Civil Municipal View Feb2023

81 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 4, ISSUE 2 Yet Moorpark is also less than an hour by train or car to downtown Los Angeles and 15 minutes from the Los Angeles city limits. It is home to a thriving school district, a successful and highly rated community college, and many upcoming new residential and commercial developments that will help the city to continue thriving in the decades ahead. “Our residents are extremely friendly and we’re home to a number of smaller, locally-owned businesses,” says Assistant City Manager PJ Gagajena. “We’re striving to make it an even more pedestrian-friendly city that allows its residents to take advantage of outdoor amenities that are located throughout the city.” High Street is considered Moorpark’s main thoroughfare through downtown and a central gathering place. The city’s residents have long been interested in the continual preservation of older buildings downtown. Moorpark has invested millions of dollars in making sure the downtown district exceeds residential and business owner expectations. Recent developments include a renovation and expansion of a public parking lot adjacent to the downtown Moorpark Train Station that serves both the train station and visitors of downtown businesses. That train station is also a key location for daily commuters and tourists. Perhaps the true gathering place in Moorpark is its High Street Arts Center, a nearly 300-seat theater that is home to many community events and popular performances. Nearby a new mixed project development is taking shape that will include 79 residential units sitting atop 13,000 square-feet of commercial space. The land where a closed granary currently sits will be turned into a residential development that includes studio, 1- and 2-bedroom apartments. These housing units will be constructed in a mixed- use development along with commercial space that is expected to house small businesses and boutique services that could employ local residents. Moorpark City Manager Troy Brown hopes that this development will particularly be attractive to young professionals who may end up deciding to stay and raise a family in the city. “This is a much-needed addition to the High Street and is very close to our transit center,” says Brown. He also expects construction to begin later this year on new retail developments adjacent to this mixed-use space along High Street. “We’re very proud of the work we are involved with downtown,” Brown added. The most significant development in Moorpark might be improvements that are being made along Princeton Avenue, a vital corridor that connects north Moorpark to nearby communities. Residents have long expressed a need to improve this street because it serves as a main connection point but also provides a first impression of the city for visitors. This $14 million development includes adding sidewalks and bike lanes for long portions of the corridor, along with a center turn lane. Brown anticipates it will be completed by 2024. Another major development is the repurposing of a 22,000-square-foot building to be the new Moorpark City Hall. It is a project that Brown is extremely excited about because it will provide a more accurate reflection of Moorpark’s commitment to leading-edge technology. He anticipates it will give city employees more opportunities for efficiency and creativity as well. This new city hall is planned to be open by the end of 2023. “These significant developments truly represent growth and progress in Moorpark,” Brown says. “They are all projects that we are really proud of.” True to its name, Moorpark has 19 parks throughout the city including the well-known Arroyo Vista Community Park. That 69-acre park is home to many soccer, baseball, and softball fields and hosts multiple sporting tournaments and events throughout the year, bringing in visitors far and wide, plus added revenue for the local hospitality industry every year. Park facilities, including picnic pavilions, ball fields, soccer fields, and tennis courts can be reserved for private use. There are tennis and pickleball courts at Tierra Rejada Park, along with MOORPARK , CAL I FORNI A