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Wilshire/Rodeo station
Wilshire/Rodeo station is an under construction, underground rapid transit (known locally as a subway) station on the D Line of the Los Angeles Metro Rail system. It is currently under construction as part of the D Line Extension project, in Beverly Hills, California. Construction started in 2018 as part of Section 2 of the extension project. It is slated to open in 2026.[1] The station is being built at the site of the former Ace Gallery on the southwest corner of Wilshire Boulevard and Reeves Drive in Beverly Hills.[2][3][4][5][6] History Construction of Wilshire/Rodeo station was officially kicked off on September 23, 2019.[7] On March 31, 2020, the Beverly Hills City Council approved a proposal from the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority to fully close the two blocks of Wilshire Boulevard needed to facilitate the station's construction, taking advantage of lower traffic levels resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic in California.[8] This would allow for expedited construction of the station and better mitigation of construction impacts as opposed to the original plan, which would require alternating weekend closures for 13 weeks over a 3.5-month period, with completion scheduled for March 2021.[9] Fully closing Wilshire Boulevard, which went into effect the next day and lasted until June 2020, expedited construction of the station by as much as six months.[10] Metro officially completed foundation and decking work for Wilshire/Rodeo station seven months ahead of schedule on June 14, 2020, with Tutor Perini, the project's general contractor, putting workers on extra shifts to further expedite construction.[11] Wilshire Boulevard reopened in both directions later that evening,[12] with construction and excavation activities continuing underground until that phase's scheduled completion in the first quarter of 2021.[13] Station layoutWilshire/Rodeo station was originally planned with a single entrance, located at the southwest corner of Wilshire Boulevard and Reeves Drive. However, as part of an agreement Metro negotiated with the City of Beverly Hills which was approved on February 28, 2019,[14] a second entrance is being planned on the northern side of Wilshire Boulevard, with three locations being originally considered.[15] During a Beverly Hills community meeting held on June 7, 2023, it was announced a location for the second entrance was decided by the Beverly Hills City Council: at the northwest corner of Wilshire Boulevard and Beverly Drive, adjacent to the Wilshire Beverly Center office complex. The second entrancewould consist of a street-level glass-enclosed entryway like those on the K Line and the Regional Connector. It would possess a single up escalator and a set of stairs leading into a 170-foot-long tunnel which would feed into Wilshire/Rodeo Station's concourse level. T staff report, the total cost of the north portal was expected to be $134.2 million, and the agreement between LA Metro and the City of Beverly Hills would have them split the cost of the new portal up to the original estimated budget of $78.5 million. However, the two entities are expected to negotiate the split of any amount beyond that original estimate. As a result, the Beverly Hills City Council will be required to decide on whether or not to move forward with or cancel the second entrance, with the city possibly deciding to reallocate existing funding to other projects such as first/last mile improvements at transit stations.[16] On May 8, 2024, Beverly Hills chose to not build the second entrance citing high costs, though LA Metro plans to build provisions for a future second entrance within Wilshire/Rodeo's station box.[17] The station will be the only station in the Metro Rail system (aside from Union Station) to have public toilets, which will likely be built after the station opens, and may be built above-ground and/or integrated into a new development which would be built above the station.[18] AttractionsThe station is located in the Platinum Triangle neighborhood that includes the Rodeo Drive shopping district and its many hotels, including the Luxe Rodeo Drive Hotel, the Beverly Wilshire Hotel, The Beverly Hilton, and The Peninsula Beverly Hills. It also lies a few blocks south of the Beverly Gardens Park and its Electric Fountain, and Beverly Cañon Gardens. It is also located directly next to Reeves Park. Various fine dining establishments are located in the neighborhood, including Spago, which is directly across the street. The Academy Headquarters Building along with its Samuel Goldwyn Theater, the Paley Center for Media and the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts are located nearby. The Rodeo Drive Walk of Style aligns Rodeo Drive. References
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