Mixed-use, 52-unit project proposed

| March 30, 2017 | 0 Comments

ART DECO style mixed-use project is proposed for the corner of Beachwood and Melrose.

A new mixed-use project planned for the corner of Beachwood and Melrose in Larchmont Village is working its way through the planning process.

Replacing an auto repair shop, the project involves construction of a four- to five-story mixed-use building to include 52 apartments and more than 5,500 square feet of ground-floor retail space. The property will consist predominately of studio and one-bedroom units and will provide 69 automobile and 63 bicycle parking spaces.

Dana Sayles, a spokeswoman for the project, tells the Chronicle that her team is working hard to design a project that is both “special” in design and that “creates community” for the surrounding neighborhood.

“There seems to be a general consensus that this is a terrible-looking site, and everybody would like to see something else there,” says Sayles. The property has been used for auto repair for decades.

After meeting with the Larchmont Village Neighborhood Association (LVNA) and the Greater Wilshire Neighborhood Council (GWNC), Sayles says the project went through a substantial re-design to address concerns from the community.

“There were concerns about having something richer in context, and we wanted to understand the surrounding architecture more.”

The result is a modern interpretation of Art Deco style.

According to Sayles, the project is designed to complement the Paramount Master Plan by creating housing and retail space for creatives working for the studio.

In regards to the project’s retail space, Sayles says they have spent a lot of time talking with neighbors about what they would like.

With 5,500 square feet, the space could be divided into one, two or three separate units, possibly including a café or other retail with outdoor seating.

“Those spaces are there to create community and as an amenity for the surrounding neighborhood.”

Worried about the project’s potential impact on parking? Sayles says that no one in the building will be eligible to apply for preferential parking in the neighborhood, and that a parking attendant will be on-site any time the commercial space is open.

Opposition

In a letter delivered to homes in Larchmont Village, resident Mary Ann Biewener asked her neighbors who are “concerned about this project” to send their comments to the City Planning Department.

“A new structure of 56 feet is out of scale with predominately single and two-story buildings of our residential neighborhood and is not consistent with the Wilshire Community Plan designation and policies,” the letter read.

Editor’s note: the Wilshire Community Plan map actually designates these parcels for commercial or multi-family use.

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Category: Real Estate

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