City Studios

Address

830 Van Ness Ave
Fresno, CA
(559) 905-3913

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Days & Hours

Monday - Friday 8am - 5pm

Details

Mariposa Plaza lies at the heart of downtown, at the cross roads of the High Speed Rail (HSR) Station, Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) station, and the newly
restored Fulton Street. This is such an important place in the center of our city, that the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) has issued a $150,000 grant to install new artwork at the plaza in 2017. mariposa-map

We see all of these investments as an incredible opportunity to upgrade and improve the plaza so it can be used as a true public square and a space to showcase our community to residents and guests alike.

Please take a moment to learn about Mariposa Plaza and to share your thoughts on how to make this a vibrant, active public space for all to enjoy.

About Mariposa Plaza

Mariposa Plaza is a 12,000 SF performance and gathering space marked by a free speech stage, a 60’ clocktower and a handful of shade trees. The community has long been interested in improving the design and function of Mariposa plaza to better accommodate community and cultural events. Many of the plaza’s amenities are in disrepair: electrical outlets do not function, concrete  walkways and the free speech stage are crumbling, and the 50 year old benches, lighting, and sound systems have mostly been removed due to disrepair.

With HSR’s estimating that 1.7 million people will ride each year from Silicon Valley to the Central Valley, it is absolutely imperative that a visitor’s first impression of Fresno is a good one. Mariposa Plaza, located just 1 block from the HSR station on the way to BRT, dining, entertainment, and local shops, is in an idea position to serve as the city’s welcome mat.

Equally important, Mariposa Plaza is in the heart of downtown, in the heart of our city. By its very nature, it is a true public space, accessible to all. This is a space that should be used to showcase our city’s diversity, culture, history, and industry. It should be a place for people to gather, to celebrate, to play, to relax, to create, and to interact. There are so few places that truly belong to everyone in the city, no matter where they live or what they do. But a public space in the heart of the city, is a place for all people to gather and connect, and to celebrate our common bond as Fresnans!

Our Workfiestas-pics

Community leaders, City officials, local businesses, and Fresno residents have been sharing ideas and input for the potential redesign of Mariposa Plaza. We’ve held community meetings, received expert technical assistance from the American Architectural Association’s Sustainable Cities Design Academy in both 2012 and 2016, and we’ve gathered feedback at community events.
At the 2016 Fiestas Patrias celebration at Mariposa Plaza, we invited kids to draw their vision for what they’d like the plaza to be. Click HERE to see their beautiful drawings!