The developer of a proposed nine-story hotel on the east side of La Brea Avenue is moving forward with a presentation of a revised design plan to the city’s Design Review Subcommittee next week.
As proposed, the hotel would have 98 units, with 90 one of them hotel rooms and the remainder apartments on the top two floors of the building.
The project is designed by Neil M. Denari Architects. The developer is listed as a limited liability company using the address of the building. Its office address is that of RPM Investments, a firm that specializes in helping investors sell property and reinvest the proceeds quickly to reduce tax payments.
The project was presented to the Design Review Subcommittee in August of last year, at which time Gwynne Pugh, the city’s contract design consultant, gave it overall praise but also suggested some changes.
“The biggest concern had been at grade level with the presence of numerous driveways, which made the pedestrian environment difficult to negotiate,” Pugh said in a report that will go to the Design Review Subcommittee. “This has been significantly remedied by providing for one point of access to La Brea utilizing the existing alley which has been widened to provide for a fire lane.”
Pugh also praised the architect’s decision to change and lighten the color of its façade from a dark gray to a more silvery gray.
“The overall effect of the design of the skin of the building is that of an object draped in cloth,” Pugh said. “… The skin itself is a satin silvery gray with windows that are set into to the skin.”
“This is a very elegant and sophisticated building well-thought-out. The issues of
previous concern have largely been addressed,” Pugh’s report says.
The report notes that the proposed building is relatively large compared to the scale of development in the surrounding area. “The largest buildings in the neighborhood are some six-story residential buildings on Santa Monica Boulevard to the west.
“Consequently, this building will act as a significant marker and gateway into the city of West Hollywood. ”
That project comes as a discussion continues about the growth of the city’s hotel industry, whose room tax is the City of West Hollywood’s largest single source of general revenue.
The city’s 20 existing hotels now contain a total of 2,451 rooms. With the completion of the Edition by Marriott on Sunset Boulevard, that total will be 2,641 rooms, a 28% increase.
Other projects in various planning stages include the Arts Club at 8920 Sunset Blvd. (15 rooms) Faring’s proposed Robertson Lane project (251 rooms) and its proposed Orange Grove and Santa Monica Boulevard project (74 rooms), and a project proposed for 8950 Sunset Blvd. between Hammond and Hilldale (165 rooms). An internet search shows the 8950 Sunset Blvd. project is associated with Mohamed Al-Marri of Studio City.
Others either under initial review or expected to be submitted for review are the Perry, another Faring project, at 8816 Beverly Blvd. (130 rooms), an unnamed project proposed for 9034 Sunset Blvd. (185 rooms) and a hotel proposed for the current site of Barney’s Beanery at 8447-8457 Santa Monica Blvd. (113 rooms).
A study of the local hotel market conducted in 2016 by CBRE Hotels predicted the hotel room occupancy rate would decrease to 68% by 2020 from the 82% average predicted for this year when the study was conducted.
CBRE, whose study didn’t include the proposed hotel rooms at the Jeremy at 8500 Sunset Blvd., the proposed project on Beverly and Robertson boulevards, the Barney’s Beanery project or the 1040 La Brea project, predicted that the average occupancy rate wouldn’t return to 80% until 2026. While some people, such as Councilmember John Duran, note that the addition of more rooms means the city’s hotel room occupancy tax revenue will continue to grow, hotel owners and managers have quietly expressed concern about the increase in competition.
That study prompted a proposal from City Council Lauren Meister to halt construction of new hotels until their impact could be studied further. The City Council rejected that proposal but did agree to require a study of a “no hotel” option in future environmental impact studies and a study of the financial impact of their project on the existing hotel market.
While the city’s hotels largely have been clustered along Sunset Boulevard, where the Jeremy opened last year and the Marriott Edition is under construction, some developers have shifted their focus south. Examples of that are Faring’s plan to build the Robertson Lane hotel and shopping plaza on Robertson Boulevard south of Santa Monica, the construction of the Kimpton on La Peer and Illoulian’s proposal for the Perry on the corner of Robertson and Beverly boulevards.
