Professional Design Services for the Sand Dune Park Improvements Project

The City of Manhattan Beach (“City”) invites sealed proposals on the project described herein, Professional Design Services for the Sand Dune Park Improvements Project to be submitted via OpenGov. Proposals will be received until 11:00 am on Tuesday, October 14, 2025 .

Bid Valid: 120 Days

Anticipated Start: January 2026

Anticipated Completion: September 2026 or sooner

Project Area

The City currently maintains the Sand Dune Park, located at Bell Avenue and 33 ^rd Street. The Park includes a sand dune, trail, stairs, nature area, a playground, and a park building which was originally constructed in 1964. Locals and visitors frequent the park and can make a reservation to climb up the challenging Sand Dune hill or walk up the adjacent stairs.

Project Background

Since the 1960’s, Sand Sune Park has received multiple improvements. More recently, the City facilitated a reconstruction project in 1999, which included grading, irrigation, planting, landscape features, and installation of play equipment still in use today. In 2012, the City proceeded with a fence project, which consisted of the replacement of a temporary fence with a permanent, more aesthetically pleasing fence. A Facilities Condition Assessment Report (Appendix G) was created in 2013 which recommended multiple upgrades to the site due to age and regular use. Since then, the City has also conducted a major landscape revitalization project which included cleaning, stabilizing, and beautifying the hillside, irrigation system repairs, upgrades to the retaining wall and fencing, and adding decomposed granite at the bottom of the Sand Dune Park. In 2018 an Accessibility Report (Appendix H) was performed throughout the City, including Sand Dune Park, which includes an analysis of accessibility barriers, their severity, and recommended fixes for future projects.

Starting 2022, the City explored opportunities to further improve Sand Dune Park and evaluated uses for the future, including nature areas and trails, park improvements, and replacement buildings for that currently housing a workspace and storage area. The City held outreach events and utilized surveys to collect community feedback and to develop conceptual design plans for the park improvements.

In September 2024, the City approved the Sand Dune Park final conceptual design, given minor changes (Appendix F). The design includes one tot lot and one playground for children ages five to twelve. It also includes two new fully accessible play structures that will be enclosed with a new fence and gates. The play structures (Earthscape Play, Dynamo Playgrounds, or approved equal) will be comprised of natural wood with rubberized surfacing. All materials shall be suitable for the surrounding coastal marine environment. The park design protects the existing mulberry trees while adding seating opportunities and an outdoor education area featuring low wooden stage and low benches for elementary school children. A pedestrian lighting system is proposed for the entire park to enhance security and aesthetics. The design also features two new prefabricated concrete block buildings with Spanish-style architecture. They include a new code-compliant restroom building with vandal resistant components and a new office building, both with features for straightforward maintenance. Fencing shall be planned for future decorative lace design (Redfort Architectural Fabrics or approved equal).

In February 2025, City Council approved proceeding with the Sand Dune Improvements Project Final Design Phase.