Preservationists cautious about future tallest building in WeHo

The tallest building in West Hollywood will be built on top of the city’s last commercial manufacturing location.

Victor Omelczenko, speaking as a representative of the WeHo Historic Preservation Alliance, reminded the developers of that fact at a virtual meeting they held Thursday evening to share the potential impacts of their plan to build a 34-story mixed-use tower at 1000 La Brea.

The CEMEX factory sits on the northeast corner of La Brea and Romaine Street, at the very edge of West Hollywood’s boundary with Los Angeles. For more than 60 years, sand and other raw materials have been brought here to be converted into as much as 60 truckloads of cement a day.  That cement has been used for projects such as The Grove and Cedars-Sinai Medical Center.

“I would say of the last remaining unique commercial manufacturing industrial site that our little city of 1.9 square miles has,” Omelczenko said. “And this is sort of a rarity. It’s taking away a commercial industrial money-making sort of jobs for what we call that declining middle-class base of workers. You know, we’re not talking about janitors and maids in hotels; we’re talking about a middle-class workforce. So looking over the statement we got, it’s good to see that there’s going to be maybe some workforce housing included in the affordable housing component. But as the West Hollywood Preservation Alliance, we want to be sure that those buildings are considered and that the overall site is considered for its impact on West Hollywood’s history, especially as the last, as we can find it, remaining manufacturing-type facility. And yes, uses evolve, but even at this early stage, we would like to offer up that once the project, as it evolves, once it gets approved, that if possible, the company, the developers, make a good faith effort to film the place in a video that would document the importance, even if the EIR says, oh, it’s not significant, it’s not important.”

Fondness for the building doesn’t seem to be very prevalent among the neighbors. Reddit poster Gregalor commented “La Brea & Willoughby is stained white with cement dust, it’s nasty. And I’m sure I’m breathing that shit into my lungs all day every day. Good riddance.”

THE INITIAL STUDY

The Initial Study, prepared by the City of West Hollywood Community Development Department with assistance from Rincon Consultants, Inc., in November 2023, assesses the environmental impact of the 1000 North La Brea Avenue Project. This mixed-use residential and commercial building project, encompassing approximately 0.99 acre at 1000, 1014, 1020, and 1028 North La Brea Avenue, proposes a 34-story building with 514 apartment units and 30,000 square feet of commercial/retail space. The site currently houses a concrete batch plant and a warehouse.

Key components of the project include:

• Demolition of existing structures and removal of mature trees.
• Construction of a 352-foot tall building with residential, commercial, parking, and amenity spaces.
• 674 parking spaces, including a subterranean garage.
• Landscaping with drought-tolerant plants and additional street trees.
• Various sustainability features like energy-efficient systems, EV charging stations, and solar panels.

Construction is proposed to start in October 2025 and end by June 2028. The report includes detailed simulations and site plans, showcasing the project’s design and layout. The building’s architecture features an L-shaped structure with recesses, balconies, outdoor gardens, and integrated billboards.

Several regulatory compliance measures are outlined, such as Nesting Birds RCM, ensuring the protection of birds during construction.

The report identifies the need for various approvals and permits, including a demolition permit, development permit, administrative permit, sign permit, development agreement, zoning map amendment, and other discretionary and ministerial permits. Approvals from agencies like the State Water Resources Control Board and Los Angeles County Fire Department are also required.

The environmental checklist indicates potential significant impacts on:

