The original endowment from the Sherman Foundation was purposely restricted to routine operating expenses such as maintenance, ensuring that any capital changes to the property would require community approval, engagement, and investment. In so doing, the Foundation has ensured that the Sherman Library & Gardens belongs to the community and remains subject to its collective desires.

To that end, Grow The Gardens has engaged in significant community outreach and listening sessions to discern the will of the community. The result is thoughtful design that increases the reach of Sherman Library & Gardens while decreasing the impact on the surrounding community. For example, moving the restaurant from Dahlia to Pacific Coast Highway decreases noise and pressure on local streets, and allows us to repurpose the current restaurant building for education and community programming seven days a week.