A determination letter issued late last year by the L.A. Department of City Planning grants approval to New York-based Magnum Real Estate Group for the construction of a mixed-use apartment complex a short walk from L.A. State Historic Park in Chinatown.

Named for its address at 1457 N. Main Street, the proposed project calls for razing a two-story food processing facility to clear the way for a new six-story building featuring 376 apartments above 6,448 square feet of ground-floor commercial space and parking for 104 vehicles. Plans call for a mix of studio and one-bedroom apartments - ranging from 348 to 452 square feet in size.

1457 N Main StreetGoogle Street View

Magnum's entitlement request included relief from a provision of the Cornfield Arroyo Seco Specific Plan which limits the amount of residential square footage in projects allotted bonus floor area through the plan's affordable housing bonus program. In exchange, Magnum will be required to set aside 42 apartments as extremely low-income affordable units.

AO is designing 1457 Main, which would be composed of prefabricated modular units built off site and assembled at the property. Plans show a contemporary exterior of painted stucco, with open spaces including a rooftop deck and street-level courtyards.

1457 N Main StreetGoogle Maps

The project is the second modular apartment building slated for the development site on Main Street. Local developer Universal Standard Housing previously secured approvals to build a smaller modular building with 244 apartments.

The proposed apartment complex is one of a growing number of new residential developments transitioning industrial zone to the east of L.A. State Historic Park, joining the recently-completed Llewelyn apartments a few blocks south, and a 280-unit apartment complex which broke ground in mid-2022 a block northwest at 200 N. Mesnager Street.