Located on a prime 7 acre site just a block from the wharf in downtown Santa Cruz, the Depot Park and Multimodal project began as a dream by a determined community. A task force was formed, tax measures passed, and funding ultimately granted; all part of a concerted effort to transform the historic rail yard at the heart of the city from its current state of disrepair into a crown jewel for the City. It was with this same spirit of community that the Don Chapin Company, upon being awarded the contract, set out to build the park.

In addition to the original contract which included:
• Relocating Washington Street and all utilities to allow room for a multi-use field
• Relocation and renovation of the historic Freight building to house a future business and public restrooms
• Construction of a multi-use synthetic turf field
• Pedestrian and bicycle paths that run the entire length of the park
• A children’s play area
• Barbecue and picnic areas
• Parking facilities, and
• A multi-colored concrete plaza

The City wanted to include a public art element within the original plaza design. The Don Chapin Company made its staff available to meet with the design team, Bellinger, Foster and Steinmetz, City representatives and Seattle artist Carolyn Law to help make her vision of incorporating the spirit of nearby Neary Lagoon a reality.

Flagstone paving installed by local mason Tony Rossi, polished boulders set amidst varying colored concrete finishes and crowned with nine fabricated metal sculptures representative of the tules that grow in the nearby lagoon create an intriguing centerpiece for the park.

And the park itself creates a fluid transition that began with the rebuilding of downtown Santa Cruz after the Loma Prieta earthquake of 1989 to the enduring wharf and Boardwalk attractions, a legacy that both the Don Chapin Company and the community of Santa Cruz can be proud of for years to come.

If you would like more information on this project, contact Chris Holmes at cholmes@donchapin.com.
Or for information on any other Don Chapin project, contact us from our ‘contact us’ page.