What is Reseda Rising?

Reseda Rising is Councilmember Bob Blumenfield’s multi-front initiative to direct and coordinate over $100 million worth of investment in the community, which is more than the total investment in the prior 20 years.

Recognizing the challenges presented by the dissolution of the Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) in 2011, Blumenfield launched this initiative to develop a shared community vision for Reseda, and to support the commercial activity that will make Reseda once again into a destination for commerce, art and culture. 

In 2015 Blumenfield engaged the non-profit Los Angeles Neighborhood Initiative (LANI), and community leaders to foster a community to actualize his vision and also identify additional resources to transform the neighborhood. That community engagement process culminated in the 2016 Sherman Way Conceptual Plan, which has informed and will continue to inform all aspects of Reseda Rising.

What is the Status of Reseda Rising?

As of 2020, there are several complete projects, several underway and others in the home-stretch. The following are some highlights.

Reseda Skate Rink: A City partnership with LA Kings to construct $26 million community ice skating, hockey, and roller rink venue. Programs at the rink will be subsidized and affordable for our local kids to enjoy. Click here to learn more about Reseda Skate Rink.

Reseda Theater Redevelopment: A public-private partnership to restore and re-open Reseda Theater as a community attraction to preserve the iconic Reseda Marquee and to build a 26-unit senior affordable housing project. The City of Los Angeles provided $1.65 million worth of properties to Thomas Safran Associates for development and $4 million in Proposition HHH funding. Click here to learn more about Reseda Theater Redevelopment.

Sherman Way Great Street Project: $3.5 million in streetscape and safety improvements on Sherman Way between Lindley and Wilbur. Construction is slated for completion in 2021. Click here to learn more about the Sherman Way Great Street Project. Click the thumbnail below to watch the Groundbreaking ceremony for the Sherman Way Great Street Project.

Traffic Signal Safety Improvements: New left-turn signals on Victory & Wilbur, a pedestrian island at Wilbur and Arminta, a new traffic signal at Victory and Vanalden. Click here to learn more about Traffic Signal Safety Improvements. See below for new left-turn signal on Victory and Wilbur. This turn signal had been requested by former councilwoman Joy Picus and other residents of the Jewish Home’s Fountainview campus. 

Reseda Rising Art Walk and Night Market: The annual street fair featuring local visual and performing arts that quickly became a staple of the community’s yearly festivities. Click here to learn more about Reseda Rising Art Walk and Night Market.

Reseda Rising Mural Festival

After the decision was made to take a hiatus from the Reseda Rising Art Walk and Night Market due to COVID-19 Safety Guidelines, Blumenfield has announced he is partnering with 11:11 A Creative Collective to explore launching a Reseda Rising Mural Festival for the community to enjoy. Click here to learn more about the Mural Festival. See below for image of a sample proposal mural.

Aliso Creek Confluence Park: An investment of more than $7.2 million to build a multi-phase brand new park at the confluence of LA River near Wilbur Avenue and Kittridge Street. This park not only features expanded pedestrian paths and a river bridge that link it to the local community, but it is destination park along what ultimately will become a 51 mile linear park River bikeway. Click here to learn more about Aliso Creek Confluence Park.

Los Angeles River Bicycle Path and Greenway: The expansion of the LA River bike path from Vanalden to the Sepulveda Basin represents a major recreational improvement and serious financial investment (more than $33 million). The expansion creates a continuous linear park/bikeway that runs through Blumenfield’s entire district along the river. Ultimately, it will represent the head of a 51 mile linear bikeway/park that runs from the West Valley through downtown and all the way to the Ocean in Long Beach. Click here to learn more about the LA River Bicycle Path and Greenway.

MRCA River Patrol: An innovative pilot program with Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority to provide unified enforcement along the LA River using their rangers. To make this a reality Blumenfield allocated $416,000 for the first three months of the program, and committed to continue providing funds for the entire year. This amount totals to over $1.2 Million. Patrols are expected to start rolling out in Winter 2020-21. Click here to learn about the MRCA River Patrol. Photo below: Blumenfield patrols the LA River section in Reseda with LA River Walkers and MRCA. 

Reseda Park Improvements:  Blumenfield’s leadership spurred the Department of Recreation and Parks to improve the facilities and programming at Reseda Park in addition to his allocation of $582,000 from unused park funds for infrastructure repair, native landscaping on the north bank of the Los Angeles River, and quality of life improvements. He also made sure that Reseda Park was one of the first parks in the City to become a free Wi-Fi hotspot. Click here to learn more about Reseda Park Improvements.

Commercial Façade Improvement Program: $1.5 million to provide loans and grants to improve exteriors of small commercial storefronts in Reseda and Canoga Park. This is in addition to the Covid-19 small business emergency relief funding and partnerships dedicated to save Reseda's main street, mom and pop businesses. Click here to learn more about the Commercial Façade Improvement Program. 

Reseda Boulevard Complete Street: $24 million to reconstruct and repave Reseda Boulevard to improve safety for motorists, transit, pedestrians and bicyclists. Click here to learn more about the Reseda Boulevard Complete Street. 

Los Angeles Conservation Corps (LACC): To insure that Reseda and his district gets extra clean-up attention, Blumenfield has essentially put the LACC on retainer and created office space for them in his District Office. LACC performs graffiti abatement, tree and landscape planting and maintenance, and cleanup services in Reseda, Canoga Park and Winnetka. In 2019, LACC cleared over 44,000 pounds of trash and over 35,000 square feet of weeds in Reseda. All of this comes from funds Blumenfield secured and goes above and beyond normal City clean up services. Click here to learn more about the LACC.  See below for before and after photos from recent LACC weed abatement project on Wilbur Ave.

Reseda Monument Sign:  As you may know, a 200-unit apartment building with 8,000 square feet of retail space is going up at the corner of Reseda and Kittridge. When they were going through their approval process, Councilmember Blumenfield insisted that they pay for and build a Monument Sign welcoming visitors to Reseda, along with many street improvements including a landscaped median, street trees, street furniture, and street widening. Ideally, this sign will help provide us a greater sense of place and community. Click here to see some more examples of this design, which will be subject to review.

What Can I Do to Help Make Reseda Rise?

Reseda Rising relies on community input and shared vision. Please sign up with Councilmember Blumenfield to get updates about events, community meetings, and receive the latest news about Reseda Rising.  Also, do you have a story or picture to share about your Reseda experience? Please send it to us using the Contact Us button.

Check Out the Final Sherman Way Conceptual Plan