Community Garden Springs Back--for Now

Community Redevelopment Agency officials granted a temporary reprieve this week to a downtown Los Angeles community garden that is scheduled to close to make way for an affordable housing project.

Esperanza Garden, a 2-year-old community project at Olympic Boulevard and Hope Street, was scheduled to be closed by Feb. 15. The lot would have remained vacant until late summer or fall, when construction of a housing development is expected to begin.

Originally, officials wanted the gardeners to leave before the spring planting season. But after a story in Monday’s Times detailed the gardeners’ plea to preserve the unique space, officials agreed to allow the site to remain open on a month-to-month basis until construction starts.

“Since it is such a wonderful project, we decided to let it go as long as we could,” said Mickey Gustin, director of the agency’s public art program. “I think they’re going to make it through the spring, and maybe through the summer.”

About 30 people who have small plots in the garden will meet there Saturday morning to discuss their plans for the spring.

“It’s a great relief and joy to all the gardeners,” said Adam Leventhal, an artist who started the project. “But we still have a lot of work to do.”

The gardeners hope to use the next few months to find a new site, he said.