Located in the heart of Downtown Santa Monica—with its beautiful coastal setting, incredible weather, and trendy shopping—the Third Street Promenade was an iconic destination for locals and for visitors from around the world. It also provided 1/6 of the City’s sales tax revenue. 

But as competition increased and retail shopping patterns shifted, a global pandemic changed the way everyone does business. The Promenade lost the flair and vibrancy that made it a “must-see-and-do” place. With nearly 40% of the Promenade’s storefronts vacant, its problems had a direct impact on the City’s ability to deliver much needed services across the entire community.

The City needed bold action to elevate the conversation and restore the Promenade.

We crafted a highly interactive process of workshops, design charrettes, interviews and an online survey that brought together divergent community interests—business and property owners, real estate brokers, residents, community advocates, elected and appointed officials and industry experts. We worked with City staff and a Project Advisory Committee to distill community input and analyze additional economic data. 

The Third Street Promenade Stabilization and Economic Vitality Plan is now a shared vision for how the Promenade will be “LA’s Best Pedestrian Street and Beachside Experience,” as well as be a more authentic, inclusive and welcoming center of Santa Monica. 

The Plan renews the Promenade through catalytic site development, strategic urban design interventions and placemaking tools, zoning changes to foster entrepreneurship, and other incentives and programs to encourage a broad mix of dynamic, diverse and modern uses in the coming years.