1960s Mid-Century Modern Building on Chopping Block at Next Planning Commission Meeting

The 1960s mid-century building formerly used by Bank of America, located at 8025 Santa Monica Boulevard, is on the chopping block at the next West Hollywood Planning Commission meeting on Thursday September 7, 2023, 6:30 p.m. A public hearing will consider a request to demolish the commercial building and construct a new seven-story, mixed-use development containing 110 dwelling units above ground floor commercial space, for the property on the corner of Santa Monica Boulevard and Crescent Heights.

According to the Staff report in the current Planning Commission Agenda, the existing project site is underutilized and presents an opportunity for redevelopment that would support more of the City’s adopted goals and policies.

The report sites the lack of housing in California and how the proposed mixed use project qualifies as a “housing development project” as defined by State law (Government Code § 65589.5(h)(2)), that will assist the City in meeting its housing goals by adding 110 new residential units including fifteen (15) permanently affordable units to the City’s housing stock, helping the City achieve its Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA) of 3,933 units before 2029. As a qualifying “housing development project,” the proposed project is also subject to the Housing Accountability Act (HAA) because 92 percent of the project’s total gross floor area contains residential uses, exceeding the twothirds residential threshold required under Government Code § 65589.5(h)(2)(B)) of the HAA, meaning the proposed project is subject to streamlined and heightened standards of discretionary review, as described in additional detail under the “Housing Accountability Act” section of this staff report.

The proposed project is also consistent with the General Plan and has been
designed and refined following input from the Design Review Subcommittee and City staff
to balance the economic and land use goals of the City, which encourages mixed-use
development at key locations along major corridors where increased development is
possible due to the presence of high frequency transit service. It allows for an
expansion of retail and other nonresidential uses while allowing for an increase in the
amount and diversity of housing in locations where it is harmonious with surrounding land
uses. The development does not require any legislative changes, complies with all
applicable objective development standards, and would be transformational to this
intersection of Santa Monica and Crescent Heights Boulevards.

The project’s proximity to major transit also follows the State Legislature’s intent to provide more housing near public transportation and in transit corridors, thereby reducing the need for individual vehicles and reducing overall greenhouse gas emissions. Therefore, based on the information presented in this report and subject to the findings and conditions in the draft resolution, staff recommends that the Planning Commission approve this new mixed-use development project located at 8025 Santa Monica Boulevard.

The project site is located on the north side of Santa Monica Boulevard near the northeast
corner of Crescent Heights Boulevard behind the curved slip lane, and has a total lot area
of 22,005 square feet. The property contains approximately 160 feet of frontage along
Santa Monica Boulevard and is developed with a two-story and 4,120 square-foot
commercial bank branch building that was originally constructed in 1961 and most
recently occupied by Bank of America until it permanently closed in 2021.

To read the full Planning Commission Agenda and Staff Report, click on the link below:

https://weho.granicus.com/GeneratedAgendaViewer.php?view_id=16&event_id=1481