Development WELCOME HOME

The Architects Newspaper has revealed new designs from Michael W. Folonis Architects for a mixed-use development in Downtown Santa Monica. Slated for an approximately .32-acre property at 1415 5th Street, the project would consist of a five-story structure featuring 64 studio, one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments with ground-floor commercial space and a rooftop amenity deck. The proposed development would set aside 13 residential units as affordable housing. The design is highlighted by an urban window above the building’s third floor, opening an outdoor deck to the street.

Two years ago, Chinatown’s Velvet Turtle restaurant was reduced to rubble amidst rumors of an apartment building that would rise in its place. Now, those development dreams are finally being realized. Yesterday, plans were filed with the City of Los Angeles to construct a new residential-retail complex at 708 N. Hill Street. According to a case filing from the Department of City Planning, the approximately .79-acre lot is slated for a seven-story structure that would feature 162 residential units, 5,000 square feet of ground-floor retail space and two-and-a-half levels of underground parking.

Today, Holland Partner Group will hold an official groundbreaking ceremony for its latest mixed-use development in Downtown Los Angeles. Located at the corner of 9th and Figueroa Streets in South Park, the project consists of a 28-story, LEED-Silver tower which will feature 341 apartments and approximately 11,600 square feet of ground-floor retail space. Plans also call for a rooftop amenity deck, a three-level underground garage and a small park. The 312-foot tall building, designed by architecture firms Gensler and the Preston Partnership, is the long-delayed follow-up to Apex, an adjacent high-rise apartment tower completed in 2012.

This past Saturday, J.T. Wimsatt granted us an inside look at construction on 820 Olive Street, a 49-story high-rise development now underway in Downtown Los Angeles. Between 8:00 am and 5:30 pm, a 50-man crew worked with four pumps to pour approximately 4,600 cubic yards of concrete, or 460 truck loads. This averaged out to approximately 537 cubic yards per hour. 820 Olive Street, also known as 825 Hill Street, will include a total of 516 dwelling units and 4,500 square feet of ground-floor commercial space.

Last month, the Culver City Planning Commission granted approval to a proposed mixed-use development at 12803 Washington Boulevard. The project from Axis Mundi RE II, LLC - slated for a vacant half-acre lot - would consist of a five-story structure featuring 37 apartments above 7,200 square feet of ground-floor commercial space. Plans call for a mixture of one-, two- and three-bedroom units, three of which would be set aside for very low income households.

A local real estate firm is planning to build a new residential-retail development in the North San Fernando Valley. Yesterday, the Encino-based Gelb Group filed plans with the City of Los Angeles for the construction of a nearly 500,000-square-foot mixed-use complex at 16201 W. San Fernando Mission Boulevard. The approximatley 8.5-acre property is currently home to a retail center known as Granada Hills Plaza. According to a case filing from the Department of City Planning, the project would consist of a four-story building containing 440 apartments, including 22 units that would be set aside for very low income households.

A new flyover video showcases construction progress at the $700-million USC Village. The mixed-use complex, which will function as a 15-acre expansion of the USC campus, is slated to include new academic facilities, 115,000 sqaure feet of ground-floor retail space and new housing for up to 2,700 students. Designed by architecture firm Harley Ellis Devereaux, the project takes the form of multiple Neo Gothic buildings clad with the university’s signature red brick.

A document from the Los Angeles City Planning Commission has unveiled renderings for a proposed development in Hollywood. A limited liability company linked to Wiseman Development is planning a multifamily residential complex at 7120 W. Sunset Boulevard. The property, currently a vacant lot, would become a five-story building featuring 60 apartments, seven of which would be set aside as affordable housing. Plans also call for approximately 3,400 square feet of ground-floor commercial space, as well parking accommodations for 125 vehicles and 88 bicycles.

An initial study published by the Los Angeles Department of City Planning has unveiled renderings for a proposed mixed-use complex in the San Fernando Valley. Harridge Cadillac Group, which purchased a former car resale center at 8350-8340 N. Reseda Boulevard last year, plans to redevelop the approximately 3.3-acre site with a multifamily residential units, single-family homes and commercial space. Along Reseda Boulevard, plans call for the construction of two low-rise buildings featuring 79 apartments, 10,300 square feet of ground-floor retail space and 175 parking spaces.

IDS Real Estate Group has released a new website for an upcoming office building in Culver City, complete with new renderings, a live camera and a virtual tour. Culver City Creative, or C3 at Culver Pointe, is now under construction on a three-acre property at Hannum Avenue and Bristol Parkway. When completed, the speculative development will feature approximately 280,000 square feet of leasable office space. The seven-story building, designed by the global architecture firm Gensler, is envisioned as a vertical creative office campus with high ceilings and adaptable floor plates.