An unlicensed architect who was fined in 2011 for preparing designs for two projects in West Hollywood has had another project approved by the city’s Planning Commission.
At its meeting last Thursday, the commission approved a proposal by Amit Apel to demolish a single-family rental unit and a rear four-unit apartment at 948-950 San Vicente Blvd. and an eight-unit apartment building at 954 San Vicente Blvd., merge both lots and construct a 20,000-square-foot, four-story, 18-unit rental apartment building over a subterranean garage. The property is owned by Enrique, Katalin, Michael, Lauren, Dianna and David Mannheim.
State law requires that one be either a licensed architect, a licensed landscape architect or a licensed engineer to work on buildings over two stories high and with more than four units. Apel is not listed as a licensed architect in a database maintained by the California Architects Board (CAB).
The CAB’s website states that in 2011 it issued “a four-count administrative citation that included a $5,000 civil penalty to Amit Apel, an unlicensed individual … Apel offered to design a residential condominium of at least 16 units and a residential condominium of at least seven units located in West Hollywood, California. Apel subsequently prepared design and preliminary construction documents for each project. Apel paid the civil penalty, satisfying the citation. ”
The citation apparently was referring to a 14-unit condo project that Apel proposed to build on property at 1136-1142 N. La Cienega Blvd. after demolishing two existing single-family homes. Apel also had announced plans for a six-unit condo project on West Knoll Drive.
Ed Levin, a West Hollywood architect, raised the issue at the City Council meeting tonight. Levin suggested that the city’s Community Development Department check to ensure that a designer be licensed before allowing him to proceed with filing for a permit for a building project. Levin also recommended that the City Council rescind approval of the 948-950 San Vicente Blvd. project.
Apel has not returned calls from WEHOville seeking comment on this matter.
If true, it shows you don’t have to be an ‘architect’ to design the same-looking UGLY new style en vogue with weho and the planning commission.
This one is on the uglier side of average, but its style will look as bad as the old building next door in 30 years.
As long as this guy has a licensed structural engineer stamping all the plans then it doesn’t matter. I also looked on his website and I didn’t find anywhere that said he was an “architect” or practiced architecture or provided architectural services. That would be illegal. It would be interesting to see his contracts and what services he provides. According to his website he is a “Designer.” Anyone can provide design services. If the structural engineer stamps the plans then he has the liability as well as the owner in that hopefully all zoning and building codes have been adhere… Read more »
I too checked his website and agree. Though there is an architect listed on being on his staff, I would be very hesitant to consider any company that doesn’t list the full or professional names of their staff members as well as the license numbers for those required to be licensed. How can one do one’s due diligence otherwise?
Yikes!!!…..Thanks “Very Concern Citizen, now we know where to find an unlicensed ugly McMansion builder.
If you look around, there seems to be plenty of these guys to choose from.
FYI available on Zillow for $3,799,000!
http://www.zillow.com/homes/for_sale/0_fr/1_fs/34.107362,-118.332024,34.067129,-118.407126_rect/X1-SSm52jefihmz2j_9prl8_sse/20787826_zpid/?utm_source=email&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=emo-inferredsearch-forsaleaddress&3col=true
Hmmm…. The Planning (we rarely have reviewed a building we didn’t like) Commission did NOT do its due diligence on this one. You would think that Commission Chair Altschul (who’s been on this Commission since – oh, what century is it?) would have recalled this non-architect. Apparently not. Quel embarrassment ! Now, hopefully, the project will, correctly, be rejected, as it should have been in the first place. BTW – Altschul should be removed from his position. First, he’s been there FAR too long. Second, his dismissive attitude towards WeHo residents is appalling. Third, his condescending comments are uncalled for.… Read more »
How could our Planning Department approve this? Do they not know this man is unlicensed and has been fined before? Are their memories that short?
Besides that, I am getting tired of reading that they keep approving the tear-down of rent controlled units, to be replaced by non rent controlled units. How long will it be before there are no rent controlled units outside of the east side? I see economic segregation coming to WeHo big time.
There is nothing “allegedly” about the fact. I looked him up at http://www2.dca.ca.gov/pls/wllpub/wllqryna$lcev2.startup?p_qte_code=GEN&p_qte_pgm_code=0600 and he ain’t there. Sloppy headline writing much?
Does this surprise anyone?
When you have a ton of money behind it, a “penalty” is nothing. How about a ban from future projects, especially since this is not the first time? Rampant