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City of Santa Ana Washington Square Park Feasibility Study
<br />July 2025
<br />6. Recommended Options
<br />There are three options as part of this study. Visuals for three potential layouts are included in this report
<br />(Appendix E). These concepts consider a number of scenarios where existing properties, individually or as a
<br />whole, could be acquired, sold, and done in partnership with a private developer to bring a vision to fruition.
<br />Option 1 reflects purchase of three of four (vacant, undeveloped) Dantes parcels (Assessor Parcel Numbers
<br />405-321-08, 09, 13), developing them into park/open space. This option doesn't include the purchase of the
<br />existing single-family home, maintaining the use for that purpose.
<br />o This option would allow for a 1-acre neighborhood park that could include a children's playground,
<br />neighborhood event gathering areas, passive areas and a dog run. These elements resulted from
<br />input collected through community outreach.
<br />o The west end of the site would remain passive open space (undeveloped) to allow for a future offset
<br />cul-de-sac, should the adjacent property owner wish to sell and develop the parcel into housing. The
<br />offset cul-de-sac would allow for needed access.
<br />o The cost estimate for this Option 1 is $5.9m ($2.72m acquisition [Feb. 2024 appraised value of
<br />Dantes vacant, undeveloped land] + $847,000 [increased value of Dantes vacant, undeveloped land
<br />based on recent land sales] + $2.3m development).
<br />Option 2 reflects purchase of the four available parcels, including the single-family home, all Dantes parcels
<br />(Assessor Parcel Numbers 405-321-08, 09, 12 and 13, and converting all to park/open space.
<br />o This layout builds upon Option 1, expanding park acreage to 1.32-acre, with children's playground,
<br />neighborhood event gathering area, and passive seating areas, with room to expand west should that
<br />owner (Jessup Ann Hayden Trust, the "Hayden Trust," Assessor Parcel Number 405-321-14) become
<br />a willing seller.
<br />o This option includes demolition of the single-family home.
<br />o The west end of the site would remain passive open space (undeveloped) to allow for a future offset
<br />cul-de-sac, should the adjacent property owner (Hayden Trust) wish to sell and develop the parcel
<br />into housing. The offset cul-de-sac would allow for needed access.
<br />o The cost estimate for this Option 1 is $7.9m ($3.7m acquisition [Feb. 2024 appraised value] +
<br />$338,400 [increased value of recent comparable single-family home sales] + $847,000 [increased
<br />value based on recent, vacant, undeveloped residential land sales] + $3m demolition and
<br />development).
<br />Option 3 is a long-term plan, which would include purchase of a fifth parcel owned by the Hayden Trust,
<br />should the owner be willing to sell, and developing Option 2 as well as the vacant site owned by Hayden
<br />Trust into parkland.
<br />o This option would continue to building upon Options 1 and 2, adding an additional .42-acre for a total
<br />park area of 1.74-acres. It would enable additional neighborhood gathering area, a fitness area, a
<br />more welcoming park entry and/or other elements as recommended through collecting additional
<br />community input.
<br />o The option would negate the need for a cul-de-sac on Lowell St.
<br />o An updated appraisal has not yet been initiated. As stated above, the current property owner is not a
<br />willing seller. The city's position is NOT to exercise eminent domain to acquire this land.
<br />o The cost estimate for this option would be $10.4m ($7,895,000 the cost of acquisition and
<br />development for Option 2 + $1,476,177 [estimated value to acquire the Hayden Trust vacant site,
<br />based on recent, undeveloped residential land sales + the additional development cost of
<br />approximately $1m).
<br />With regards to long term maintenance and security, because of the strong interest and commitment
<br />displayed by the neighborhood, it would be worth discussions with the community to form a neighborhood
<br />"adoption" and/or watch to help care for and monitor the site.
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