A mixed-use development that will be used as housing for UCLA Medical School staff and graduate students has opened its doors in the Sawtelle neighborhood, Suffolk construction announced earlier this month. 

View looking southwest from across Santa Monica BoulevardMiriello Grafico

The project, which was developed by CIM Group, sits at the former site of an automobile dealership at the intersection of Santa Monica Boulevard and Granville Avenue.  The five-story building includes 153 residential units above 15,000 square feet of ground-floor commercial space and a 308-car subterranean parking garage.  The apartments come in a mix of studio, one-, and two-bedroom floors plans, and include16 units of deed-restricted affordable housing.

LOHA designed the contemporary podium-type development, which is clad in a series of grey metal panels.  The building includes a V-shaped setback above its first floor, which is used to provide space for an outdoor pool deck.  Other common amenities include a gym, co-working space, and a resident lounge.

The apartment complex, named for its address at 1500 Granville, was sold by CIM Group to a joint venture consisting of UCLA Housing and UCLA Medical School to provide accommodations for students, fellows, interns, and graduate students.

Interior of 1500 GranvilleMiriello Grafico

As part of the same transaction, UCLA also acquired four additional housing developments from CIM Group on adjacent sites.  The newly-built projects comprise a total of 338 apartments and 60,000 square feet of ground-floor retail, with ground-floor tenants including Target, Health Spot pet store, and AKT Fitness.

 “We’re proud to play a role in the revitalization of this neighborhood with the completion of 1500 Granville,” said Suffolk's Los Angeles general manager Ken Summers in a news release. “As general contractor, we used the latest technologies and collaborative design processes to bring to life a community-focused space for students, residents and retailers.” 

The UCLA Properties are surrounded by a slew of similar mixed-use and multifamily residential projects in various stages of development, including new apartment buildings planned at Santa Monica Boulevard's intersections with Federal, Barry, and Barrington Avenues.

Aerial view of 1500 Granville looking southMiriello Grafico