THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT in honoring our heroes.
A Need For A New Plaza
“The inscriptions on the original medallions are so worn down you can’t even read the names of my veteran brothers and sisters. These are men and women who fought and, for some, paid the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom. “”
Ocean Beach Veterans Plaza, located at the corner of Newport Avenue and Abbott Street, where Newport meets the beach, was constructed in 1997 as a memorial to honor those that have served and are still serving in the armed forces. Over time, the plaza has become worn down due to the corrosive nature of salt air and a high amount of foot traffic.
This memorial is currently in disrepair with many of the inscriptions, including a Medal of Honor recipient, being so eroded that they have become illegible.
The OBCDC, along with the OB Town Council, OB Mainstreet Association, OB Planning Board, the Peninsula Alliance, and the OB Historical Society, have set out to rebuild a brand new Veterans Plaza that will last as a place of respect and honor.
Public Workshops on Design
Community Based Design
Two well attended public workshops were held for the community to give input on the project and the new design. The key principles were established at these workshops to be the following: raise the memorial off of the ground, define the space for the plaza so people knew where they were standing, and to move the location to a more appropriate space which the public decided was the space just south of the main OB lifeguard tower.
At another public workshop, the community voted (onsite and through online surveys) in favor of a coastal design that replicated Sunset Cliffs as the backdrop for a wall with veterans' names inscribed on granite. An initial design was provided by Estrada Land Planning, but due to project cost concerns, the OBCDC is moving forward with a more streamlined plan that will meet the community's request for a coastal-influenced, well-defined and vertically-situated memorial for its military heroes.
Schmidt Design Group has donated their time and talent to the community in providing the new design, and a fundraising effort is underway to support the construction of this beautiful plaza and monument to our Armed Forces.
The Current Design
After consulting with local organizations, adjustments to the design are being considered to ensure it coincides with the community's vision. In addition, the Design Review Committee for this plaza has been meeting with City of San Diego Development Services, along with Parks and Rec, to discuss future maintenance objectives and proper materials for sustainability. As the design moves through the permitting process, we are always open to feedback and we encourage you to join us at our public meetings every other 2nd Thursday of the month at the Ocean Beach Recreation Center to discuss the project in detail. Below is a schematic of the Veterans Plaza Design.
