The City of West Hollywood has partnered with the world-renowned urban design and planning firm, Gehl Studio, to design and install temporary 6-month pilot projects on the Sunset Strip that aim to improve walkability and create a more pedestrian friendly environment for residents and visitors. The project has been dubbed The Sunset Experience, and will feature light poles wrapped in bright colors with directions to nearby restaurants and clubs along with historic facts about the Strip; painted extensions of the sidewalks at key intersections, narrowing the distance to cross some streets while adding a colorful and driver-aware flair to the roadway; and a shaded and screened seating area called a “parklet” which will be installed at an on-street loading zone adjacent to Book Soup, located at 8818 Sunset Boulevard.

There is a launch event scheduled on Tuesday, December 4, 2018 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the parklet at Book Soup. This is an opportunity for the community to meet the project planners, discuss and give feedback on the project, and enjoy some food and drinks. No RSVP is required. Please visit www.weho.org/sunsetexperience for more information about The Sunset Experience.

The painted sidewalk extensions are being created by the street artist, The Art of Chase, who is known for his quirky and humorous paintings that create disruption in our day to day lives. This installation joins Pattern Park, by the same artist which currently surrounds the parking lot located on the Sunset Strip on the north side of Sunset Boulevard from Sherbourne Drive to the east and Horn Avenue to the west, near the Tower Records building. Chase’s work is also featured in the City of West Hollywood’s automated parking garage, in Bay 3. More information about the artist can be found at www.theartofchase.com.

The Sunset Experience pilot program bolsters the City’s reputation for progressive and innovative uses of unconventional spaces and fosters new opportunities for communal engagement and recreation.

For more information, please contact Garen Gary Srapyan, Associate Planner for the City of West Hollywood, at (323) 848-6827, or gsrapyan@weho.org. For people who are Deaf or hard of hearing, please call TTY (323) 848-6496.