Lake Elsinore Downtown Master Plan

Lake Elsinore, CA

Lake Elsinore is the city’s primary attraction; it is also an economic and environmental resource. The Big Idea for the City of Lake Elsinore Downtown Master Plan is to reconnect the city to the lake. This bold and creative gesture requires the re-alignment of Main Street and Lakeshore Drive to physically connect the downtown to the lake with a new pier. The master plan proposes five distinct districts along the Main Street: Gateway, Garden, Cultural, Historic and Waterfront. The plan proposes a variety of high quality mixed-use developments, with ground floor retail with residential above along Main Street. Several buildings within the existing commercial core or Historic District have been registered on the National Register of Historical Places and will be restored as part of the downtown revitalization plan. The new Waterfront District, which celebrates its location on the lake, will be the centerpiece of the revitalized downtown and lakefront. A new City Hall will be the cornerstone of the Waterfront District, with new government offices and council chambers, a town square, retail space, and a shared parking structure. The pier will feature a variety of waterfront uses including a resort hotel and spa, restaurants, shops and recreational uses with kiosks for use by farmers markets and craft stalls. A new waterfront park will provide public access to the lakefront with a variety of active and passive uses, including an environmental nature center, an events lawn/amphitheater, and a boardwalk. Lakeshore Drive will be reconnected to the downtown with a new bridge over the creek. The lake edge, along with the creek, will be restored to create natural, riparian habitats with an interconnected system of trails, bike paths and boardwalks. The Lake Elsinore Downtown Master Plan will create a livable, viable and memorable place for residents and visitors alike.