In addition to the prototype kiosk that popped up at the corner of Wilshire and 4th Street on May 1, two more have appeared. One is at the intersection between Pico and Ocean, on the southwest corner next to Cha Cha Chicken and the other has materialized at the southwest corner of the Ocean and Arizona t-junction, outside the Sonder-owned hotel, The Beacon.
Based on the City’s website, the first phase of the rollout incorporates a total of six displays with a deployment date of July 1, 2024. Kiosks have been installed at the following locations, 4th/Wilshire (test location), Ocean/Pico (Cha Cha Chicken) and Ocean/Arizona (The Beacon). The three still to come as part of this primary placement are Ocean/Santa Monica, Ocean/Broadway and Boardwalk/Pico.
According to officials, there is no cost to the City for the kiosk installation, rather the City will begin earning 50% of adjusted gross revenues as soon as the first kiosk goes live. A minimum annual guarantee of $5 million will become effective once all 25 kiosks in the first phase are operational.
“The new Wayfinder kiosks in Downtown Santa Monica will provide our visitors with real-time information about local businesses, events, transportation options, and more. This dynamic digital platform offers a significant upgrade over static directories or information signs, which become outdated quickly. I believe our visitors will truly appreciate and love this innovative addition,” Andrew Thomas, CEO of Downtown Santa Monica, inc. told the Daily Press.
Credit: Scott Snowden
The City’s website illustrates the five-stage installation plan and shows the location of each of 29 proposed sites with the Third Street Promenade being part of the second phase, rolling out by approximately August 5, 2024.
Officially known as the Digital Wayfinding and Out-of-Home Advertising Kiosk Program, the initiative was first conceived in early 2020. Once some issues over who was going to be awarded the contract were resolved, a fully functioning prototype designed and built by BIG Outdoor in collaboration with IKE Smart City was made available for local residents to inspect, examine and evaluate.
Nothing has changed from the prototype test model that was available for a first look exactly a year ago, on June 13, 2023. The device stands at approximately 8ft tall, with a 55-inch display and is made from what we’re reassured is incredibly durable materials along with an “anti-graffiti” coating that will ensure any tagging by a wannabe street artist can be very easily removed.
According to the City, BIG Outdoor has contracted with Block by Block to respond immediately to maintenance requests. Once approximately 10-15 kiosks are operational, BIG will have full-time maintenance staff in-house and all maintenance requests will go through BIG Outdoor. There’s also a way to report maintenance issues on the kiosk itself.