San Gabriel council approves $35,461 concept-design contract for Plaza Park veterans memorial

San Gabriel — The City Council voted Tuesday to award a contract to David Waltz Design Incorporated to produce conceptual designs for a veterans memorial at Plaza Park and to appropriate $35,461 from the city’s park development impact fees to pay for the concept-design phase.

Community Services Director Rebecca Perez told the council the city approved the Plaza Park location in July 2024 and that four landscape-architecture firms submitted proposals. Staff recommended David Waltz Design for the conceptual design phase because of the firm’s experience with veterans memorials and site-sensitive designs. The conceptual phase includes kickoff and site-analysis meetings, three community outreach sessions with the San Gabriel Veterans Memorial Coalition, and development of two concepts for council and coalition review, Perez said.

Eric Sterling of David Waltz Design told councilmembers the firm will produce two concept alternatives and, if directed, combine elements into a final concept. He said the conceptual phase will include material, color and texture options and a conceptual cost estimate; construction documents and bidding would be a separate, later contract if the council approves them.

Members of the San Gabriel Veterans Memorial Coalition addressed the council in public comment. Michael Cervantes, president of the coalition, and coalition members told the council the group has worked more than five years to advance a permanent veterans monument and thanked councilmembers for moving the project forward. Coalition members said they hope any name wall or honor wall elements will be funded by donations raised by the coalition and would be incorporated into later phases if needed.

Staff’s recommendation asked the council to: (1) approve the agreement with David Waltz Design for conceptual design, (2) authorize the city manager to execute the agreement subject to city attorney review, (3) designate two council members to serve as the primary council contacts for the planning process, and (4) adopt Resolution No. 25-28 appropriating $35,461 from park development impact fees. During discussion, the council amended recommendation No. 3 so that the full council would participate in design meetings rather than limiting that role to two members. A motion to approve the staff recommendations as amended passed 5-0.

Fiscal and next steps: The contract amount for the conceptual-design phase is $35,461, to be paid from park development impact fees and reallocated to a special project account. If the council selects a concept to move forward, staff said David Waltz or another firm would prepare construction documents and the project would then go to public bid for construction. Perez said the conceptual design is intended to be flexible so name walls or other elements could be phased in depending on coalition fundraising.

Councilmembers voting yes: Mayor Denise Menchaca, Vice Mayor Chan, Councilmembers Tony Ding, Herrera Avila and Wu.