A shuttered pool hall in Santa Monica is set to make way for medical offices, per a new presentation to the Santa Monica Architectural Review Board.

Babak Samimi, an orthopedic surgeon, is seeking city approvals to redevelop a property at 1901 Wilshire Boulevard with a new three-story building described as featuring medical offices and outpatient surgical facilities. The approximately 23,634-square-foot building would be accompanied by  22 parking spaces at the rear of the site and a personal training space on the ground floor.

View looking north from WilshireMichael W. Folonis Architects

Michael W. Folonis Architects is designing the contemporary low-rise structure, according to plans.

The building is a consistent rectangular form sheathed by translucent material," reads a staff report. The form is then carved for an open terrace on the top level and the material is peeled away at the lobby and ground floor to reveal transparent glazing and other window elements. By using translucent material and incorporating horizontal variations, subtracting from the mass, the building appears to float above the ground floor in a manner that is appropriate in scale and pedestrian-oriented."

1901 Wilshire BoulevardGoogle Maps

A staff report recommends approval of the concept.

While Wilshire Boulevard is no stranger to medical offices, most recent developments along the corridor have consisted of residential and commercial uses. A number of multi-story developments from Cypress Equity Investments are in the works nearby.

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