An empty lot next door to the El Monte Metrolink station is up for redevelopment with housing, per a new environmental notice.

The Paseo Santa Fe development, proposed by MJW Investments, would rise from a nearly 3.8-acre site at 3700 Monterey Avenue. Plans call for the construction of a series of three-story buildings featuring a combined total of 87 townhome-style condominiums and parking for 201 vehicles.

Site plan for Paseo Santa FeCity of El Monte

The project, according to an initial study, would include three- and four-bedroom dwellings, ranging from 1,387 to 1,837 square feet in size. Each would include either two or three bathrooms and a two-car garage. While some units would include their own flex space, porch, or deck, all units would have a minimum of 200 square feet of private and common open space.

A rendering portrays Paseo Santa Fe with a Spanish-style design, featuring a white stucco exterior and a tile roof.

In addition to housing, the project would set aside approximately .79 acres of land at the intersection of Valley Boulevard and Monterey Avenue for a new city park featuring playgrounds, swings, benches, a picnic area, shade structures, public restrooms, art, and landscaping.

Additionally, plans call for the construction of El Monte Paseo, a new pedestrian route which would connect Valley Boulevard to the nearby Metrolink station and bus station. That 6,220-square-foot area would incorporate entry pilasters, trellises, landscaping, decorative pots, a drinking fountain, an art plinth, and a bicycle rack with a repair station.

3700 Monterey AvenueCity of El Monte

Construction of Paseo Santa Fe is expected to commence in June 2024 and conclude by June 2026, according to the initial study. That schedule is contingent on approvals by the City of El Monte.

The project is the latest in a string of development filling in sites near the Metrolink station, following on the heels of two affordable housing developments built a short walk to the east along Valley Boulevard. Large, vacant sites have also been filling in with housing adjacent to the El Monte Bus Station a few blocks away on Santa Anita Avenue.

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