At its meeting on Thursday, the West Hollywood Design Review Subcommittee will see a presentation about a residential building proposed for 826 N. Kings Road between Waring and Willoughby. Applicant Demetri Damos is proposing a 34-unit building with five affordable units.
In her design review memo to the subcommittee, WeHo urban designer Stephanie Reich praised the project renderings as showing “high design quality.”
“The project is a sophisticated 3-dimensional proposal that presents a strong design idea. While taller than its neighbors, it provides sensitivity to mass and scale with attention to detail that is well-designed to its site. The project appears to incorporate sustainability principles in a way that serves to enhance the building design. With continued attention to detail, the project will serve to fit well into the context and enhance the overall streetscape and neighborhood,” Reichs said in the memo.
“It appears that there is an effort to provide as much live planting as possible in all setback areas and in the circulation space at the ground level … The approach to the landscape design appears to be very appealing, focused on complementing the building design and a high degree of sustainability. Staff will review more detailed planting plans and work with the landscape designer as the project moves forward.”
Reich’s memo includes one crticism: that “there could be a greater sense of openness and transparency to the street, particularly at the ground level.”
The Design Review Subcommittee will meet at 5:30 p.m. at the Plummer Park Community Center, 7377 Santa Monica Blvd. at Martel.
RENDERINGS
I live on Kings Rd. above SM Blvd across the street from a building that was completed last year. It involved tearing down 2 single-family homes and putting up a 4 story building with around 40 units. I think 2 are set aside for “low income” but I am not sure. Many of the neighbors including myself were against this project. I unfortunately was out of town visiting my family and the “Save Kings Rd” folks did not heed my advice and get an attorney to help them. I said, “without an attorney, the city will go through the motions,… Read more »
@Tom. Doesn’t surprise me about Stephanie Reich. She used to be the Urban Planner for the City of Glendale…which in my opinion has more of an urban city environment that can handle larger structures. Weho isn’t like that to me. I think we are a more compact, neighborhood-based community that needs greater regulations on the size and scope of projects. I think these large developments should stay on the major streets. When they start trickling into the neighborhoods without thought of how it impacts other residents…it’s a disservice to everyone.
As someone who has lived in the same condo on the 800 North Kings block since 1982, I am appalled at the size of this building. The density along all of the blocks between Melrose and Santa Monica is already too great. Driving the street is often an obstacle course of double-parked vehicles. The approval of a building that is much taller than any other in the area will set a horrible precedent for even greater density. It also ignores the plans for another new residential building, a 20+ condo on the same block at the southeast corner of Kings… Read more »
Does “WeHo City Hall urban designer Stephanie Reich” ever NOT praise a new development???? Let me google her and see if I can find any. I’ve read numerous articles lately where she praises our new developments. How many of these stupid square boxes does WeHo really want to put up??? Ugh. Little Boxes in theCity, Little boxes made of Ticky-Tacky. Little Boxes in the City, Little Boxes all the same.
I live on Kings its not really that congested, 34 units won’t be a big deal, but parking in general on the street (for guests or those who don’t have it) is scarce. And yes the southside will face the section 8 building which is mostly elderly/ disabled, one bedrooms. Its hard to believe how much wealthier this city has become, pushed alot of people out, Its unreal that the Huxley or Dylan are considered market rate. Market is finicky The Habitat across at 825 (condos) went for 1 million to 2 in 07, then dropped drastically to 8oos, so… Read more »
These look like condos, not market-rate rentals, but the article doesn’t clarify. I looked at the site on Google Earth. The north side faces directly into another large apartment building. No view there, for sure, and not much light either. The south elevation looks directly onto the parking lot and lower buildings of 800 N. Kings Rd, which I believe is senior/disabled Sec. 8 housing. There’s your view, but there might be more to see from the top floors. I like the building better than the new market rate rentals on the East Side (The Dylan, the Huxley, Movietown Plaza,… Read more »