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The Flagpole Plaza downtown Livermore reopened to the public this month, following its closure in mid-February for renovations.
Located at the corner of S. Livermore Ave. and First St., the revamped plaza is ADA-compliant and includes new stamped concrete sidewalks, designated outdoor dining areas, new landscaping, new game tables and enhanced lighting including string lights, according to city officials. The city also refurbished the existing trellis and installed security cameras that are connected with the Livermore Police Department’s real-time awareness center.
The plaza was partially opened Aug. 1 and its final completion is expected by late September, estimated to cost approximately $3.5 million, city officials said. In the meantime, visitors can expect to see the addition of “a few final touches,” possibly with small coned-off areas, officials wrote Aug. 1 on social media.
Through the renovations, the city aims to make the space accessible to all, improve the north-south and east-west pedestrian connectivity and make it a more welcoming and functional area.
“Flagpole Plaza has always been a central gathering place in our downtown,” Livermore spokesperson Sonia Lee said. “We wanted to enhance its role as a vibrant community hub — a place for all residents to enjoy our local restaurants, connect with neighbors, or simply relax and soak up the energy of downtown Livermore.”
Originally, the plaza featured a large grass area to serve as a public gathering space, according to the city website.
The area was later repurposed for outdoor dining, following the onset of COVID-19 during 2020. As part of the conversion, the grass was replaced with decomposed granite to accommodate dining uses.
The present-day renovation project began Feb. 18, according to city officials.
During construction, a fence surrounded the plaza and partially blocked the line of sight to ground-floor businesses in the abutting building including Demitri’s Taverna.
“We know how to handle everything and we know how to pivot, but when you put a wall or fence in front of your front door, nobody can really pivot from that,” Demitri’s Taverna owner Demitris Kaplanis said.
“I think the plaza is going to be amazing, but construction can be a tough thing,” Kaplanis added. “Everybody on this block is now on a come-back.”
Celebrating the plaza’s reopening as well as the opening of its new patio, Demitri’s Taverna hosted a weekend-long party Aug. 8-10 with contributions from businesses on the block including Strizzi’s. The celebration featured live music, raffles and face painting.
“We’re just excited that the construction is all over and how good it looks,” Strizzi’s manager and supervisor Katie Sposeto said.
Kaplanis intends to carry on a year-round music series during weekends in the plaza starting Friday (Aug. 22), weather permitting. Music on Aug. 22 is scheduled to take place from 1-4 p.m. and 6-9 p.m. The schedule for Saturday and Sunday has not yet been announced.
Monthly block parties are also being planned, with the second weekend gathering set for sometime during September.
For more information about upcoming events, visit the Demitri’s Taverna website.
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