Hollywood Park Racetrack to Be Redeveloped into an Eco Community

At the end of the 2013 horse racing season, the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hollywood_Park_Racetrack" target="_blank">Hollywood Park Racetrack</a> will shut its doors ending a 75-year career in Inglewood, California. The 238-acre site will soon become a new master-planned mixed use residential and retail community. In plans that eerily resemble <a href="http://www.sho.com/sho/weeds/home" target="_blank">Agrestic</a>, <a href="http://www.hollywoodparktomorrow.com/plan/" target="_blank">Hollywood Park of Tomorrow</a> will feature pedestrian-friendly streets, 3,000 new homes, acres of new parks and lakes and a large section devoted to shopping, offices and other commercial activities. Sustainable strategies, eco-friendly landscaping and energy efficient design are all slated to play a strong role in the development. No word yet on whether the house will be made from ticky tacky, but they will likely all look the same.

After a long career, the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hollywood_Park_Racetrack" target="_blank">Hollywood Park Racetrack</a> will be shuttering its doors after the completion of the racing series this fall.

Likely due to economic instability, the owners of the racetrack decided the land would be better suited as a housing development.

Working with the town of <a href="http://www.cityofinglewood.org/" target="_blank">Ingelwood</a>, <a href="http://www.therobertgroup.com/" target="_blank">The Robert Group</a> helped create the master plan to transform the large parcel.

It will be completely renovated to include three residential neighborhoods with tree-lined and walkable streets.

Included will be single family homes, condos, town homes, and senior housing with Mediterranean-style architecture. A mixed-use component will include 600,000 sq ft of retail space, 75,000 sq ft of commercial space, a renovated casino, and a 300-room hotel. The project will also include 25 acres of new parks with a variety of recreational opportunities.

As for sustainability, <a href="http://www.hollywoodparktomorrow.com/" target="_blank">Hollywood Park of Tomorrow</a> has its sights set on becoming a <a href="http://www.hollywoodparktomorrow.com/plan/green.htm" target="_blank">green community</a>. Storm water will be directed into a series of lakes, ponds and vegetated areas where it can infiltrate before entering the city's storm drain system.

The infrastructure will be built in a way that includes recycling, conservation, energy efficiency and the use of quality, durable products. Energy efficiency measures will be required in all houses in order to achieve Energy Star certification.

And finally, drought tolerant and native landscaping will be installed to minimize water use and irrigation will be provided via reclaimed water in the district’s irrigation system.