Bigger plan emerges for mixed-use project at 55 N. La Cienega Blvd. in Beverly Hills

The owner of the Stinking Rose site in Beverly Hills is retooling plans for a mixed-use development using recent changes to state density bonus law, according to a staff report to the Beverly Hills Planning Commission.

In 2023, the Planning Commission signed off on a proposal from Westland Development Group to redevelop the site of the shuttered restaurant at 55 N. La Cienega Boulevard with a five-story structure featuring 105 studio and one-bedroom apartments above roughly 19,000 square feet of ground-floor commercial space and parking for 172 vehicles.

Subsequently, the passage of AB 1287 enabled the use of a "stacked" density bonus to permit a larger project than was envisioned at the time starting in 2024. Accordingly, Westland submitted a revised project to the City of Beverly Hills for review last year. The new project calls for the construction of a taller seven-story edifice featuring 140 dwelling units - including 11 very low-income units and 11 moderate-income units to take advantage of the "stackable" density bonus provisions.

Kevin Tsai Architecture remains the architect attached to the project, which would include amenities such as a rooftop deck, fitness rooms, and a swimming pool.

Construction of the revised 55 La Cienega project will require issuance of a development plan review permit and a density bonus permit.

The project site sits directly across the street from the future site of Metro's Wilshire/La Cienega Station, which is scheduled to begin serving passengers later this year. The subway station has also spurred proposed developments at nearby sites to the east, such as the strip mall at 8300 Wilshire Boulevard where Millennium Partners recently announced plans for a 34-story residential tower.

• 55 N. La Cienega Boulevard (Urbanize LA)