The Street Seen: Los Amigos Park
Ocean Park to Hollister @ 5th and 6th
Los Amigos is a 3 acre city recreation park between 5th and 6th Streets, from Ocean Park Blvd to Hollister Ave, on property owned by the Santa Monica Malibu Unified School District (SMMUSD) and leased to the City.
The property is the site of the former John Adams Intermediate School (by Allison & Allison), which was built in 1913, and abandoned after the 1933 Long Beach earthquake. Class work continued on site in tents until the new junior high school was built at 16th and Pearl in 1935.
During World War II, the site was used by the US Army as a recreation camp and later by the US Navy as a reserve training center.
In 1950, the Santa Monica Theatre Guild moved from its first home at the Miles Playhouse to the abandoned mess hall - renamed the Morgan Theatre - until a fire destroyed the building in 1962.
In 1954, the City began leasing the site from the SMMUSD for use as a park. The park’s name (Los Amigos) is said to have been chosen through a contest.
In 1985, the SMMUSD decided to close both John Muir Elementary school (Ocean Park and Lincoln) and the Washington Alternative School (4th and Ashland) and build new facilities on the Los Amigos site. John Muir Elementary School was built in 1992-1996. The Santa Monica Alternative School House (SMASH) was added to the site in 1996-1997.
Santa Monica Alternative School House (SMASH) (2525 Fifth Street) and John Muir Elementary (2526 Sixth Street) share the postmodern-style school complex. SMMUSD and City share use of the park. Students use it during school hours, and the facilities are open to the public during non-school hours.
In 2016 – 2017, a Stormwater Harvesting and Direct Use Demonstration Project, financed by a grant from MWD and the Clean Beaches & Ocean Parcel Tax (Measure V), was installed at the north end of the park. The project taps into the existing storm drain line running under 5th Street adjacent to the park, and diverts stormwater, that would otherwise be sent into the Santa Monica Bay, into an under field cistern. The storm water is stored, treated and then used for irrigation and toilet flushing at the park.