Chuperosa Lane
Cathedral City, CA
Art Walk Concept Package
August 24, 2023
Prepared by:
The proposed Chuperosa Lane improvements will contribute to the overall transformation of the Civic Center area. The overall intent of this project is as follows:
1. Celebrate the rich artistic legacy of Cathedral City and the surrounding neighborhood
2. Create a themed destination for Cathedral City residents and visitors
3. Provide basic improvements to Chuperosa Lane that enhance placemaking and safety
4. Improve connections between the Chuperosa Lane neighborhood and the Civic Center
5. Integrate the Chuperosa Lane art experience into future redevelopment projects on the south side of Highway 111 This package includes the preferred concept followed by the initial concepts presented in June of 2023. The preferred concept includes the following:
1. Overall Chuperosa Lane plan
2. Block Prototype
3. Design Narrative
4. Precedent Imagery
5. Major and Minor Gateway Concepts
The preferred concept also includes suggestions for the following design elements:
1. Alley Surface
2. Crosswalks
3. Wayfinding and Gateways
4. Planting Areas
5. Lighting
6. Seating
7. Shade
8. Art Opportunities
Overview
The overarching themes for the preferred concept are informal, rustic, low-key, textural, etc.
1. Alley Surface – the surface for the entire length of Chuperosa Lane would remain as is or could include a porous walking surface such as decomposed granite.
2. Crosswalks – crosswalks at each of the cross streets would be a simple painted continental style crosswalk (white painted bars)
3. Wayfinding and Gateways – major gateway elements are proposed as pedestrian height gateways that could mimic the original gateway that spanned Highway 111. The plan includes two major gateways, one each at the north and south ends of Chuperosa Lane. Each gateway could be different and designed by a local artist. Proposed minor gateway elements natural local native-stone columns possibly topped by an art element or branding icon. Each column could be designed by one artist or by different artists. The concept includes two single column distributed through Chuperosa Lane.
4. Planting Areas – planting areas would include desert-friendly planting set amongst cobble and natural stone planting beds. Planting would be low (less than four feet) and feature colorful and textural desert plants.
5. Lighting – lighting is proposed as simple low-level lighting, including up lights splashing light on the existing walls, demarking the walking path, and within the planting areas Lighting would also be incorporated into the intersections in the form of hanging lights suspended by metal poles .
6. Seating – seating would include a manufactured heavy timber bench that could be customized with paint or mosaic tile, to be integrated art pieces.
7. Shade – shade elements are proposed as overhead sails of different colors supported by metal poles located at the sides of Chuperosa Lane.
8. Art Opportunities – opportunities for public art include continuation of the current blend of painted murals and mosaics. In addition, some of the above elements could also be designed by artists as “integrated art” including the wayfinding and gateway elements, light poles, seating, and shade elements.
Preferred Concept
Churperosa Lane
T
C Street
E Street
Existing Wall
Existing Fence
+/- 1,850’
+/- 200’ typ.
Opportunity to intergrate
Art Alley into new
development
Future
Development
Site
Future
Development
Site
Future
Development
Site
Opportunity to intergrate
Art Alley into new development
B Street
D Street
F Street
San Jacinto Road
H Street
Active
Area
Passive
Area
Opportunity to intergrate
Art Alley into new
development
Potential plaza/Art Alley
relationship
Crosswalk/Intersection
Agnes
Pelton
House
Garage Access
Highway 111
Civic Center
Existing Wall
Existing Fence
Shade Sails
Shade Sails
Shade Sails
Seating Area
Garage Access
Transit Stop
SCE
Utilities
NAPA
St. Louis
Catholic Church
Seating Area
Secondary
Gateway/Monument
Primary
Gateway/Monument
Project Site Block Prototype
Precedent Imagery
Major Gateway
Minor Gateway
Major Gateway
Seating
Planters
Lighting
Alley Surface
Crosswalk
Shade
Gateway Concepts
Initial Concepts
June 2023
The overarching themes for Concept 1 are organic, do-it-yourself, low-key, etc.
1. Paving – the paving for the entire length of Chuperosa Lane would remain as is or could include a porous walking surface such as decomposed granite.
2. Crosswalks – crosswalks at each of the cross streets would be a simple painted continental style crosswalk (white painted bars)
3. Wayfinding and Gateways – proposed wayfinding elements would be painted metal poles with a sculptural/branding element at the top. Each pole could be designed by one artist or by different artists. The concept includes one pole per block.
4. Planting Areas – planting areas would include desert-friendly planting set amongst cobble and natural stone planting beds. Planting would be low (less than four feet) and feature colorful and textural desert plants.
5. Lighting – lighting is proposed as simple low-level lighting, including up lights splashing light on the existing walls and/or pedestrian height down lights (10 to 12 feet high).
6. Seating – seating would include natural stone boulders and painted wood logs, the latter being an opportunity for public art
7. Shade – shade elements are proposed as overhead sails of different colors supported by metal poles located at the sides of Chuperosa Lane.
8. Art Opportunities – opportunities for public art include continuation of the current blend of painted murals and mosaics. In addition, some of the above elements could also be designed by artists as “integrated art” including the wayfinding and gateway elements, light poles, seating, and shade elements.
Concept 1
B Street
C Street
D Street
E Street
F Street
San Jacinto Road
H Street
Highway 111
Existing Wall
Existing Fence
+/- 1,850’
+/- 200’ typ.
