city officials began shifting money and exploring alternate short-term uses for the parcel, including a council proposal to study temporary homeless housing there. That history helps explain why staff are leaning toward a non-permanent activation rather than pouring scarce capital into immediate construction.
Next steps
The Board of Recreation and Parks Commissioners is slated to review the staff recommendation at an upcoming meeting, with commission agendas and materials posted on the Department of Recreation and Parks website. If commissioners sign off on the agreement, AltaMed could launch programming under the one-year term while the city keeps pursuing funding for the permanent First & Broadway park. Staff say the temporary activation would not derail or replace long-term park plans.
