Plans for a large mixed-use development near Hollywood's beleaguered Target Husk have taken one step closer to reality.

Last week, the Los Angeles City Planning Commission voted to support a proposed housing and retail project at the northwest corner of Sunset Boulevard and Western Avenue.  Reliable Properties, the developer behind the project, is seeking approvals to raze an existing shopping center and replace it with a seven-story building containing 412 studio, one-, and two-bedroom apartments - including 61 very low-income affordable units - above ground-floor commercial uses and parking for 659 vehicles.

Withee Malcolm Architects is designing the project, called SunWest, which would consist of multiple five-story wood-frame structures above a two-level concrete podium.  Common amenities such as a swimming pool, a community room, and a gym would be located at the property's third floor, while additional amenity decks would be placed at the roof levels of several of the buildings.

Construction of SunWest is expected to occur over approximately 24 months, although a groundbreaking date has not been set.  The project's requested entitlements, which include a conditional use permit and off-menu density bonus incentives, will require the approval of the Los Angeles City Council.

In addition to the Target Husk, which is now in the end stages of construction on the opposite side of Sunset Boulevard, the project site also sits diagonally across Western from a larger 735-unit housing complex proposed by American Commercial Equities.

Additional mixed-use buildings are planned a few blocks north near Hollywood/Western Station and two blocks south at Fernwood Avenue.

Other projects from Los Angeles-based Reliable Properties include a proposed residential-retail complex in Palms.