It’s time for another Promenade (& Arts) update, this time for the close of July 2026.
Construction progress
A lot more of the brickwork is now complete, allowing us to open another section of the central Promenade closer to Glenneyre. We’ve also placed all of the tables and chairs throughout the site, creating more space for people to sit and enjoy the area. New permanent benches have been installed along the sides of the Coast Highway half of the project. Bricklayers are continuing night work to finish the areas adjacent to the storefronts.
As a reminder, there are two types of decomposed granite, or “DG,” within the interior of the Promenade. Type 1 includes a binder product that helps create a firmer surface. The DG is an important part of the project’s water-quality improvements because it allows more water to percolate through the ground. There is still a significant amount of unbound DG — call it Type 2 — that will be removed in the coming days as storm-drain grates are installed, the custom umbrellas are placed and utility covers are bricked over. As that work continues, conditions will become less dusty, particularly for storefronts currently dealing with DG being tracked inside.
Tree care and monitoring
The City continues to closely monitor the health of the new and existing trees throughout the Promenade. Most are adapting very well, and when a tree shows signs that it needs additional support, the City works with its arborists to provide the appropriate care. A newer eucalyptus (Spathulata) near Coast Highway is currently being monitored because it is showing both healthy new growth and some leaf dieback. The ficus near the ice cream shop will also soon begin a fungus-treatment plan under the guidance of an arborist.
What’s next?
The most active area of construction has shifted to the Glenneyre and Forest Avenue intersection. This is where we’ll see up to four more eucalyptus trees and the signature sycamore, along with the iconic “crazy brick” pattern covering a large area adjacent to the intersection. You’ll also see trenching for IT lines, as well as electrical lines and a new transformer near the Library.
About the “Kelp Forest” water feature
Before I close, I want to address some misinformation surrounding the water feature’s custom “Kelp Forest” installation. Under the project approval, the Arts Commission reviewed the proposed water feature as a potential location for public art. In September 2025, the Commission considered the concept and declined to recommend incorporating public art into the fountain, citing available space, cost and functionality. Following that determination, staff continued working with SWA, the project designer, on the fountain’s custom plinth and top. The specific design now installed was developed during that later phase of the project.
I believe we could have communicated this process more clearly as it occurred, and we have already discussed internally and externally how to do better. In the meantime, arts officials are currently at work identifying precise locations for the three permanent art pieces that will soon return to the Promenade (see below), and the Arts Commission is preparing a call for artists for a robust program of temporary public art on the Promenade.
Laguna’s Commitment to the Arts
This community takes tremendous pride in its reputation as a home for world-class arts and culture. Three important examples of that commitment include:
- Open competitions. Any artist, from anywhere, can compete for our public art opportunities. Laguna Beach artists continue to hold their own alongside artists from across the country and around the world, and inclusion in the City’s broader arts collection is highly prestigious.
- Meaningful arts funding. Approximately $2.25 million each year from the Tourism Marketing District supports arts programs and arts facilities. That investment is further supported by a mandatory art-in-lieu fee, or specific art placement onsite for certain development projects (like Fire Station #4).
- Artist housing and workspaces. Through its partnership with the Community Land Trust, the City has preserved 75 (and counting) artist studios and housing units. These provide safe, affordable spaces that will remain protected from being sold off.