At its meeting, the Subcommittee also will review revised designs for three two-story townhome units at 926 Hilldale Ave.
The Design Review Subcommittee will meet at 5:30 p.m. on May 10 at the Plummer Park Community Center at 7377 Santa Monica Blvd. at Martel. There usually is parking available in the lot in front of the community center. If the subcommittee approves the design the project then goes before the Planning Commission for a public hearing.
Correction: An earlier version of this story erred in saying that the proposed 1040 N La Brea Ave. project would have 118 rooms. In fact the developer is proposing 98 rooms. The story has been corrected.
A very strange location for a hotel and few Apartment Units. it will look nicer driving La Brea than the Cement factory (or whatever) and given its location, should cause zero traffic because I can’t imagine who would pay to stay at that NOISY, DIRTY & BAD NEIGHBORHOOD (no offense, it’s a ‘bad neighborhood for people coming to vay-k in L.A. and pay so much for Hotel rooms).
What appears to be lacking in this neighborhood is thoughtful discussion about its overall context or continuity. Developments appear to be randomly thrown into the mix without a community plan. The Planning Commission is not a opportunity to make a plan but one to review and approve hopefully reasonable projects. In the past, multiple projects in their own orbits competing for attention and approval have crowded the agenda seeking permanent residence. One of the reasons the area got off to such a lackluster start is that the sitting commissioners at the time appear to have been lacking any discernible skills… Read more »
Imagine being booked in a hotel on La Brea. The surroundings are from hunger and an LA cop I know said he wouldn’t walk in that area without a gun. What about sightseeing? You can walk a few blocks, visit the empty Avalon and then head down another block and see an encampment of the homeless. Or you can head to the Big Mac and get knifed or shot. But you could say it was more interesting than staying on the Sunset Strip surrounded by massive billboards covering up more hideous new buildings approved by the WEHO City Council and… Read more »
A little off topic, but do you want to know who owns the building you rent?
I found a helpful interactive map on VCs who bought up private homes in the state.
https://calmatters.org/articles/data-dig-big-investment-firms-have-stopped-gobbling-up-california-homes/
What will the rates be for rooms that overlook the cement factory?
This is a big improvement! It pays to show up at Design Review if one has any hope of changing the direction of potential projects. Occasionally some slip through because they just can’t get it right. Next stop for those is Planning Commission where two such unfortunate projects that add nothing to the neighborhood, will be under review this evening.
The Dylan was supposed to be that highly visible identifying entry into West Hollywood. That obviously fell far short of achieving that goal so this is a welcome design alternative. And while Weho may by overrun with excessive hotel rooms (depending on who you talk to), this is a hotel “no-man’s land” and will provide tourists and business travelers a great location.
Why would visitors want to stay in “no-man’s land”?
Stunning in design, this Hotel will transform West Hollywood’s eastside. The look and feel of our Eastside Gateway is deserving of this scale of design and scope. The Chamber of Commerce, City of West Hollywood, tourism and trade will all benefit. Extraordinary design, this hotel’s will be a full-service living piece of architecture. Drawing from surrounding market share east and west of West Hollywood eastside, our visitors will experience an unforgettable stay to the best little city. My imagination is in a state of bliss over the positive impact(s) that adding a pinnacle icon and the positive impact on commerce… Read more »
Yes, and not only that, all the years my parents used to come & visit me, there was never a hotel on the Eastside for them to stay at (and oddly they didn’t want to be 2 of 4 people sharing 1 bathroom in my home….go figure) and it would have been really sweet if there had been. That, along with Oprah’s folks, I’m sure they’d enjoy having a hotel within walking distance.
The city had better clean up the crime over there before people walk to OWN at the lot. It is like running the gauntlet. Still a lot of drugs and prostitution going on. Very high theft at the Target, too. Not safe to walk. High end hotel? More to steal. Sad.
This project will further activate the East Side of West Hollywood. Let’s face it. Santa Monica Blvd. needs a major makeover. This should help and there are no good hotels on that side of town. I see this as a plus.
Nice design.
Headline says S. La Brea, but the rest of the references say N. La Brea. It’s north, right?
Correct. The story has been changed to correct that!