The proposal entails demolishing four existing buildings at 651-657 Huntley Drive, which currently house eight residential units to make way for an 8-story residential apartment building containing 74,460 square feet of housing.
The developer plans to construct 50 studio, one-bedroom, and two-bedroom units, including 18 income-restricted units. The design includes a total of 5,125 square feet of private balconies, complemented by a 2,165 square foot open-space rooftop deck.
The complex will offer a total of 28 parking spaces accommodated within a two-level underground garage.
Currently, Huntley Drive is zoned R-2, a classification considered ‘low density.’ This zoning permits a maximum height of 25 feet, or 2 stories, and allows for up to 2 duplexes on lots smaller than 4,000 square feet. On lots measuring 4,000 to 7,999 square feet, up to 3 duplexes can be built, while lots between 8,000 and 9,999 square feet can have a maximum of 4 duplexes as per the code. Additionally, there is an allowance of 1 extra unit per lot for each 2,000 square feet (or fraction thereof) exceeding 9,999 square feet.
The proposed development spans two lots with an approximate total of 13,000 square feet. This estimate is based on the sizes of lots with similar homes on Huntley Drive. I reside north of the complex on Huntley Drive where most lots range from 5,800 to 6,500 square feet.
Huntley Drive is notable in West Hollywood for being one of the few streets ‘downzoned’ from R4 to R2 in the late 1980s, in anticipation of the completion of the Pacific Design Center.
The construction of an 8-story complex seems inconsistent with West Hollywood’s building codes.
Disclosure: When I purchased my home on Huntley Drive, I was informed during the disclosure process that Huntley Drive would revert to an R4 zone upon completion of the Pacific Design Center (comprising the Blue, Green, and Red buildings). I have since inquired at planning commission meetings and with city council members about the timing of this upzoning. However, neither the planning commission nor the city council has taken steps to change the zoning on Huntley Drive. This oversized complex does not seem to align with existing zoning guidelines.
WEHOonline contacted Brandon Straus, the listed contact person for the project, but has not received a response. Details about the neighborhood meeting scheduled for December 6th from 6 pm to 7 pm, including a Zoom link and QR code, are provided below.
Well yeah big, but you can see the east wall of the PFC gigantic parking garage. That spot might not be affected by an 8 story building given how HUGE! The whole garage wall really is (not all exterior garage wall in photo)
Humm…50 units with 28 parking spaces. Has staff checked to see how much street parking is on Huntley in the evenings? Even if these tenants don’t have cars, Huntley will be gridlocked due to a constant stream of Amazon delivery trucks and calls for Uber and Lyft. Just because you don’t own a car doesn’t mean you won’t use one. This project should be rejected on traffic and circulation issues alone. Sometimes great ideas don’t take into account the realities of our daily lives. It will be interesting to see how many of the “income restricted” units are actually the… Read more »
What is the building directly south of 651 Huntley?
It looks odd.
Not a good idea.
Rooftop spaces, although I generally approve & desire, tend to get too windy after a certain height.
Nice summation,. Mr Block.
Move the whole thing to the corner of Crescent Heights and Santa Monica Boulevard.
Great idea !
Who is the developer?
Don’t know yet. Will find out gtd. LOl As of now a 3rd party has been hired to do the legwork for the developer. That company is Srous and Associates Real Estate Developments Group
Srour and Associates.
Tha “Builder’s Remedy” seems like a stretch.🙄
Bit stretch … except they may have pounced on a loophole within the loophole. There is a several month period from when Weho City Council signed off of the city approved ‘Housing Element’ (Feb 21st, 2023)for its next 8 year approval from the state. The state didn’t sign off their acceptance and approval until April 28th, 2023. So we have this couple of month when, technically, Weho’s ‘Housing Element’ wasn’t in place. And this is the possible loophole this developer is trying to exploit. This is the period of time that the building proposal was sent to the city according… Read more »
Thank you for this additional info.
And i just received new information that the NEW ‘Housing Element’ 8 year plan was supposed to have been finished and appoved no later than Oct of 2021. West Hollywood appears to have been about a year and a half late rather than the couple months of my previous comment. That may have left 18 months for a developer to pounce and invoke the Builder’s Remedy’ … but I think that is still the big question mark now that there is a current ‘Housing Element’ plan in place. Nobody seems to know the answer as to where this will end… Read more »
No different then the 7 story 89 micro-units with insufficient parking on Wetherly Drive, WHCHC shoved down the communities throat at the Planning Commission meeting two weeks ago where they basically said we’re taking advantage of state law and there’s nothing you can do to stop it. They didn’t even try to work with the community and ignored most of the planning commissions suggestions, it’s pure insanity. This is how Manhattanization starts.
The bottom line in the most corrupt city in California, which should be sued in a class action breach a public trust, is that the developers will just pay off the city council. John Erickson, the next mayor, will bend over backwards 😘 to accommodate the developers pay off along with that refugees from Iran and Arizona. Of course, Heilman from Cleveland is alwa who created the nightmarish Lindsay Horvath is owned by developers. Just look at the 8150 Sunset they can’t get financing after 10 years and the former ICM building on Beverly
The “most corrupt…” is ridiculous.
“Refugee from Iran” is offensive.
But “woke” in your name is a giveaway.
Want some credibility? Prove the payoffs.
Picture of the proposed building.
info
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The developer is attempting to use the recently passed Builders Remedy to build this building without having to conform to West Hollywood’s codes. First time a developer has tried to utilize this legislation here in West Hollywood.
Aside from the 8 stories, only 28 parking spots for 50 units (maybe 75 people) That’s 50 more cars trying to find parking all over Tri-West…….No Bueno.
Here’s the simple fix to the parking problem (never mind that the whole building is a bad idea/fit): Have a permanent covenant that the city will NOT issue either guest passes or assigned residential parking permits to anyone leasing space at this building. That way the already jammed street parking situation (I walk down Huntley all the time) isn’t exacerbated. Adding another couple dozen additional “unhoused” vehicles isn’t going to help anyone.
No no each unit should have three guest passes because this is party town so we need to accommodate to the guesst there’s no need for you to offer that advice which is not sage advice at all……we need hot guys hear partying so we can take them home… that’s the point of living near the bars! If you don’t like it you should move and move far away! This building needs to be billed right away and the rents should not exceed 750 per one bedroom so we can get all the hot young ones in!