This past Halloween likely was your opportunity to explore Mr. Bones Pumpkin Patch. And the upcoming holiday season is likely your last chance to pick out a Christmas tree at Mr. Greentrees. At least on Doheny in West Hollywood.
Plans for a 50-unit condominium building at 702 N. Doheny Dr. have progressed to the point that they will be reviewed on Thursday by the Design Review Subcommittee of the West Hollywood Planning Commission.
The building is a project of Jason Illoulian’s Faring Capital. Faring has to submit its plans to the city for approval because it is asking that the city’s General Plan be amended and that the zoning of four lots fronting Doheny be changed from medium density residential to high density residential.
The 50 units include 12 described as “affordable,” which is city planning jargon for real estate priced for low- or moderate-income people. They all will surround a courtyard, with the Doheny side four stories high and the three stories facing Harland and Keith avenues built as townhouse units. There will be 100 underground parking spaces.
In her positive evaluation of the project, Stephanie Reich, the city’s urban designer, says it “will enhance the pedestrian environment along Doheny Drive and on Harland Avenue and Keith Avenue as well. Along Doheny drive there is street tree and parkway planting, planting in the front setback and private patios that are screened for privacy, yet open enough to provide a sense of activity along the street.”
The project is designed by Robert and Anderson Design of Culver City, whose principals are Christian Robert and Benjamin Anderson.
Mr. Bones owner Lyra Marble is looking for a new location for the Mr. Bones Pumpkin Patch and Mr. Greentrees holiday events. Mr. Bones has been in business for 28 years and moved to West Hollywood eight years ago from Beverly Hills.
The Design Review Subcommitte will meet at the City Hall Community Conference Room, 8300 Santa Monica Blvd. at Sweetzer, at 5:30 p.m.
Westside gets condos, Eastside has huge apartments. When will ther be balance?
This is a beautiful design. It has tinges of Mid Century Modern, a hat-tip to dingbats and is completely appropriate in mass and scale. Mikey, Larr and Woody, there is a place for you–have you visited Rialto? Almost last Metrolink stop to LA. You can have that small-town-no growth feel and still have transit to the big City. Check it out!
Certainly agree with Mikey. This is another generic boxy stack of framed square glass panels that look like every other new building in the city, totally lacking in design detail or character. How people can go ga-ga over such run-of-the-mill-already-outdated-mid-century-modern-glass stacks, shows no imagination or appreciation for traditional , contemporary or innovative architecture, & much less for the architectural history of West Hollywood. Unfortunately WeHo is turning into square city .
@ Mike: the plan shows a driveway apron on Doheny.
Weho should rent a section of Weho Park to a little gem like Mr. Bones for a month or so.
The two streets on the north & south side of the property are very narrow, Keith, especially. So I’m curious as to how the tenants will get in and out if there is no entry/exit on Doheny. Not to mention where the guests will park.
Nice design, but will it ever get built? The developer has a history of announcing projects, starting some (Melrose/Robertson) and never building or finishing. Maybe Mr. Bones should make a deal to stay until construction actually starts. They’ll probably be there for years to come!
B.S.
I have a problem with the design….floor to ceiling glass overlooking
Doheny Drive…..it’s like living in department store window…..
I too applaud this design. Something different than the boxed mixed-use designs we continually see. At least this one is a nod to mid-century design and offer something different architecturally. I think the zoning is appropriate. That entire block has skyscraper condos…and if there are only 4 lots that front Doheny…those are some very long lots. At least the designers were courteous and offer townhome designs that will face existing traditional homes.
The rendering looks pretty good. A nod to Midcentury Modern, updated for the new century. These are going to be very expensive units, so I wonder “affordable” means. The owner/s of this property (it used to be Doheny LLC) have owned it and let it sit undeveloped for over two decades. I wonder if they are still partners in the project. I don’t mind the additional density, but I don’t see why they should get the rezoning – it’s a license to print a few extra million dollars without much public benefit.