The First Avenue Plaza in downtown Walla Walla—now called Walawàla Plaza, meaning “many little waters”—was created to help support local businesses during COVID-19 by giving patrons an outdoor space to grab a bite, take a break, and connect with others in safety and comfort.
PBS led a stakeholder advisory committee and city staff through the conceptual design process to upgrade the temporary space with permanent features celebrating the rich local history and include locally inspired landscaping, shade structures, natural-stone pavers, new utilities, reconfigured parking, and a modified traffic signal to improve accessibility for the visually impaired.
This project permanently converts a side street into an outdoor plaza space that solidifies the heart of downtown allowing mobile functionality for gatherings.
– Michael Melder, PE, Project Engineer