• Aesthetics: The construction of a 34-story building will significantly alter the visual character of the area. It may impact scenic vistas, create new light and shadow patterns, and change the aesthetic quality of the neighborhood. The integration of billboards and the building’s unique architectural design could also influence the visual environment.
• Air Quality: Demolition and construction activities can temporarily increase dust and particulate matter, affecting local air quality. The long-term operation of the mixed-use building, including vehicular traffic and commercial activities, could contribute to air pollution.
• Biological Resources: Removal of mature trees and potential disturbance to local fauna, particularly bird species during construction, poses a risk to biological resources. Mitigating measures like pre-construction nesting bird surveys are proposed to minimize impact.
• Cultural Resources: The project area could potentially contain archaeological or historic resources. Any ground disturbance poses a risk to undiscovered cultural resources.
• Energy: The construction and operation of the building will require significant energy resources. While sustainable design elements are planned, the overall energy consumption and efficiency of the building will have environmental implications.
• Geology/Soils: Excavation for subterranean parking and construction may impact soil stability and increase the risk of erosion. The project’s location and construction methods will determine the extent of geological impact.
• Greenhouse Gas Emissions: Both construction and operational phases of the project will contribute to greenhouse gas emissions. These emissions are a concern for climate change impacts.
• Hazards & Hazardous Materials: The presence of a concrete batch plant on the site raises questions about contamination and hazardous materials. Proper handling and disposal of such materials during demolition are crucial.
• Hydrology/Water Quality: Construction activities could impact stormwater runoff patterns and water quality. The increase in impervious surfaces post-construction may affect local hydrology and water quality management.
• Land Use/Planning: The project will change the land use dynamics from industrial and warehouse to mixed-use residential and commercial, impacting local zoning and planning policies.
• Mineral Resources: If any mineral resources are present on the site, their extraction or disturbance could be an environmental concern.
• Noise: Construction noise and the long-term increase in traffic and urban activities will impact the local noise environment.
• Population/Housing: The addition of 514 residential units will impact local population density, housing availability, and potentially strain existing community resources.
• Public Services: Increased demand for public services like fire protection, police, education, and utilities is anticipated with the population growth from the new development.
• Recreation: The project includes public open spaces, which could positively impact local recreational opportunities.
• Transportation: Increased traffic, need for parking space, and potential alteration of local traffic patterns could significantly impact transportation.
• Tribal Cultural Resources: If the area holds significance for local tribes, the project could impact tribal cultural resources.
• Utilities/Service Systems: The project will demand more from local utilities and service systems, including water, sewer, and electricity.
• Wildfire: Although not in a high wildfire risk area, the project’s design and materials should consider fire safety standards.
• Mandatory Findings of Significance: The study must determine if the project has any significant unmitigable environmental impacts, which would require an Environmental Impact Report (EIR).

The Mitigated Negative Declaration for project indicates that while it may have significant environmental effects, these can be mitigated to less than significant levels. An Environmental Impact Report (EIR) is deemed necessary to further analyze certain impacts that remain to be addressed.

• Aesthetics: The project, a 34-story mixed-use residential and commercial building, is not expected to significantly impact scenic vistas, scenic resources, or the visual character of the area. The building’s design and location within a transit priority area (TPA) mean that its aesthetic impacts are not considered significant under state law (SB 743).
• Air Quality: The project could potentially have significant impacts on air quality during both construction and operation, including contributing to criteria pollutant levels in a non-attainment area and exposing sensitive receptors to pollutant concentrations. These impacts will be further analyzed in the EIR.
• Agriculture and Forest Resources: The project site, currently urbanized with a warehouse and a concrete batch plant, is not designated as farmland or forest land. Therefore, the project would not convert agricultural or forest land to non-agricultural or non-forest uses.
• Light and Glare: The proposed building and integrated billboards could create new sources of light and glare, but impacts are expected to be less than significant, complying with local regulations.
• Odors: Potential odor emissions from construction activities and future commercial/retail operations are anticipated to be less than significant.
• Biological Resources:
  • Nesting Birds: The project has the potential to affect migratory and other bird species if construction occurs during the nesting season. A Regulatory Compliance Measure (RCM BIO.1) is included to mitigate this impact, requiring buffers around active bird nests during construction. This measure is expected to reduce the impact to a less than significant level.
  • Riparian Habitat: The project site, currently developed and urbanized, does not contain sensitive natural communities, riparian habitats, or critical habitat areas for endangered or threatened species. Thus, the impact on these resources is deemed less than significant.
  • Wetlands: The project site is not located on or near federally protected wetlands, so no impact in this regard is anticipated. 
• Geology and Soils:
  • Seismic Risks: While the project site is not in an Alquist-Priolo Fault Zone, it is in a seismically active region. Potential seismic impacts, including ground shaking, ground failure, and liquefaction, are considered potentially significant and will be further analyzed in the EIR.
  • Landslides and Soil Erosion: The project site has a low risk of landslides due to its relatively level topography, and the risk of soil erosion is less than significant.

• Historical and Archaeological Resources:
  • Historical Resources: Given the age of the existing buildings on the site, further investigation is needed to determine if they have historical significance. The project’s potential impact on historic resources is considered potentially significant.
  • Archaeological Resources: There is potential for archaeological resources or human remains to be present below the surface. This issue will be further examined in the EIR.
• Cultural Resources:
  • Historical Resource Significance: The project will involve demolition of existing structures, which necessitates evaluation for local, state, and federal significance. Potential impacts to historic resources are considered potentially significant and require further analysis.\
  • Archaeological and Human Remains: The potential disturbance of archaeological resources or human remains during construction is recognized as a potentially significant impact and will be explored in more detail in the EIR.
• Energy Resources:
  • The project’s construction and operation are expected to result in increased energy and fuel demand. The project’s compliance with renewable energy and energy efficiency plans will be evaluated in the EIR to determine the potential for significant environmental impacts.

The declaration concludes that while the project may have potentially significant environmental impacts, these can be mitigated. The EIR will focus on areas where impacts remain to be fully addressed, ensuring that all potential environmental concerns are comprehensively evaluated and appropriately managed.