CLH was the lead landscape architect and civil engineer for the City of Wilmington Bijou Park Renovation project. The site is rich with history and is a landmark in the City. In the early 1900s, this site, located in downtown Wilmington on Front Street, operated as a theater where short motion pictures were displayed for just five cents. Residents of all ages frequented the theater. In the mid-1960s, the theater closed, and the building was demolished. The only remaining piece of the theater was a mosaic tile on the ground displaying the Bijou name. A local garden club converted the vacant lot into a pocket park.
The site was overgrown and ready to be renovated. CLH led the design team in rejuvenating the park into a safe, dynamic public space while preserving and telling the site’s history. The park is located between the vibrant Front Street and a large multi-use development. CLH coordinated the park design with the adjacent private development. The park’s design will support the City’s Tree City USA and Bee City USA designations and the Downtown PEDestrian ART (PED ART) program.
The City residents and visitors now have a new and engaging public space.
