River Park includes a system that will capture, clean, and reuse stormwater run-off, saving hundreds of thousands of gallons of water each year. As the first private system to treat neighborhood run-off at this scale in the City of Los Angeles, it is an example of Harvard–Westlake’s commitment to developing an environmentally responsible project.
The River Park plan calls for the removal of roughly 250 non-native trees and the addition of 350 native trees, a net addition of over 100 trees to the site. Over time, the new trees will sequester more carbon than the trees that are currently on the site, will offer more shade, will increase biodiversity, and will provide habitat to a wider range of birdlife and wildlife than the trees that are currently on the site do.
The River Park gymnasium building will include a substantial solar array and will be built to the LEED Silver standard.