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MID CITY WEST COUNCIL WEIGHS IN ON PROJECTS
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Chris Sieroty
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The Land Use Committee of the Mid City West Community Council has approved plans for a 21-story residential and mixed-use commercial structure on Wilshire Blvd.
The committee’s approval means the Houston-based Hanover Company project now goes to the entire council for a vote at its Jan. 12 meeting. Bounded by Wilshire and Crescent Heights boulevards and Orange St., the building includes 158-residential units, with approximately 175,057 square feet of total floor space, including 6,850 square feet of ground level retail, subterranean parking and four-levels of above ground parking.
Ira Handelman, of Handelman Consulting Inc., which represents the developer, told the committee that the original plan to construct four town homes at the southeast corner of Orange and Crescent Heights has been shelved after meeting with neighborhood groups. All sides have been unable to reach a consensus about what should be done with the property that is currently home to rental apartments.
At the Dec. 16 meeting, Handelman told the land use committee that the comment period on the project had closed and that the project’s environmental impact report would be out this month. In terms of traffic issues that still remain, he said Hanover was working with the city council, city officials and residents to try and solve several issues.
Among the immediate measures being proposed would be to install left-turn lanes for the eastbound/westbound lanes on Wilshire and Crescent Heights, and implement additional parking restrictions on both sides of Crescent Heights between Wilshire and 6th St.
Farmers Market adjacent
FARMERS MARKET owner plans to build a shopping center across the street.
A.F. Gilmore Co., the owner of Farmers Market at West Third St. and Fairfax Avenue, approached the committee to inform them of their plans to build a shopping center across the street that could be anchored by a 24,000-square-foot space. The northwest corner of Third and Fairfax is currently occupied by an empty lot, where Christmas trees and Halloween pumpkins are sold seasonally.
The center would be built on that lot, plus space that’s now home to a parking lot, plant nursery and some small retail buildings, according to Mark Panatier, vice president of A.F. Gilmore. He said the company had been talking to retailers about occupying the main retail space.
The center, which is proposed as a build-to-suit project, could have more than 43,000 square feet of retail and restaurant space, with two levels of parking. The large anchor space could also be divided into smaller units, said Panatier. In addition to the retail space, the project is designed to accommodate a 2,500-square-foot restaurant.
Panatier said he expected the permitting process to begin within the first quarter of the year, with construction beginning in the fall with expectations pointing to an opening in the fall.
“This is the best possible use compared to what they could have done,” said board member Teresa Feldman.
Panatier assured the committee that this “was not an expansion of the Farmers Market. This project needs to create its own identity,” he said. “We wanted to introduce this project early so you get an idea of what our plans are. We still need to have discussions with our neighbors.”
Little Bar application
=Meanwhile, the committee also expressed their support with the owner of Little Bar, who plans to file an application this month with the city for the sale of alcohol. Currently, the bar at 757 S. La Brea Ave. is permitted to sell only beer and wine.
New drugstore
CVS is proposing to build a new single-story 10,370-square-foot drugstore with 13 street-level parking spaces and 31 rooftop spaces on property currently occupied by La Brea Chrysler at Third St. and La Brea Ave. Once constructed, the drugstore would operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
For more information about the Mid City West Community Council and these projects, go online to www.midcitywest.org.
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