The City of West Hollywood’s Aquatic and Recreation Center (ARC) at West Hollywood Park has recently received multiple honors, including recognition from the American Public Works Association and the American Institute of Architects, and the project has been certified LEED Gold (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design).
The City’s ARC received the American Public Works Association (APWA) Southern California Chapter 2022 Project of the Year Award in the Buildings category. APWA serves professionals in all aspects of public works making it an effective voice of public works throughout North America. With a worldwide membership more than 30,000 strong, APWA includes not only personnel from local, county, state/province, and federal agencies, but also private sector personnel who supply products and services to those professionals. APWA is a nonprofit organization that prides itself on its ability to provide varied educational and networking opportunities that help public works personnel grow in their professionalism and improve the quality of life in the communities they serve.
Photo provided courtesy of the City of West Hollywood. Some rights reserved. Photo credit: Jon ViscottThe City’s ARC project also received two awards from the American Institute of Architects Orange County Chapter: The Honors Award for commercial design; and a C.O.T.E. Award, for resiliency and sustainability in design. Founded in 1857, members of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) consistently work to create more valuable, healthy, secure, and sustainable buildings, neighborhoods, and communities. The AIA advocates for public policies that promote economic vitality and public well-being. Members adhere to a code of ethics and conduct to ensure the highest professional standards
The City of West Hollywood was recently notified that the new West Hollywood Park Aquatic and Recreation Center has also been awarded a Gold LEED Certification, surpassing its planned energy and environmental sustainability goals. The LEED rating system was designed by the U.S. Green Building Council, which encourages and facilitates the development of sustainable buildings. A Gold LEED Certification is one of the highest attainable ratings and only a handful of municipal buildings in California have achieved this standard.
LEED is an internationally recognized mark of excellence that provides building owners and operators with a framework of identifying and implementing practical and measurable green building design, construction, operations, and maintenance solutions. LEED certification provides independent, third-party verification that a building was designed and built using strategies aimed at achieving high performance in areas of human and environmental health: sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection, and indoor environmental quality. The ARC joins the adjacent West Hollywood Library in sharing a Gold LEED Certification. Read more about the library’s 2012 LEED certification on the City’s website.
The ARC is a new 75,000-square-foot space overlooking the heart of West Hollywood Park, adjacent to West Hollywood Library. With its exuberant design, the ARC has been envisioned as a gathering space for a range of community gatherings, special events, sports activities, and recreation programs. On four levels with a grand stairway entrance from the park or by elevator access from parking levels off of El Tovar Place, the ARC features two gleaming rooftop swimming pools with captivating views. There is a large-scale multi-sport court that accommodates a variety of indoor sports such as basketball, volleyball, and dodgeball. The ARC also features five community meeting rooms and one conference room in addition to offices for staff from the City’s Recreation Services Division, a Tiny Tot program classroom, and a public access TV studio.
