Steven Sharp WELCOME HOME

Per an LADCP case filing from last month, a sizeable multi-family residential development is headed to the western edge of Koreatown. The apartment complex, pegged for an approximately one-acre property at 700 South Manhattan Place, would offer 162 residential units within a seven-story structure. The project site, currently developed with surface parking and a nondescript two-story structure, spans slightly more than one acre near the intersection of Western Avenue and 7th Street.

Construction of Pomona College’s new 75,000 square-foot Millikan Science Hall is ahead of schedule, with the building slated for completion in mid-2015. The project, imagined as a new local landmark, was originally scheduled to open next Fall. When complete, the low-rise structure will house the school’s astronomy, mathematics and physics departments. Copper panels are currently being added to the exterior of the building’s planetarium dome, while ceramic tiles and windows are being installed on other parts of the facility.

High above the world famous Sunset Strip, four construction cranes are hard at work on a transformative mixed-use complex from Los Angeles-based CIM Group. The Sunset La Cienega development - designed by a team consisting of SOM, LOHA and Mia Lehrer + Associates - will create four mid-rise structures containing condominiums, hotel rooms and ground-floor commercial space. Work on the $300 million project began in earnest nearly two years ago, with the clearing of several vacant structures at the intersection of Sunset and La Cienega Boulevards.

Brandywine Homes has closed on a .82-acre site at 136 Las Tunas Drive in Arcadia, with plans to build a series of three-story contemporary townhomes. Groundbreaking for the community, dubbed Griffin, is scheduled to break ground in April 2015, with delivery expected by December 2015. “The increased demand for housing in Arcadia has pushed pricing for single-family detached homes into ranges many people cannot afford,” said David Barisic, Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Brandywine.

According to a memo from an upcoming meeting of Metro’s Service Councils, construction will begin in April on a new center-median bus platform linking the El Monte Busway to Union Station’s Patsaouras Transit Plaza. The $31 million project, funded in part by a discretionary grant from the Federal Transit Administration, will improve vertical and horizontal pedestrian circulation within the historic transportation hub. Currently, passengers on Metro’s Silver Line buses must disembark on Alameda Street, before crossing a freeway on-ramp and walking a quarter-mile to access trains and buses at Union Station.

Construction is scheduled to begin next month on a high-end residential development adjacent to L’Ermitage Beverly Hills. Empire at Burton Way, a luxury condominium complex from Los Angeles-based Empire Property Group, will rise from a roughly quarter-acre property at 9265 Burton Way. Plans for the five-story edifice call for 23 residential units -including two reserved for very-low income households- and underground parking accommodations for up to 48 vehicles. Empire Property Group will entice potential residents with their project’s close proximity to a variety of high-end stores and restaurants.

The modest Beverly Hills skyline will soon be augmented by a striking five-star hotel tower. Earlier this year, a team of investors lead by the Alagem Capital Group broke ground on the new Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills. The $200 million project, located at the high-profile intersection of Wilshire and Santa Monica Boulevards, will consist of a 12-story tower with 170 guest rooms, luxury retail establishments, and other ancillary uses. Designs from architecture firms Gensler and Pierre-Yves Rochon call for a structure primarily clad in white stone, featuring strong horizontal lines and curving forms which are typical of the Streamline Moderne style.

Last week, Alliance Residential announced the opening of Broadstone Candara, a 103-unit luxury apartment complex in Hancock Park. The project, located at 738 Wilcox Avenue, is situated close to Larchmont Village, the Wilshire Country Club, Melrose Avenue and Paramount Studios. Designed in the Spanish Colonial Revival style by Santa Monica’s DFH Architects, Broadstone Candara is reminiscent of the distinguished residences of Hancock Park. The complex’s Moorish-inspired interior design complements the Spanish-themed exterior architecture with amenities like that of a boutique hotel.

A potentially transformative development is planned for the current West Adams broadcast facility of radio stations KABC and KLOS. According to new environmental documents published by the Los Angeles Department of City Planning, the 11-acre site at La Cienega and Jefferson Boulevards is to be redeveloped with multiple podium-style buildings that would offer a combination of residential, office and retail uses. Although an exact development program would likely hinge on market conditions, the project’s initial study establishes a baseline plan of 1,218 multi-family residential units and 300,000 square feet of commercial space.

A mitigated negative declaration published by the Los Angeles Department of City Planning has unveiled new renderings for the Boylston Arms, an upcoming residential complex which would straddle the border between Westlake and Echo Park. The project, which is being developed by the Lion Real Estate Group, will rise from an approximately .8-acre site located at 327-411 North Boylston Street. Plans filed with the City of Los Angeles call for a six-story structure, featuring 121 residential units divided between studio, one-bedroom and two-bedroom floor plans.