Fremont Downtown Events Center

The new City of Fremont Downtown Event Center marks the first phase of an ambitious, multi-phased plan to revitalize a nine-block, transit- and pedestrian-oriented Downtown District. Anchoring the redevelopment, the 6-acre Phase 1 project features a 15,000-square-foot Community and Events Center with a pavilion, a one-acre public plaza park, and an 80-stall parking lot. Designed as a hub for community life, the site offers multiple event venues, outdoor gathering areas, and rooftop solar arrays, embodying the City’s commitment to sustainability and public engagement.

K+W served as civil engineer and land surveyor under the project architect, providing a full suite of services that included topographic mapping, demolition planning, sitework, off-site frontage improvements, utility studies, stormwater treatment design, and construction administration. From the outset, the City had limited site details but K+W’s early design input helped shape new standards for off-site improvements and urban design integration.

The centerpiece of the project—a large, community-oriented open space—required a highly coordinated civil approach to achieve the City’s vision while meeting stringent water quality and stormwater management requirements. With minimal vertical grade change across the site, K+W faced the challenge of capturing and treating stormwater without large detention basins. Creative solutions included permeable pavers over a rock infiltration layer, flow-through planters, and strategically distributed bio-retention ponds. In total, 11 bio ponds were incorporated, doubling as both functional treatment systems and landscaped visual amenities.

Close coordination with the landscape architect ensured that stormwater systems blended seamlessly with the pedestrian-oriented design, performance stages, outdoor dining areas, and extensive green spaces. The flat site required precise grading to prevent backflow toward the building and ensure ADA compliance while directing water to treatment areas and into the public storm system.

The project’s three-sided street frontage posed another complexity—each interface required seamless integration of grading, access, and drainage while protecting on-site water from external runoff. Off-site frontage improvements, including Capitol Avenue’s angled parking and State Street median tie-ins, demanded careful elevation matching and construction coordination with ongoing adjacent development.

Through an integrated and highly collaborative process, the civil design achieved the dual goals of accommodating an intricate open space program and delivering efficient, sustainable water treatment systems. The result is an award-winning public space that supports community gathering, performances, and recreation while meeting Fremont’s long-term urban and environmental goals.