For years, Alex Leguevara has taken his family to a park outside his immediate neighborhood in Koreatown. The only park around was the Seoul International Park, more than a 20 minute walk away from his home. Then he heard about the Pío Pico pocket park. It gave him hope that a walkable, green space would finally be right where he lives. But that sense of optimism came four years ago, and the park has still not opened.
The opening of the half-acre park is now set for 2027. On a recent January afternoon, a walk past the park shows that even the foundation is still being built.
“We don’t really have a park nearby where families like mine with kids can go — just the one on Irolo and San Marino — so I think once it’s built, it’s going to have a real impact on the community,” said Leguevara, who has lived in Koreatown for more than 16 years and works as a cook at Café Scent near Wilshire and Serrano avenues.
“Friends of mine who know I work around here are always asking me, ‘Hey, do you know when we’re going to the park?’ They’re excited to see what it’s going to be like too,” he said.
The pocket park, set to slot right next to the Pío Pico–Koreatown Branch Library, was formally approved in August 2017. Nearly a decade later — and after $22 million in public funding was committed — the park remains unfinished. The city broke ground in 2024, but multiple delays have pushed the project behind schedule.
“The timeline has changed. COVID hit, delaying many projects, and construction prices were extremely volatile because the supply chain was disrupted — it was just very difficult to get materials,” said project architect Alice Kimm, who first became involved in 2014. “Prices kept skyrocketing and fluctuating up and down. Building anything in LA, and across the country, became unpredictable. I think that was part of the reason for the delay, because the city had to adjust budgets accordingly.”
The pocket park’s underground parking component has also contributed to the delays.
“But now that we’re moving on to pouring the slab, you’ll start seeing progress quickly. People want what they can see and experience, but a lot of construction happens in parts you don’t see,” Kimm said.
The project is one of several green space initiatives launched across Los Angeles in recent years as part of an effort to address chronic park shortages and expand access to outdoor recreation in dense, historically underserved neighborhoods. While city leaders and advocates say these projects are intended to improve community health and well-being, prolonged delays — like those facing the Pío Pico pocket park — have raised questions from local media outlets like Urbanize LA about how effectively the city is delivering on those goals.
Read more: What will it take to bring more parks to LA’s most crowded neighborhoods?
City officials now say construction is expected to be completed by February or March of 2027. According to the city, total costs to date for the publicly funded project stand at $18,676,812.37, but officials caution that figure could rise as work continues and the remaining scope of work is completed on site.
The project’s total budget is $21,956,500, which doesn’t include BOE soft costs — non-construction expenses like architectural and engineering fees, permits, inspections, project management, and other administrative or professional services. The city said additional funding is still being sought to make sure the project can be completed by early 2027. Previously, City Councilmember Heather Hutt said the project would cost $26.6 million, but it’s unclear if that will be the final cost. Hutt’s office did not respond to requests for comment.
To explain the delays over the years, Mary Nemick, director of communications for the Bureau of Engineering at the Department of Public Works, has pointed to a series of setbacks, including rain delays, permitting delays and some materials being discontinued for the foundation of the project.
Residents were involved early in the planning process and raised concerns about amenities and security, Nemick said. This feedback led to design changes, including more shade trees, benches, walking paths and seating areas.
Kimm said a key design goal was for the park to feel like an extension of the library. “We wanted spaces for people to gather, sit, read, or eat lunch, with pathways, seating and plenty of trees for shade,” she said. “There’s also a small plaza in front of the library for events or performances. Overall, we wanted it to serve multiple functions and be a valuable amenity for people who live, work and visit Koreatown.”
Once completed, the park is expected to be the only urban public park in the immediate area, serving roughly 40,000 residents.
Heesnk Cho, who works at a café in a building across from the site, is looking forward to incorporating the park into her daily routine.
“It’ll be nice to have a pleasant view and a place where I can go and rest. I also sometimes go to the library, so it’ll be great to have another space where I can be,” she said.