Opportunity to intergrate
Art Alley into new development
Future
Development
Site
Future
Development
Site
Future
Development
Site
Opportunity to intergrate
Art Alley into new development
Active
Area
Passive
Area
Opportunity to intergrate
Art Alley into new
development
Potential plaza/Art Alley
relationship
Crosswalk/Intersection
Agnes Pelton House
Garage Access Points
Churperosa Lane
Civic Center
Existing Wall
Existing Fence
Transit Stop
SCE
Utilities
NAPA
St. Louis
Catholic Church
Gateway/Monument
Project Site Block Prototype
Narrative
Gateway Seating Planters
Crosswalk Alley Surface Shade
Precedent Imagery
The overarching themes for Concept 2 are informal, rustic, low-key, textural, etc.
1. Paving – the paving for the entire length of Chuperosa Lane is proposed as an informal stone pattern that could be constructed of flagstone, pavers, and/or recycled broken concrete slabs.
2. Crosswalks – crosswalks at each of the cross streets would be a continuation of the paving materials located on Chuperosa Lane.
3. Way inding and Gateways – proposed wayfinding elements would be natural local native- stone columns possibly topped by an art element or branding icon. Each column could be designed by one artist or by different artists. The concept includes two columns per block.
4. Planting Areas – planting areas would include desert-friendly planting set amongst cobble and natural stone planting beds similar to Concept 1. Planting would be low (less than four feet) and feature colorful and textural desert plants but also include taller plants in specific areas.
5. Lighting – lighting is proposed as simple low-level lighting, including up lights splashing light on the existing walls, demarking the walking path, and within the planting areas.
6. Seating – seating would include larger natural stone boulders integrated with the cobble and landscape planting areas.
7. Shade – shade elements are proposed as rectangular panels comprised of different colors supported by metal poles located at the sides of Chuperosa Lane.
8. Art Opportunities – opportunities for public art include the continuation of the current blend of painted murals and mosaics. In addition, some of the above elements could also be designed by artist as “integrated art” including the wayfinding and gateway elements, lighting, and shade elements. In addition, the concepts include open areas that could display rotating temporary art elements.
Concept 2
B Street
C Street
D Street
E Street
F Street
San Jacinto Road
H Street
Highway 111
Existing Wall
Existing Fence
+/- 1,850’
+/- 200’ typ.
Opportunity to intergrate
Art Alley into new development
Future
Development
Site
Future
Development
Site
Future
Development
Site
Opportunity to intergrate
Art Alley into new development
Active
Area
Passive
Area
Opportunity to intergrate
Art Alley into new
development
Potential plaza/Art Alley
relationship
Crosswalk/Intersection
Agnes Pelton House
Garage Access Points
Churperosa Lane
Civic Center
Existing Wall
Existing Fence
Transit Stop
SCE
Utilities
NAPA
St. Louis
Catholic Church
Gateway/Monument
Project Site Block Prototype
Narrative
Precedent Imagery
Gateway Seating Planters
Lighting Alley Surface Shade
Concept 3
B Street
C Street
D Street
E Street
F Street
San Jacinto Road
H Street
Highway 111
Existing Wall
Existing Fence
+/- 1,850’
+/- 200’ typ.
Opportunity to intergrate
Art Alley into new development
Future
Development
Site
Future
Development
Site
Future
Development
Site
Opportunity to intergrate
Art Alley into new development
Active
Area
Passive
Area
Opportunity to intergrate
Art Alley into new
development
Potential plaza/Art Alley
relationship
Crosswalk/Intersection
Agnes Pelton House
Garage Access Points
Churperosa Lane
Civic Center
Existing Wall
Existing Fence
Transit Stop
SCE
Utilities
NAPA
St. Louis
Catholic Church
Gateway/Monument
Project Site Block Prototype
Narrative
The overarching themes for Concept 3 are Mid-century modern, formal, eclectic, etc.
1. Paving – the paving for the entire length of Chuperosa Lane is proposed as concrete paving constructed in large angular shapes surrounded by areas of stone and decomposed granite paving.
2. Crosswalks – crosswalks at each of the cross streets would be painted crosswalks with overhead lighting. Each crosswalk could be different and designed by a local artist.
3. Way inding and Gateways – proposed wayfinding elements are proposed as pedestrian height gateways that could mimic the original gateway that spanned Highway 111. The plan includes three gateways, one each at the north and south ends and a third adjacent to the Agnes Pelton home. Each gateway could be different and designed by a local artist.
4. Planting Areas – planting areas would include desert-friendly planting set amongst cobble and natural stone planting beds similar to Concepts 1 and 2 but also including taller plants that complement the shade structures.
5. Lighting – lighting will be incorporated into the overhead shade elements.
6. Seating – seating would include standard streetscape benches such as concrete benches and/or benches constructed of wood and steel in a Mid-century modern fashion.
7. Shade – shade elements are proposed as large overhead botanically themed shades, created in either fabric or steel. Each shade structure could be different and designed by a local artist and incorporate lighting effects.
8. Art Opportunities – opportunities for public art include the continuation of the current blends of painted murals and mosaics. In addition, some of the above elements could also be designed by artist as “integrated art” including the gateways, lighting, and crosswalks.
Precedent Imagery
Gateway
Gateway
Seating Crosswalk
Alley Surface Shade