Melrose Leadership Academy    
4730 Fleming Ave., Oakland, California

Melrose Leadership Academy is an elementary school with a dual Spanish/English immersion program located in East Oakland. The community's vision developed through participatory design is to replace their vast asphalt expanses with gardens, fruit trees, outdoor classrooms, vegetated swales, nature play areas, a grass field and a significant number of shade trees.

In early 2019, working with The Trust for Public Land, we completed the initial phase of the project, which included removal of 4,000 square feet of asphalt, planting of 16 shade trees, and creation of a vegetable garden, planting areas and vegetated swales. Construction is currently underway.

Completion Year: In Progress, expected 2023
Client: The Trust for Public Land
MCLA Team: Jeffrey Miller, Johann Holvick