Shovels will bite into the asphalt at 15th and California streets at 9 a.m., Wednesday, not for another high-rise hotel but for an urban garden.
Developer Evan Makovsky has donated 8,000 square feet of land, nearly the size of three tennis courts, across the street from the Hyatt Regency Convention Center Hotel, to be transformed into a vegetable garden and urban park. The grand scheme, which will be open to the public, also includes a sundial and benches for eating lunch.
The idea came from Christie Isenberg, whose Concerts For Kids organization is always looking for new ways to involve kids in learning about life. They’ll supply the labor and sweat and the vegetables will be given to Urban Peaks, another non-profit dedicated to helping at-risk kids find homes and jobs and a better way of living.
“This is just so exciting,” Isenberg said. “Everyone we’ve talked to immediately got on the bandwagon and have been donating all sorts of things, like sprinkler systems, solar panels, pavers, trellises. It will be beautiful.”
Europa Escape Landscaping will begin construction Wednesday morning, hoping to have everything built and planted by May 15. Contributions are welcome.
